Stanford @ #5 Oregon

[andreezy]

I also really hope to see us load the box and commit to stopping the run and make Hogan beat us with his arm, I really don't think he can. With 1 on 1's outside, i think Montgomery is a stud, but I don't see Hogan having the arm to exploit that.

[Duck07]

I liked the utilization of the Fly sweeps with Marshall and Nelson vs. Cal. I see that and some RB/TE screens, like vs. UCLA, as a way to get the chains moving and build some drives vs. the Cardinal. What do you guys think?

I think we can't spend too much time with lateral running plays because while the Cardinal aren't the fastest, they get to the spot they intend to be at. Skov (who of course isn't there anymore) is a slow LB but we couldn't beat him to the edge on a lot of our running plays.

Dwayne Stanford has really stepped up the last two games and his size can present a big problem for them. Same goes for Pharoah but his hands need to be soft and strong all game. So will Devon Allen's speed and Marshall's utility factor. The Fly Sweep might work, but I wouldn't press it and only use it once we've gotten them on their heels. It's not a play I think you use coming out of a timeout for example.

Getting 3,4,5 yards from up the middle runs so that we can spot the ball and tempo will be a big key for Royce and Byron when he's back there. When we do that, we can start wearing them out and using quick hitters to the WRs on hitches and slants and start getting them on their heels. Fortunately, the OL looks better than they did last year and if they can continue to hold the point of attack, we'll get those yards running the ball which will make our passing lanes huge. If we can run with 3 WRs on the field, I think we'll win big.

[pezsez1]

I think we can't spend too much time with lateral running plays because while the Cardinal aren't the fastest, they get to the spot they intend to be at. Skov (who of course isn't there anymore) is a slow LB but we couldn't beat him to the edge on a lot of our running plays.

Dwayne Stanford has really stepped up the last two games and his size can present a big problem for them. Same goes for Pharoah but his hands need to be soft and strong all game. So will Devon Allen's speed and Marshall's utility factor. The Fly Sweep might work, but I wouldn't press it and only use it once we've gotten them on their heels. It's not a play I think you use coming out of a timeout for example.

Getting 3,4,5 yards from up the middle runs so that we can spot the ball and tempo will be a big key for Royce and Byron when he's back there. When we do that, we can start wearing them out and using quick hitters to the WRs on hitches and slants and start getting them on their heels. Fortunately, the OL looks better than they did last year and if they can continue to hold the point of attack, we'll get those yards running the ball which will make our passing lanes huge. If we can run with 3 WRs on the field, I think we'll win big.

Totally agree with every word.

This seems to be the biggest shift in our offense between Helfrich and Kelly, imo. Rather than attack the edges, we seem to pound the rock up the middle much more, and with a healthy O-line the benefits of that are starting to pay off. We're also throwing the ball downfield more often than we did under Chip. Both of these shifts should pay off against Stanford.... they already paid off against MSU, another team with a fast, physical defense.

[fpsduck]

Honestly if ASU can score 26 points on Stanford we should be able to put up at least thirty. When we put up thirty or more in the last 36 games we are 36-0.

Just saw that Stanford has a 31 game streak of not allowing more than 29.

Has it really been that long since we beat them?

ugh


Edit: Ok, they gave up 48 to Zona in October of 2012. Since then it's been 28 or less.

[DAT_man_again]

That's scary, since we haven't won a game since like 2010 where we score less than thirty.

[dthomas=ddixon]

That's scary, since we haven't won a game since like 2010 where we score less than thirty.

Our defense is fine though, that stat proves we really don't need anything more from them.

[fpsduck]

That's scary, since we haven't won a game since like 2010 where we score less than thirty.

Our defense is fine though, that stat proves we really don't need anything more from them.

[UOducksTK1]

I also really hope to see us load the box and commit to stopping the run and make Hogan beat us with his arm, I really don't think he can. With 1 on 1's outside, i think Montgomery is a stud, but I don't see Hogan having the arm to exploit that.

It's really all about this. The one thing to keep an eye on is Montgomery on sweeps, WR screens, etc., and also TEs on the play action.

Otherwise, it's constant pressure. Constant loading the box. Just respect Montgomery and the play action. I hope Walker plays most of this game, because he is the perfect LB to have playing against Stanford. We can use his timed blitzes all night long.

[GrandpaDuck]

Stanford gave up on being a strictly power running team this year after the ASU loss. It didn't fit their personnel. The re-invented Stanford offense displayed against OSU featured some spread, tempo and zone-read with lots of passing. They finished the game at a 2-1 ratio of passing yards to rushing yards.

Even the run plays weren't their traditional smash mouth 3 yards and a cloud of dust. They looked more like UCLA with a better line.

Watching how Oregon has done defending running QBs the last few weeks we should expect a heavy dose of zone -read when they run the ball and Hogan scrambles in the passing game if we don't maintain contain.

I don't think they will be able to run the clock out as well as they did last year, but they are going to try to be more explosive by using Sanders Jr and McCafferty more to supplement Montgomery.

I wouldn't be surprised to see them drop 30 on us, but I think we'll get more offensive possessions than we got last year. Hogan's strength running the ball is a bad match-up against a consistent Achilles Heel of the defense.

[pezsez1]

Watching how Oregon has done defending running QBs the last few weeks we should expect a heavy dose of zone -read when they run the ball and Hogan scrambles in the passing game if we don't maintain contain.

I really wish I could have been a fly on the wall at halftime of the UCLA game to hear why we didn't get anyone to spy Hundley.

I don't mean that sarcastically... I honestly wonder if we saw something in our game planning where we were fine letting him run the ball if that meant providing better coverage or run protection. Yeah, he got lots of yards (and that one score right before the half), but UCLA wasn't able to convert drives into points until the game was already a rout and we had our backups in.

Or, are our coverage players (outside Ifo and Hill) so weak that Pellum didn't want to spare someone just standing in the middle of the field?

I feel like the answer has to be one of those two things.

[duckschi1]

This game seems to be flying under the radar from a media perspective, which I think is a good thing for us

[UOducksTK1]

Stanford gave up on being a strictly power running team this year after the ASU loss. It didn't fit their personnel. The re-invented Stanford offense displayed against OSU was featured some spread, tempo and zone-read with lots of passing. They finished the game at a 2-1 ratio of passing yards to rushing yards.

Even the run plays weren't their traditional smash mouth 3 yards and a cloud of dust. They looked more like UCLA with a better line.

Watching how Oregon has done defending running QBs the last few weeks we should expect a heavy dose of zone -read when they run the ball and Hogan scrambles in the passing game if we don't maintain contain.

I don't think they will be able to run the clock out as well as they did last year, but they are going to try to be more explosive by using Sanders Jr and McCafferty more to supplement Montgomery.

I wouldn't be surprised to see them drop 30 on us, but I think we'll get more offensive possessions than we got last year. Hogan's strength running the ball is a bad match-up against a consistent Achilles Heel of the defense.

I didn't catch any of the Stanford/OSU game, so this worries me a bit.

[pezsez1]

UCLA with a better line and a less-dynamic QB isn't going to beat us, so don't worry about it.

[duckfan22]

I am actually not worried. Cant say why for sure, just have that feeling that all the work that the ducks
have put in has been geared to beating Stanford. They bulked up over the off season to beat Stanford.
Oregon has more weapons this year and are playing at a high level. Marcus is healthy and the fans will
be as always crazy. Stanford is built to get a lead and keep the ball away. Maybe not as much but you know
Shaw knows just how quick the ducks can score, so i think Oregon needs to move the ball early and score early.
Get a lead and make Stanford play catch up which i don't think they are that good at. Stanford is not as
physical as the last couple of years. They don't have that big back that is gonna run us over. Hogan worries me with
his ability to run. 3RD downs in this game are going to be huge. Oregon needs to convert and stop Stanford.
I really think the ducks play there best game of the year and beat Stanford.

[Greenblood]

Maybe not a huge deal, but I noted in today's practice report from Moseley (http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml ... =209736264) that he says, "This morning was heavy on installation of the game plan and light on full-speed, physical work. Thus, no highlights to pass along, similar to a Thursday." As a consistent reader of RM's reports, I don't recall ever seeing indications of the gameplan being installed to this degree on any practice day EXCEPT on a Thursday. One could speculate that it shows just how serious the Ducks are about this particular game (as to opposed to any others so far this year), but perhaps that's reading too much into it.