Oregon’s Overall Defensive Strategy: It WORKS

[FishDuck]

My friends...one of the best foundation articles out there about the Duck Defense is available, thanks to former Oregon safety Ryan Mitchell, who shared his knowledge with me from the Florida State game. I learned a TON from him, and this is one to send the link to fans when they complain about a three-man rush. (Three-Duck-Chuck)

As always...read over there, and let’s discuss here; this really makes sense when you consider the big picture and in conjunction with the Oregon offense.

http://fishduck.com/2015/09/oregons-ben ... -it-works/

[pezsez1]

After watching people flame Allioti for so many years (not EVERYONE, but definitely more than a vocal minority), I've come to the conclusion that some people will simply never be happy with the play of our defense.

Our D started slow last season, but really picked up steam starting before the midway point. I still think our D in the natty would have been better throughout the game if our offense could have given them a few more chances to rest.

This year should be good, though.. our defensive depth looks better. Pellum won't need time to learn the ropes, and, overall, this won't be a year of transition. Still, though, I expect to see the same amount of angst over our defensive schemes that we've seen every other year, regardless of how well we're ranked in redzone defense, yards per play, turnovers and other more meaningful stats than total defense.

[vegasdom]

I think the defense is better than its given credit for considering how long they are on the field, but in the Ohio St game it looked like they used the same defensive plan that was used against Florida St. I knew they were in trouble before the game started that if they rushed 3 most of the time. Halftime adjustments? I didn't see any. It was obvious to me that they needed to rush 4 and stuff the box. I know there were injuries but wasn't the secondary supposed to be one of the best in the country last year? Make the Ohio QB beat you passing. Then in the end if that's what he does than oh well they were the better team. Looks to me that we were out-couched on D. Want to see how to defend against Ohio State? Watch the Virginia Tech game this Monday. I'll bet money the hokies don't get steam rolled on the defensive side!

[pezsez1]

Keep in mind our D in the natty got plenty of turnovers, but the offense didn't do crap with those opportunities.

[Cedar Tree]

Completely agree with pezsez1. Many people think the defense was soft and the reason the Ducks lost the NC, but the offense didn't do them any favors, and I'd even argue they were more at fault than the D. Pellum did a great job, especially considering it was his first year, and I shake my head when I read posts from people saying things like "Pillow Pellum!" and "fire Pellum if we don't have a top 15 defense!"

Also, give Ohio State some damn credit: they obviously had a very good offense, and they were well prepared for ours. I don't think there's much debate that they were the best in the country last year; have to give credit where credit is due.

[GrandpaDuck]

I'd love to comment on our D against Ohio State, but I still haven't seen a replay, just cant do it.

Last years D was horrible at times in the beginning of the year and improved immensely as the year went on.

Regarding rushing 3 and why it is so common across all upper levels of football. Watch what happens when you rush 4. If you get any pressure you'll see it continued. If the opposing offense is easily handling the 4 rushers every single time, you'll see most coordinators alternate between 3 and 5 or more man rushes. You're almost always better off with that extra man in coverage than sending a 4th man into a stone wall. If they are handling 5 men with ease, stop doing it as you're at a huge coverage disadvantage that requires immediate pressure on the QB to overcome.

If you track it over the course of a season, max coverage creates turnovers and coverage sacks, but most fans seldom note what the coverage was on a successful defensive play.

Why do so many offensive oriented Head Coaches let their DC's play so much max coverage and bend don't break zones? Mostly because they think blitzes should be big play opportunities for their own offense and that having to convert a series of 3rd downs to score is what they hate to face themselves.

(Maybe I should read the actual article, the author may have already said the same thing.)

[fpsduck]

Oregon's offense didn't give up 42 points.

On the other hand, Ohio State's defense held Oregon to a season low 20 points. We shouldn't have to score 43 points to win a game.

While the offense did struggle in the red zone, our defense did not get the job done.

[greenyellow]

Oregon's offense didn't give up 42 points.

On the other hand, Ohio State's defense held Oregon to a season low 20 points. We shouldn't have to score 43 points to win a game.

While the offense did struggle in the red zone, our defense did not get the job done.

It wasn't helping that the offense was going three-and-out multiple times in a row, forcing the D back on the field so quickly against a team known for it's powerful running game.

[fpsduck]

Oregon's offense didn't give up 42 points.

On the other hand, Ohio State's defense held Oregon to a season low 20 points. We shouldn't have to score 43 points to win a game.

While the offense did struggle in the red zone, our defense did not get the job done.

It wasn't helping that the offense was going three-and-out multiple times in a row, forcing the D back on the field so quickly against a team known for it's powerful running game.

Sure, but Oregon's defense is used to getting limited breaks with Oregon's quick scoring drives.

[pezsez1]

It wasn't helping that the offense was going three-and-out multiple times in a row, forcing the D back on the field so quickly against a team known for it's powerful running game.

Yup.

We, more than anyone, should understand the extreme advantage of wearing out another team's D. We were getting stops at the start, and the D got plenty of turnovers. The offense just couldn't buy them a break, and the D just got worse as it got more winded.

limited breaks

Our offense just wasn't doing ANYTHING though, and the toll on the defense snowballed as the game went on. Oregon held the ball for more than 4 minutes less than its season average, and in the third quarter (partially because we actually scored super quick on one drive), Ohio State held the ball for more than 13 minutes.

We also converted on just 2 of 12 third downs, while we usually converted more than 50 percent.

The end result of the game was the defense was bad... but to try to pin the outcome on the defense is just short-sighted. Oregon's gameplan always starts with offense. Our defense gave the offense extra opportunities, too. The offense flat-out failed to convert.

The offense didn't give our defense anything to work with.

[DAT_man_again]

It just doesn't seem fair when people blame the offense for the natty, or for the Stanford or Arizona games in recent years. Our offense has averaged forty points a game season after season and bailed us out of numerous games, yet when we lose it is somehow because we didn't score enough. Our offense shouldn't have to score in the forties every single game. I have said this before but I can't think of a single time our defense has won us a game when our offense wasn't performing (except for Cal in 2010), but our offense has won us SO many games when our defense was crap.

[pezsez1]

I can't think of a single time our defense has won us a game when our offense wasn't performing (except for Cal in 2010), but our offense has won us SO many games when our defense was crap.

Let's see... the Alamo Bowl was more won by the defense, with the offense anemic most of the time.

Our defense kept a dangerous Kansas State team bottled up in the Fiesta Bowl, another game in which our offense was pretty anemic for most of the first half. That's a game that could have easily gone sideways if not for our defense giving our offense time to get its act together.

I'd also argue its our defense that won the Rose Bowl for us last year. Our offense was pretty flat in the first half, and it was only because of the defense getting turnovers that the offense was able to find a rhythm while disrupting FSU's.

Our defense SHOULD HAVE won us a Natty against Auburn, but again, the offense was MIA.

You're simply not going to see Oregon win any games by scores of 13-10 or whatever because that's just not the way this team plays. Oregon isn't built to be Stanford. We're built to score tons of points with a quick-strike offense and a defense that forces mistakes and turnovers. When the offense breaks down, the Ducks usually lose, because all we end up doing is hand the ball back to the opponent at breakneck speed.

Also, you won't find many games (like the natty) where our offense continues to fail. We play at such a quick pace, our offense usually gets enough attempts to eventually get in rhythm. Fortunately, our defense has been good enough to keep other teams bottled up (usually) until that happens.

That doesn't mean our D hasn't won games for us. As I point out above, our D has definitely won games for us.

Hell, we probably would have lost to UTAH last year if not by a heads-up play by Joe Walker.

***

I don't pin all the blame on the offense. But I pin at least as much blame on the offense as I do on the defense. Seriously, the offense didn't do a damn thing to help the D.

The defense got enough turnovers that our offense (had we been a bit healthier) should have been able to find at least another three TDs.

***

And one more thought...

I'll admit that our D last year wasn't the best it has been in recent years. Examples... both yards per play & third-down conversion D was worse, and those are both huge indicators of whether our defense is successful -- way more meaningful than total defense. That said, our defense was still pretty good for most of the year... easily better than average.

But even in recent years when the D has been better, people were STILL whining and complaining about the play of our D... even when our D was awesome!

It just gets tiring. I know it's not fair to paint every critic with a single broad stroke, but it's crazy how Duck fans in general are so quick to pile on the D while giving the offense a free pass.

[gofightingducks]

Simply put both the offensive and defensive play calling and execution were terrible in the championship game, even Mariota struggled. Ohio State was the better team with more talent and better coaching and game planning, they peaked at the right time and nobody could stop them, they were a juggernaut. That said, I agree, with more depth and talent and a season under Pellum's belt, the D should be much improved and could be among the top in the conference, keeping in mind the fact they are on the field at least 8-10 more plays than any other team in the conference in any given game. can't wait to find out, Saturday can't come soon enough!

[UOducksTK1]

Simply put both the offensive and defensive play calling and execution were terrible in the championship game, even Mariota struggled. Ohio State was the better team with more talent and better coaching and game planning, they peaked at the right time and nobody could stop them, they were a juggernaut. That said, I agree, with more depth and talent and a season under Pellum's belt, the D should be much improved and could be among the top in the conference, keeping in mind the fact they are on the field at least 8-10 more plays than any other team in the conference in any given game. can't wait to find out, Saturday can't come soon enough!

+1

[GoDucksIn09]

I think that in the natty last year that Oregon lost the game everywhere possible. The offense did not do their job... the defense did not do theirs. I think they are equally to blame. This is in no ways to take credit away from Ohio State. They played their A game where as Oregon played a C or D game. That being said since this is talking about out defense on this thread will say this... Good defenses when they get the opposing team in third and long do not give up a first down. Oregon routinely did that last year. If look at the stats for it Oregon was near the bottom in the country... and we want to call that a good defense? If they do the same this year then hope we take steps to get rid of Pellum. We need a much better defense this year. Defense still wins championships. We still have long ways to go before ours will win us a game.