Kickoff is in approximately 24 hours and what better time than now to get to know your enemy? Here are 5 things you need to know about the Ducks.
I asked Justin Phillips with Autzen Zoo 5 questions that I had about the Ducks. Here they go:
Who is Oregon’s biggest threat outside of Justin Herbert?
“Justin is clearly the center piece. There are several other players on offense that make it go I expect transfer Juwan Johnson to have a big season for Oregon. He could end up being a 1 or 2 starter by the time Pac-12 play begins. He will likely start in the slot against Auburn. Oregon is stacked at Running Back with CJ Verdell and Travis Dye. One player who is not even on the ‘Organizational Chart’ – what Oregon calls the depth chart…..is Freshman Sean Dollars who had a strong Fall Camp and could see the field on Saturday night.”
Thanks again to Justin Herbert joining SVP last night. https://t.co/2CL09kmCiN
— Stanford Steve (@StanfordSteve82) August 30, 2019
Auburn is notorious for their “hurry up no huddle” run heavy offenses, what type of offense should auburn fans expect to see from Oregon?
“Oregon’s offensive philosophy is similar to the rest of the Pac-12, who has now caught up. The run is the primary option, but it doesn’t hurt to have players who can catch the ball out of the backfield. The Ducks will have to add a wrinkle or two on Saturday to find success.”
Justin Herbert vs. Portland State
— WBG84 (@WBG84) September 13, 2018
Second pass of the game, should've been an easy 53-yd TD pass.
Playaction, Herbert delivered an on-time, accurate throw to his receiver, who had nothing but green grass, and dropped it. Drops have been an issue for Oregon this season #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/8vcFKkC2C9
What is the biggest thing Oregon needs to improve on from last season?
“Last season, Oregon Football struggled to find their offense. It plagued Oregon all season long with drops on key possessions. It seemed that every deep ball was going to one player in Dillon Mitchell who caught a good deal of them despite being double teamed. One area the Ducks have worked on is less drops and in practice it has paid off.”
Who are your top NFL prospects?
“Aside from Justin Herbert who could be the top pick in the NFL Draft in 2020, the Ducks have a lot of NFL ready talent. Last season we had John Elway in the press box vs Stanford. He left just after halftime and may be back this season for a game.
The Oregon Defense will be one to watch this season. Linebacker Troy Dye returns for his Senior season and will certainly have an impact on the game Saturday. The Oregon Offensive Line has a ton of talent and games played together. Expect this group to make a big splash in the upcoming NFL Draft.”
What is Oregon’s gameplan to win?
“Oregon needs to win the battle up front which will be no easy task when on Offense. Auburn’s Defensive Line is as good as advertised and will pose the biggest challenge. If Herbert has time to get rid of the ball and Oregon can find a balance on Offense they can keep it close.
The big storyline for this game is how Bo Nix plays. If the Oregon Defense can force the Freshman into mistakes early, it could be the early turning point they need for a victory.”
Thank you to Justin Phillips from Autzen Zoo for taking the time to give us the lowdown on the Ducks! Check out his stuff here: https://autzenzoo.com/