Trav's Ten Takeaways From the Utah Win

Via Travis Rooke-ley

I tweeted this Saturday, but it’s weeks like this that make all the bad times worth it. As complete of a performance as I’ve seen from a Duck team in a long time. Because it’s Halloween, and I’m fired up for the Playoff Ranking Release, you all get an extra few takeaways this week!

First, if you haven’t watched this now, just do it:

Nothing I say below will rival how cool that video is. 

1. Bo Heisman: A great game from Bo, with everyone from timely audibles to some big anticipatory throws on 3rd down. Against a physical, well-respected defense and system, Nix was super impressive in getting the offense into the right call and making great decisions all game. I love the accountability he brings as a leader, and was fired up watching him get after Bucky for running the wrong route on 3rd down, albeit up 35-6. With a second-year HC still trying to cultivate the culture and program he wants, having a guy like Nix demand a certain level of focus and performance is awesome. My only negative to come out of the re-watch was he still keyed on some guys on 3rd down. He missed Ferguson on 3rd down twice in the first half, instead locking on Tez in tight coverage. Saw the same thing a few times in the second half. Overall though, that’s the game we need from Bo down the stretch, and if we get it 4 more times, he’ll be in NYC. I have a hard time seeing a scenario in which we win out, and he doesn’t make the top 4. 

2. Franklin is Elite: Not Troy’s best game Saturday, but it still reminded me the value of having a true #1 WR. On the biggest plays of the game, we have a true dude to go to. There’s probably 10 teams in the country that can say that, and it’s nice that we’re finally on that list. I expect Troy has some big games down the stretch and continues to play his way into being a 1st-round pick. Or, if he’s a day two, maybe some NIL (please Phil) could help ala Odunze this year. 

3. OL Dominance: The Utah DL is the standard in the conference, and always one of the best in the nation. I didn’t keep stats, but I can remember zero sacks and one TFL. Besides some late false starts, which we do need to clean up, the OL was special in a tough place to play. Nix had clean pockets most of the game, the run game was efficient, and that was a big-time performance from that entire group. 

4. 3rd Down Defense: After two straight years of abysmal 3rd down defense, the Ducks were once again good here against the Utes. I believe we’ve gone from 47-48% over the last two seasons to 33% this year. Not only is that allowing less points, but its gaining extra possessions for our top 3 offense. For all the shit Tosh got over last season, his growth, and the growth of the entire defense, is super impressive. 

5. Defensive Matchup/Growth: Speaking of that growth, the improvements with Jeff Bassa, Jamal Hill, Evan Williams and Tysheem Johnson stood out to me this week. Bassa and Hill are getting better every week, developing into the size and speed combination that Lanning wants at the position. Specifically, those four players match up really well against a team like Utah. It’s the same reason I’m not super worried about stopping the Beavs. Our limitation will continue to be when dynamic passing offenses can match up good WRs against Johnson, Williams and Stephens. It’s where we miss Addison’s range the most. Because of that, SC is definitely still the game I’m worried about. 

6. JPJ Confidence: I don’t know how many of you noticed but JPJ was waving his hands up and down on our first drive asking for more crowd noise. I can’t remember a Duck player/team doing this since the Chip days. It’s obviously a small thing, but to me it illustrated the confidence and swagger that the guys are playing with right now. You saw it with Lannning’s pregame speech against the Buffs as no one does that who doesn’t believe they have a really good team. And you saw it today in the video above when Lanning says they want the ball first to prove a point. I normally hate taking the ball, but this team believed in the game plan and they know how good they are. I freaking love it. 

7. Punting: We have a punter, I think! Great punts all Saturday and great coverage to match. I don’t foresee us using him a whole lot the next few weeks, but our special teams will play a role at some point and we need what we saw Saturday. 

8. Similarities to Last Year: Well, here we are again. We enter Novemeber in a very similar spot to last year, with a comparable slate ahead of us. The SC game is set up very similar to UW last year, a high-powered offense coming into Autzen the second weekend of November. We’re 4 games away from Vegas, 3 of them being at home. SC is definitely the worst matchup for us defensively, but hard to imagine we won’t score. I like the matchup against OSU, its at home, and i just can’t see us losing that game given what will be on the line. 

9. Grateful for Contention: Speaking of this spot, we find ourselves in the same place we’ve been entering 4 of the last 5 November’s. Taking out the 2015-2018 lull, its become commonplace for Oregon to enter the final stretch with everything ahead of them. A grateful and special place to be. We discussed this in the takeaways last year, but not many programs have a real chance to compete for conference and national titles every season. Between 2009-2014, we were there every season. We’re now back there for the 4th time in 5 years. We’ve got a special program, with a great HC, great culture and great AD. In 2019, it was ASU, 2021 Utah, 2022 Washington, and now we’ve got to be clean. We’re lucky to be Duck fans, and lucky to be the only Pac-12 team that has had a real chance every season. Gotta get it done. 

10. Cal/Wilcox: No Cal preview for me, but you knew this was coming. Remember when Joey and a bunch of nostalgic alums tried to get Wilcox hired? And then even worse, real reporters claimed the Ducks offered him the job and he turned it down? That was funny. 

11. A Really Good Team: I don’t take the next two points lightly, and those who know me speak to how pessimistic of a fan I am. This team is really good. Easily our best team since 2014, and I’m willing to engage in an argument on this team being better. Mariota was the clear difference with that roster, but our depth and roster is much more talented. Its either our best team since 2012 or 2014 and that in itself is something. 

12. Program Status: Threw this idea out on Twitter this week and am interested in some more discussion on it. 

Honestly, how many programs would you rather be right now than Oregon? Considering HC, infrastructure, conference, $$, recruiting, roster, AD. My list isn’t more than 5 and it might not be that.