Oregon Ducks, Top of the North: Pac-12 Championship Game Preview

Oregon goes Hollywood to play in the weirdest conference title game in Pac-12 history. How can the Ducks topple Troy?

So, you’re telling me that the Ducks have lost two games in a row. And that those two games were to Oregon State and Cal. And that the UDub game was cancelled.

And you’re also telling me that yesterday featured a massive contract extension for Mario Cristobal, we got a landmark Marcus v. Justin Thursday Night Football game, and that somehow, someway, the Ducks STILL find themselves in the Pac-12 Conference Title Game tonight against undefeated USC.

I am still having a tough time deciding if 2020 has been insanely unlucky, or if it’s been a year of pure, dumb luck.

Either way, bring on (and extend) Clay Helton.

Graziani and the Fall of Troy. Matthew Harper The Pick Machine. Fright Night 2009. StormLA. Mykael Peaces Out. USC is rightfully at the front of everyones mind when it comes to historical West Coast success, but the modern Oregon-USC rivalry has been centered around the Ducks’ rise, and a middling Trojan program finding a personality outside of Los Angelean excess.

The recent stumbles and the week off have made this North-Division-Representative-by-Forfeit championship appearance for Oregon feel a little empty, but any opportunity to dethrone Southern Cal is always welcomed. 

When you pair pure Trojan hatred with all this Oregon-centered excitement—and a winnable trophy—you have a recipe for a Duck bounce back unlike any other.

The Trojans are stout, but beatable. Here’s how:

Rhythm-Pass-Option

In both the OSU and Cal losses, the Oregon offense looked most comfortable when they were running with tempo, rhythm, and a true feel for Joe Moorhead’s RPO.

Shough & Co. have had the offense humming in short sprints throughout the year. We’d rush up to the line early in drives, working the inside and shorter levels of the defense with wheel routes, crossing, and quick slants. The Ducks have produced a ton of explosion plays this year, yes, but 6-7-8 yards at a time is where these guys really make their money. 

When JoMo trusts that, good things happen.

But when fumbles, penalties, or other small mistakes derail that sweet tempo, it makes it tougher for the whole unit to work back to a good beat.

I honestly think that Shough’s safest recipe to success is to get the ball in Jaylon Redd’s hands somehow every 4-5 downs. Redd has been overlooked for pretty much his whole career, but he’s playing some his best, most electric ball as of late. Every great Oregon drive feels like it starts with either a crossing route to Redd, or a wheel to Travis Dye.

Bet on your veteran spark plugs, and you’ll find the speed and pace that Tyler feels most comfortable operating in. The more comfortable he is, the quicker you can recover from slight mistakes, and the easier you can move down the field.

Put the Defense on the Offensive

UCLA did it to us, and they did it to USC, too.

The Bruins’ Jerry Azzinaro has slowly turned himself into Dr. Heat this season. Their constant pressure helped get to Kedon Slovis thrice, and sacked Shough four total times in their Duck game.

The Oregon secondary is very competent, but a true pass rush—the likes of which the Ducks haven’t delivered quite yet this year—is going to be the only real defense against Graham Harrell’s air raid. That’s the blueprint.

KT, Jordon, and Noah will have to own the line of scrimmage and keep Southern Cal on their heels from the start. All three have been improving game-after-game, but they’ll need to be unleashed through aggressive play calling, just like Jerry has been doin’.

Andy Avalos brought just a bit more creativity late against Cal—like a Bennett Williams’ delayed nickel blitz. And it paid off defensively with the best second half/fourth quarter of the year. KT had another stellar game, and Noah and Issac both looked athletic.

The D got important stops, but unless the offensive rediscovers their groove, they’ll have to bring that energy for four whole quarters. They might as well do it regardless, honestly. It’s the “championship” game, after all. Put your feet on the gas pedal, keep throwing different packages and approaches at Slovis and his stable of all-conference receivers.

Get Up! for this One

Mario Cristobal clearly loves to win this game. Oregon has been recruiting like madmen in Clay Helton’s backyard, and that is a direct result of success over USC, and winning a conference title.

And the Ducks can do both at the same time tonight.

I’d like to think that despite the losses—despite the covid and the opt outs—that the guys on this team still want to win this friggin’ game.

Energy and attitude is huge, and it’s been missing in action for the Ducks during this slump.

And, as Julius Campbell said in Disney’s Remember the Titans (2000):

“ATTITUDE REFLECTS LEADERSHIP, CAPTAIN.”

Troy Dye ain’t walking through that door, so where’s the leadership coming from? Dede and Mykael can attest to success over the Trojans. CJ can preach about how sick it is to go off in the P12CG. Hell, even Shough loves to knock SC on their ass.

Verone, or Jordon, or Austin, or JJ3, or ANYONE has to inject this team with real juice and the belief that this game matters, and that it can define a difficult season.

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Get Shough comfortable, call an aggressive game on defense, and bring an overall energy that is worthy of USC and of a championship game—covid or no covid.

There are your keys to the game, easy enough, right?

24-21, Oregon.

Go Ducks.