CB Situation

[wheaton4prez]

Really?

I've watched the game numerous times already and I saw most of Williams' catches on TJ.

Javes covered him sometimes, but for the most part it was TJ, and Damian was having his way with him

I have the game on my PC and just clicked through every USC possession. Lewis was covering Williams on 4 of 9 completions (and lined up on him most of the time). TJ covered him on 3. Ward on 1. Pleasant on the TD.

The pass interference call covering Williams? Lewis. That play where their tight end was wide open and just dropped the pass in his hands? Lewis was covering him. The Ronald Johnson TD? Lewis covering him. Carswell's longest completion? On Lewis.

Again, I'm not trying to say Lewis isn't good. He's just already a really good safety and looks raw at corner.

I'm interested to hear why people might think Lewis should stay at corner over Harris. However, anyone who thinks Lewis wasn't covering Williams most of the time or played better than TJ should re-watch the game.

[UOducksTK1]

Really?

I've watched the game numerous times already and I saw most of Williams' catches on TJ.

Javes covered him sometimes, but for the most part it was TJ, and Damian was having his way with him

I have the game on my PC and just clicked through every USC possession. Lewis was covering Williams on 4 of 9 completions (and lined up on him most of the time). TJ covered him on 3. Ward on 1. Pleasant on the TD.

The pass interference call covering Williams? Lewis. That play where their tight end was wide open and just dropped the pass in his hands? Lewis was covering him. The Ronald Johnson TD? Lewis covering him. Carswell's longest completion? On Lewis.

Again, I'm not trying to say Lewis isn't good. He's just already a really good safety and looks raw at corner.

I'm interested to hear why people might think Lewis should stay at corner over Harris. However, anyone who thinks Lewis wasn't covering Williams most of the time or played better than TJ should re-watch the game.

+1.

I think most of us would like to see Woo Harris playing on the other side of TJIII. Nothing against Lewis, but he's more fit as a safety. Harris has pretty good ball skills too.

[wheaton4prez]

Loving Harris too. I wonder if they thought he was just too green to put out against SC. Haven't rewatched it yet, did he play at all?

He was put in on two different occasions. The first time he made a nice hit and the second he broke up a pass. The kid is already on the level, imo.

[rcook]

Harris is good, but also very skinny, very young, and not going to play corner full time this year, he just won't nor do we need him to...

TJ Ward can play corner, he actually started his career there and then was moved since they had to find a way to get him on the field. Lewis and Boyett can play corner (well) too.

Here's the situation:

Ward (healthy version) is awesome, he should be on the field always, people that don't think he covers well, give it a few more games and watch. *** Seriously ***

Lewis and Boyett have been great. Talmadge Jackson has been great.

Those are your top 4... There is no prayer that Harris, Gildon, or someone else gets on the field more than these guys. Our pass defense has been stellar this year, it was great vs USC... There is no "situation" at CB...

Encinitas duck = right on

Wheaton4prez = Calm down please, a couple good plays by harris is not enough per the coaches to use him full time, I wonder why?

[NCDucks09]

Thanks for the breakdown on the coverage on Williams. I agree that I think Harris has the potential to probably be one of the best corners Oregon has ever seen. And that's including the likes of Bauman, Byrd, Thurmond, and Wheaton. The kid just has freakish athleticism and a nose for the ball and making big plays (like Byrd). He just needs more experience. That being said, Damien Williams is probably a future NFL draft pick, so Oregon's injury riddled corners did quite nicely in retrospect.

In terms of most talent = C.Harris

In terms of most experience = T.Jackson, then Javes Lewis.

If we score, Dior Mathis, Tyler Stephenson, or Toney Hurd, along with rFr. Avery Patterson, the secondary will be in great shape!

[glazeduck]

You guys also have to note that it appeared to be the defensive game plan to give up the little stuff as long as they didn't get any of their deep passes on us, now there were a couple of plays where we got lucky and Barkley suck it up or the receiver was pretending he had a number 4 jersey on ( ) but for the most part if that was the plan then the defense did a helluva job implementing it!

I know a few of us on the board before the game thought this was a key: give up some short yardage passes as long as we don't let them get the deep threat going, and that seemed to be what was happening on the field.

I was about to say the same thing. Both Jax and Javes gave up quite a few underneath routes, but when it came to the deep plays, I don't think Javes was challenged and Jax stepped up like MAN and shut SC down.

I guess I'll put my feelings on the topic this way. If that's how we're going to play one of the most talented offenses, and that's the result we're going to get... I'll take it every saturday.

[wheaton4prez]

Ward (healthy version) is awesome, he should be on the field always, people that don't think he covers well, give it a few more games and watch. *** Seriously ***

I agree that Ward is a great player when it comes to stopping the run. But, Boyett has shown better ability to deal with the pass.

And I've been watching every game multiple times with him in there for almost two years now.

Those are your top 4... There is no prayer that Harris, Gildon, or someone else gets on the field more than these guys. Our pass defense has been stellar this year, it was great vs USC... There is no "situation" at CB...

There is a situation at CB. Just like there is a situation at every position. I think you're reading something more than there is into my use of the word.

If Harris isn't starting for Stanford based on the USC film of Lewis, and Lewis plays similarly, there is a very good chance that Harris gets on the field as much as those guys.

Wheaton4prez = Calm down please, a couple good plays by harris is not enough per the coaches to use him full time, I wonder why?

Who said I wasn't calm? Are you not calm?

A couple good plays? How about good plays every time he has been in versus upwards of 10 bad plays by the alternative player in question.

[wheaton4prez]

Thanks for the breakdown on the coverage on Williams. I agree that I think Harris has the potential to probably be one of the best corners Oregon has ever seen. And that's including the likes of Bauman, Byrd, Thurmond, and Wheaton. The kid just has freakish athleticism and a nose for the ball and making big plays (like Byrd). He just needs more experience. That being said, Damien Williams is probably a future NFL draft pick, so Oregon's injury riddled corners did quite nicely in retrospect.

In terms of most talent = C.Harris

In terms of most experience = T.Jackson, then Javes Lewis.

If we score, Dior Mathis, Tyler Stephenson, or Toney Hurd, along with rFr. Avery Patterson, the secondary will be in great shape!

I agree that we came away with a great sum performance against USC. I'm not saying that our defense didn't do well as a whole. I just don't stop analyzing things simply because we won. If there's a way to improve even in a win, it's worth noting. I think Chip Kelly would agree with that.

True that Lewis has more game experience. But, I don't think he has much if any more corner experience. So, by position, they are both new there.

Also agree that Williams is a solid receiver and I wouldn't expect anyone to shut him down entirely. Just that, in defending him, Lewis looked out of position a lot, blew coverage a couple times and had a pass interference called against him. I believe that Harris could have done at least a little better.

Agreed on our DB situation. Very excited that it looks like the great play there over the last two years will continue.

[rcook]

Lewis is leading the team in tackles I think... He has been solid all year. His "move" to corner has him playing a corner/safety hybrid and maybe changes the way he lines up comfortably, his play this year has clearly demonstrated he belongs on the field, he is capable of playing any part of the secondary...

Talmadge Jackson, John Boyett, and TJ Ward also deserve to be on the field, people are really underestimating TJ's pass coverage ability, through his career he has been developing and hasn't been perfect, he should definitely be out there... He is gonna tear it up for the rest of the season like a man on fire. Defensively, he knows his stuff by now (lots of time off to watch tape when injured + enough time in the program) and now that he is healthy he can use his athleticism effectively to be a good pass defender, plus he is a great tackler. He will emerge as the highly touted player he was this preseason during the rest of the season.

Remember, the coaches are the ones who know best about who to play and why. I am excited Harris has looked good already this year, he should be great in the future, we'll see when the time comes, he is obviously a great athlete. He is not a better solution to our secondary than our main 4 (Ward, Boyett, Lewis, Jackson) and its just the way it is.

We are not improving by taking out Lewis and putting in Harris, the coaches will play him the amount they see fit, he WILL NEVER start any game this year without an injury to one of our current starters,... Lewis did not play bad vs USC either. Unrealistic expectations mixed with irrational logic is the only way to think Harris would have played better than our leading tackler and proven defender... How can we not give up some plays vs USC and their boatload of talent at every skill position, are their receiver's not capable of making defender's look silly? We played great D vs them.... Nitpicking at our pass D personnel is just ridiculous… The game statistics vs USC do not indicate we have a problem defending the pass, its really just de-valuing their talent, and de-valuing the awesome effort that our guys put in vs them. The main 4 are clearly the best choice, if you don’t believe me, watch who the coaches decide to play.

[dd10snoop28]

Corners:
Harris
TJ3

Rover:
TJ Ward

Safety:
Boyett

I think that's how it should go, but I don't think the coaches want to put Harris out there since he is very new to the system.

[justducky0]

100% Sure, I was at the game and was getting pissed at Talmadge. Watch the game again, you'll see that the only real effective receiver for the Trojans was Damien Williams.

you were getting "pissed" at him? Thats odd...pretty sure he is just a college kid doing his best...

[rcook]

Corners:
Harris
TJ3

Rover:
TJ Ward

Safety:
Boyett

I think that's how it should go, but I don't think the coaches want to put Harris out there since he is very new to the system.

AIRBALL OR SWING AND A MISS, ETC

LEWIS LEADS TEAM IN TACKLES (GOOD DEFENDER)

[dthomas=ddixon]

100% Sure, I was at the game and was getting pissed at Talmadge. Watch the game again, you'll see that the only real effective receiver for the Trojans was Damien Williams.

you were getting "pissed" at him? Thats odd...pretty sure he is just a college kid doing his best...

Yeah I've never understood people getting angry at their team & its players. Maybe someone who is like that can tell me their reasoning. Seriously, I don't understand it. Its never crossed my mind to be "pissed" at a player when he makes a mistake.

[Tray Dub]

100% Sure, I was at the game and was getting pissed at Talmadge. Watch the game again, you'll see that the only real effective receiver for the Trojans was Damien Williams.

you were getting "pissed" at him? Thats odd...pretty sure he is just a college kid doing his best...

Yeah I've never understood people getting angry at their team & its players. Maybe someone who is like that can tell me their reasoning. Seriously, I don't understand it. Its never crossed my mind to be "pissed" at a player when he makes a mistake.

Only if they're not trying will I get mad at a player.

[wheaton4prez]

Lewis is leading the team in tackles I think... He has been solid all year. His "move" to corner has him playing a corner/safety hybrid and maybe changes the way he lines up comfortably, his play this year has clearly demonstrated he belongs on the field, he is capable of playing any part of the secondary...

I agree that he belongs on the field. I think he should stay at safety.

He had been the second leading tackler at safety. At corner, against USC, he led the team in botched plays.

Talmadge Jackson, John Boyett, and TJ Ward also deserve to be on the field, people are really underestimating TJ's pass coverage ability, through his career he has been developing and hasn't been perfect, he should definitely be out there... He is gonna tear it up for the rest of the season like a man on fire. Defensively, he knows his stuff by now (lots of time off to watch tape when injured + enough time in the program) and now that he is healthy he can use his athleticism effectively to be a good pass defender, plus he is a great tackler. He will emerge as the highly touted player he was this preseason during the rest of the season.

I agree that Jackson is playing great and should continue to start.

I also think that both Boyett and Ward are good. But, that is where I see the tough decision, between those two. Not between Lewis or Harris at corner. To me, that has already been demonstrated.

Remember, the coaches are the ones who know best about who to play and why. I am excited Harris has looked good already this year, he should be great in the future, we'll see when the time comes, he is obviously a great athlete. He is not a better solution to our secondary than our main 4 (Ward, Boyett, Lewis, Jackson) and its just the way it is.

You seem confident for someone who also believes that coaches are the ones who know best. Are you a coach?

We are not improving by taking out Lewis and putting in Harris, the coaches will play him the amount they see fit, he WILL NEVER start any game this year without an injury to one of our current starters,... Lewis did not play bad vs USC either. Unrealistic expectations mixed with irrational logic is the only way to think Harris would have played better than our leading tackler and proven defender... How can we not give up some plays vs USC and their boatload of talent at every skill position, are their receiver's not capable of making defender's look silly? We played great D vs them.... Nitpicking at our pass D personnel is just ridiculous… The game statistics vs USC do not indicate we have a problem defending the pass, its really just de-valuing their talent, and de-valuing the awesome effort that our guys put in vs them. The main 4 are clearly the best choice, if you don’t believe me, watch who the coaches decide to play.

How do you know that the coaches will not see fit that Harris should start this year? We don't even know that he won't be starting for this game, let alone the rest of the season.

As I have pointed out, Harris has made good plays every time he has been given an opportunity. Lewis, the one time he started at corner, blew several plays.

Yes. We are going to give up some plays to USC. But, if a large portion of those plays were on Lewis at corner, we ought to take a look at that, right?