Something positive

[lukeyrid13]

In the 4 games without Herbert, our defense has played far superior to last year's squad

Cal- 260 yards
Wazzu -350 yards
Stanford- 500 yards
UCLA- 400 yards

Not unbelievable or anything but a big improvement. Also,every true frosh defensive recruit has now played besides Isaac Slade matuia. Tons of young guys in the fold and down 4 MLB(apelu, hotchkins,rugraff, niu) in the UCLA game.

[UOducksTK1]

Our D is playing great, Props to them.

[Handsome Dan]

Our D is playing great, Props to them.

It's funny because the scores don't show it, nor does the play to a casual observer, but it's plain as day to anyone who has had to suffer through regularly watching Oregon play defense in the past two years.

[Greenblood]

But it is coming through statistically as well, with fewer points overall, besides yardage. Ducks held the Bruins to over a yard per play less than their average coming in.

[buckmarkduck]

Like I said in another thread, the D was 4th in the confrence at the start of yesterday. That's a gigantic leap from last season.

[EncinitasDuck]

Our D is playing great, Props to them.

It's funny because the scores don't show it, nor does the play to a casual observer, but it's plain as day to anyone who has had to suffer through regularly watching Oregon play defense in the past two years.

4 TOs will lead to scores like this

[Phenom]

Great is an overstatement but they are most definitely improved. I'm pumped about the future.

[lukeyrid13]

Our run defense is also like 20th nationally, and that's after the Stanford game which was obviously our worst performance.

[OregonFan4Life]

Leavitt clearly knows what he’s doing, and as he gets a more talented roster the turnovers will start to come.

[GrantDuck]

Would grade the team(relative to expectations and overall).

Offense: A-(With Herbert); D(without Herbert), with a special F grade for Taggart's short yardage playcalling.

Defense: B+ Need to work on playing against bigger WR's. Has killed us against UCLA, but especially Furd/ASU. Run defense is really solid.

Special Teams: c-. This is where we might consider an offseason change. The onside kick cost us the game against ASU. So many muffed punts. Allowing a blocked punt. Missed FG's. Most importantly, outside of TBJ's return in game 1, we haven't had explosive plays here or blocked kicks/punts or done anything good. We always would get these key plays under chip on special teams and even a lot under MB.

[karlhungis]

Would grade the team(relative to expectations and overall).

Offense: A-(With Herbert); D(without Herbert), with a special F grade for Taggart's short yardage playcalling.

Defense: B+ Need to work on playing against bigger WR's. Has killed us against UCLA, but especially Furd/ASU. Run defense is really solid.

Special Teams: c-. This is where we might consider an offseason change. The onside kick cost us the game against ASU. So many muffed punts. Allowing a blocked punt. Missed FG's. Most importantly, outside of TBJ's return in game 1, we haven't had explosive plays here or blocked kicks/punts or done anything good. We always would get these key plays under chip on special teams and even a lot under MB.

Agreed on the special teams. It seems like they haven't been this bad since Bellotti decided we just wouldn't use a special teams coach.

[duckfan22]

Hard to run back kicks when they go out of the end zone, what has bothered
me the most on Spec teams is punt returns. Mostly the bobbles and fumbles.

[thomas time]

I like how most of the time there's always three or four guys by the offensive guy in case one guy misses the tackle, it seems like the last two years there would be one guy and he would miss the tackle and then the offensive guy would have a big play cause the rest of the defense was way out of the play.

[woundedknees]

Just imagine if Helf had a D Coordinator like this... Although we still likely wouldn't have a qb until Herbert returns.

[Phenom]

Just imagine if Helf had a D Coordinator like this... Although we still likely wouldn't have a qb until Herbert returns.

Helf never called plays here.