5 questions Oregon needs to answer in Pac-12 opener vs. Washington State
The Oregon Ducks did a great job of proving a lot of doubters wrong last week with a 41-20 drubbing of the then-No. 14 BYU Cougars. It was a game that was never really in question, and save for a couple of late scores from BYU, could have been even uglier on the scoreboard.
Despite the impressive showing, Oregon has more questions to answer this week, and a lot to prove. Can the Ducks keep this type of dominant play going into the conference schedule? Will their offense hold up against a really good Washington State defense? Are we simply seeing the ceiling for Oregon, or is this the type of team that we should start to get used to week-in and week-out?
To try and get an assessment of who this team is, and who they might be going forward, we cobbled together a list of questions that we would like answered on Saturday in Pullman. Here’s what we got:
Is this the Bo Nix we can expect going forward?
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Over the last two games, it’s impossible to say anything about Bo Nix other than the fact that he’s been remarkable for the Ducks. With as many touchdowns (10) as incompletions (10) in that time, the veteran transfer has led the Ducks to a pair of blowout victories and looked like everything that Oregon hoped and dreamed he would be when transferring over from Auburn this offseason.
It’s a far cry from the “bad Bo Nix” that we’ve seen at times during his career.
Does that mean that this is the QB we should expect every game going forward, though? Or are we simply in a stretch of really nice play for Nix, with forced throws and turnover-worthy plays waiting around the corner?
That’s something I want to see this weekend against a really good Washington State defense. If Nix can handle the pressure from Ron Stone Jr. on the defensive line, and work to pick apart a relatively thin secondary, I will be impressed. If he can show that the decision-making is there in a game where he has to throw the ball more than 30 times, I will start to re-think how good this Oregon team can be going forward.
I need to see it first, though.
How big of an issue will the CB2 spot prove to be?
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Our worries about Oregon’s secondary before the season started have played out about as we expected. On one side of the field, Christian Gonzalez is doing a remarkable job locking things down and turning balls away. On the other side, though, the corners are getting picked on quite a bit.
The Ducks have tried Trikweze Bridges, Dontae Manning, and Jahlil Florence at that spot. All three have had moments of success, but there have been a lot of plays given up as well.
“They’re looking to play balls when they’re in the air, being tighter in coverage at the finish,” Dan Lanning said of the trio of contenders. “You see that at times and you see it not there at times right looking for some consistency in that.”
So far, Oregon hasn’t exactly played a team that is going to air the ball out and really put the Ducks in a position where that CB2 spot could be the difference-maker in a game. That day is coming, though, and it could very well be the case this weekend against WSU’s air-raid offense.
Will the players step up and allow Oregon’s defense to still be successful? It’s something I will definitely be watching.
Where is Byron Cardwell's spot in the offense?
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It was pretty tough this offseason when Oregon fans had to watch both Travis Dye and CJ Verdell leave the program. One of the main things that kept fans positive, though, was the fact that Byron Cardwell was returning, and he looked like the next great back in Eugene.
Where has that player been so far this year? Not to say that Cardwell isn’t performing well or anything, but rather that he isn’t getting the opportunity. With transfers Bucky Irving and Noah Whittington coming in, Oregon has gone with a committee approach this season that has left No. 21 with only 11 carries for 76 yards in two games this season. Meanwhile, Irving is getting the bulk of the load, starting every game so far for the Ducks, and Whittington has played well as a change-of-pace back.
Will Cardwell find his place in the offense soon? He’s dealing with a minor injury at the moment, but when he’s back to full health, I will be watching closely how he is used. So far, it’s been surprising.
Who will take a share of the target load?
Going into the BYU game, I asked if any other pass-catchers on the Ducks’ roster were going to step up and help shoulder the load for Troy Franklin and Terrance Ferguson. None did. So I will ask the same question again.
With this deep group of receivers, will any of the talented players force themselves into the target load? Where has Kris Hutson been? Or Dont’e Thornton, or Chase Cota? We’re seeing a lot of success in the passing game, but it’s almost always been Ferguson or Franklin on the receiving end. We talked all offseason about how talented Oregon’s WR corps was, so I’m very curious to see who, if anyone, steps up.
Are the Ducks good or great?
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I wrote earlier this week about the fact that I don’t want to hear much about Oregon’s win over Eastern Washington, or their loss to Georgia going forward. With all of the circumstances coming into the year, plus the incredible disparity in talent levels between the two opponents, it’s incredibly difficult to take away any concrete valuations for the Ducks in either result.
I think that the season started against BYU, and Oregon looked great in their dismantling of the then-No. 14 Cougars. Does that make Oregon a great team, though? Or are they simply a good team that played great?
This question won’t be completely answered this week against Washington State, nor will it be next week against Stanford. We will start to find out more about who the Ducks are as the season goes on, though, and our answer will become more clear.
A great team goes into Pullman and puts it on the pesky Cougars. A good team scrapes out a victory.
Which will the Ducks prove to be?
