Nightmare at Autzen: Ducks Fold to Hoosier’s Delight, 30-20

BY KEN WOODY

Indiana Hoosier alumni and students held a happy pep rally at midfield of Autzen Stadium after thoroughly dominating the nation’s number-three ranked Oregon Ducks 30-20 before 59,625 frustrated fans. It was an outcome that was not as close as the final score. The game resembled a previous Autzen debacle against Indiana in 2004 where the Ducks failed to show, losing 30-24, in a flurry of seven turnovers.

Both teams came into this contest with 5-0 records and although there is plenty of time left in the season to make some noise, if the Ducks don’t improve, there may be more Autzen celebrations for opponents. Coach Dan Lanning said, “They were better coached than us today, but our guys recognize that every one of our goals is still in front of us.”  

Lanning will have a long list of “must dos” to re-establish in the next week of practice. Among them: give quarterback Dante Moore more time to throw; he was harassed into poor off-target throws and after waiting for receivers to get open, would scramble into the arms of covering defenders who tackled surely, unlike Duck defenders who were constantly giving up yardage after contact, just as they did at times against Penn State.

Oregon’s All-American defensive front could not sustain consistent pressure on IU quarterback Alberto Mendoza, who was sacked only once, finding his offensive line much more protective than his former one as a Bear in Berkeley. At one point in the second half, two defensive tackles bumped into each other trying to line up (late) and left a gaping hole for a grateful running back to run through gaining critical yardage.

The Ducks’ offensive line may have played their way out of the race for the Ray Moore Trophy, (best offensive line in the country) as they allowed 6 sacks, 4 hurries and 4 penalties and were held to one yard rushing in the second half. The linemen were often slow to align themselves and the offensive skill players put on a constant show of shifting and motioning to different formations that rarely forced Indiana’s stout defense to make any discernable adjustments. 

The plan might have looked good on the pre-game chalkboard, but Oregon’s offensive schemes did little to challenge the line of scrimmage. Hoosier head coach Curt Cignetti said, “I thought our defense really took it to them in the second half: won the line of scrimmage, run game and pass game, and we put pressure on the quarterback.”  The result was Indiana’s complete domination of Oregon, who entered the game with the nation’s longest home unbeaten string.

In the golden days of Lanning Offense, the quarterback threw from a variety of positions on the field which limited the kinds of coverages and pass rushes that a defense could choose. Against Indiana, which has a reputation for strong line-of-scrimmage play, Moore was mostly center-cut in the pocket and took a pounding as his blockers were run over, which is embarrassing. The big boys played without energy in the second half, resulting in weak blocking on run plays and a pathetic 81 net yards on 30 rush plays, bringing back memories of the Rose Bowl beatdown Ohio State administered on New Year’s. Often, they did not hustle to line up, strolling as though there was no need for hurry, always a marker of uninspired intensity and effort.

Offensive coordinator Will Stein will assess the Ducks’ use of formations, shifts and motion that did not force the defense to move into vulnerable positions. Outside of the Ducks’ only offensive touchdown when Moore hit Malik Benson with a 44-yard beauty, the Hoosiers’ secondary rarely was pressed by Duck formations. For the touchdown, Stein moved Moore to his right outside the pocket, giving him time to pause for Benson to break free, deep in the middle behind all defenders.

The play ignited the crowd and got the Duck offense off to a fast jump start like the good old days, but that was the end of it. Lanning might find it useful to break out old game films of Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel to see how changing up their throwing positions helped the quarterback complete deeper routes by giving the offensive line better blocking angles and the receivers time to run those routes. There were too many four-yard completions, which is not utilizing the exceptional speed and catching ability the Ducks have recruited nor does it put maximum pressure on the secondary.

The defense, although allowing only one touchdown, had its poorest tackling performance of the season as players left their feet early, overextended, and had their heads down trying to corral Hoosier skill players, all of whom looked stronger than those trying to tackle them. Lanning and his staff must question how it appeared the Ducks did little to improve for this game with the extra time afforded by the bye in the schedule.

Freshman Brandon Finney finally got an interception for the corner group, a 25-yard touchdown that was set up by good pressure on the quarterback. The cornerbacks played off the wide receivers: “…we were a little loose in coverage…we were soft at times,” said Lanning. Indiana’s offensive scheme took advantage of freshmen cornerbacks in key situations: in position to make a tackle maybe, but not close enough to intercept or break up the pass. They were also flagged three times for pass interference.

The Ducks have not shown an observable desire to return punts this season, choosing the fair catch nearly every time no matter if there aren’t defenders close to the receiver. In the first quarter, returner Gary Bryant Jr., made a running fair catch on a punt at midfield without a covering Hooser within 15 yards and had another in the second half where there was no immediate pressure. It is distressing to see these opportunities conceded, especially as the offense was totally stymied and needed a spark from somebody.

With the Hoosiers ahead 13-10 at halftime, it was close, but the traditional Lanning second half adjustments never appeared. The game spun out of control as Indiana’s defense showed the hard nose that has them in the top ten. Oregon’s over-rated offense could muster only one yard rushing in the second half and a paltry 64 passing by a quarterback who saw his Heisman stock shatter. It’s not all on Moore: he needs pass protection and strategic pass routes by his receivers to show what he can do.

Unfortunately for Oregon fans, they were forced to watch the Ducks at their worst. The defeat, which may keep Oregon out of the Big Ten Championship race down the line, revealed the ugly part of football: how can one team look so good in one game and so bad in another? Lanning and his staff have successfully avoided that Sunday reality for most of his four years at Oregon. His skill at assessing and correcting the team’s mental approach and game performance has been exceptional and it would be a mistake to write off the future of this team.

This Saturday, Rutgers awaits on the other side of the Big Ten Planet, 2,466 miles from Eugene. “We didn’t stop the run when it mattered most,” conceded Lanning, “…we weren’t good on offense…and we weren’t clean on substitutions.” To his players, the coach has long stressed “execution follows intention.” Execution is the answer now and this will be a busy week for both the coaches and players as they form their “intention” to solve the issues coming from this most bitter disappointment.

Ken Woody coached college football for 18 years as an assistant at Oregon, Washington, Utah State and Washington State and as a head coach at Whitman College and Washington University-St. Louis. He conducts a coaching clinic, free to all, at the 6^th Street Grill WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15th AT 5:00 P.M.  Plays from Oregon games are analyzed, there are scouting reports for opponents, and highlights from referees; all to learn and enjoy football and understand why the Ducks win or lose