Job Done: Ducks Own Huskies 26-14, Clinch Playoff Spot

BY KEN WOODY

The Duck Nation sighed in relief. So much invested in a season of highs and one sad low, Oregon pulled up their big boy pants, marched into Washington’s almost-filled Husky Stadium and battled their butts off, toe-to-toe against a bunch of rogues and “ne’er-do-wells” dressed in purple, calling themselves “Huskies.” The result was a convincing 26-14 win, even for the impartial CBS television crew that desperately urged the Huskies on to make it more of a game. 

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning got rid of an ugly blot on his resume–never defeating bitter rival Washington in their home town of Seattle. He was 1-3 going into this game, losing in Eugene his first year and in Seattle and Las Vegas the next year before finally breaking through last season with a 49-21 thrashing at home. Saturday’s score was a convincing 26-14 win that was a true backyard brawl between two rivals intent on pounding and punishing each other.

Lanning, though, had the advantage of quarterback Dante Moore, whose talent and steady right arm put points on the scoreboard six-of-ten drives while his adversary, Demond Williams could only manage scores on two-of-eleven drives. Moore completed 20-of-29 passes for 286 yards, including a brilliant fourth quarter 64-yard bomb to Malik Benson, who sprinted through the entire Husky secondary for the score that ensured Oregon’s victory.

Moore tumbled into the end zone on a one-yard option run in the second quarter, threw a touchdown pass in the fourth, and kicker Atticus Sappington was successful on four-of-four field goal attempts, including a personal best 51-yarder in the third quarter.

Williams had only six interceptions coming into this game and although he tossed two scores, he threw the first two interceptions of his career in Husky Stadium. Duck safety Jaydon Canady made an eye-popping, tumbling, over-head grab to thwart a serious offensive intrusion in the first half and the other safety, Dillon Thieneman, made his to cinch the game in the last minute of play. Besides the interceptions, the Duck defense also forced a turnover on downs in the fourth quarter.

In Washington’s three defeats prior, the Husky offense had a hard time: scoring only six against Ohio State, seven against Michigan, and 10 against Wisconsin. In all three, Williams was contained by disciplined, aggressive defense that kept him from igniting the Huskies’ offense as he did in their eight wins. Washington was successful on the ground at times, but Jedd Fisch, head coach and play caller, called passes that were unsuccessful and forced the Dawgs to punt six times.

The Huskies got their offense going in the last three minutes of the first half, a time that Lanning covets for scoring for his own team. It started on what is now an old bugaboo: a gift pass interference on a cornerback who holds the receiver without looking for the ball. If the defender had tried to look for the ball he would have seen the ball overthrown by ten yards and perhaps avoided holding the receiver. Based on the four PI’s the Ducks got last week against USC, all on deep passes, that’s five in three halves of football and an invitation for the enemy to keep throwing those passes for big plays and easy yards.

Demond Williams, who had been suffering through a miserable half, got hot, completed a couple more passes and almost scored on a scramble. With ten seconds left, third down: the Huskies ran a very predictable pick play that was poorly covered by the Ducks. The right corner lined up slightly outside the split end and as a motion man came to make a screen for the split end, the corner was immediately out of position, losing leverage to cover his man breaking inside.

Oregon’s outside linebacker came on a blitz and ran over Williams, although too late to stop the pass. It would have been better if he raised his hands to block the pass before creaming the quarterback–too often blitzing defenders are so intent on the sack, they don’t think to raise their hands and deflect the ball. To top it off, Oregon’s top defender was two yards deep in the middle of the end zone, looking away from where the action was– the best choice for the Huskies was the pick play and the Ducks did not cover.

In Oregon’s first drive of the second half, a holding penalty nullified a first down at the 11-yard line and a subsequent dropped pass by Kenyon Sadiq required Atticus Sappington’s third field-goal, which was good, giving the Ducks a two-score lead:16-7.

The Huskies got two first downs, but sputtered when Teitum Tuioti batted down a pass on third down that forced a punt to the six-yard line. Oregon’s ball: Dante Moore promptly dropped back and threw a beautiful 41-yard pass to Jerimiah McClellan to get a drive started that culminated in Sappington’s fourth field goal, a 51-yarder.

The Ducks’ defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi and staff designed an excellent, for the most part, defensive plan. There were two calls that needed to be better, both against pick plays by Washington. In both cases, Oregon’s safety was picked by another crossing receiver who prevented him from staying with his designated receiver resulting in the Huskies’ two touchdowns.

Washington head coach Jed Fisch was frustrated in his play calling throughout the game. As it went on, it was apparent that he could not call pass plays that would steady his quarterback and allow him to get the same kind of momentum that Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein was able to do for Dante Moore.

Both quarterbacks were restricted by missed throws in the first half: Moore was 10-of-16 for 111 which basically earned the Ducks 13 points on four drives: two field goals by Sappington and a touchdown by Moore on a one-yard option run. Williams, who is the heart and soul of the Husky offense, got off to a poor start: 8-of-14 with a touchdown, but only 65 yards. 

A look at the play-by-play sheet shows that especially in the first half, the Huskies couldn’t get their quarterback into a big-play rhythm so coach Fisch began to lean on his run game, and eventually, Williams had some returns on his efforts.

Coach Lanning gave credit to the defense forcing two turnovers as a key to victory. In both cases, Oregon safeties covering deep were able to see the ball and defend without pass interference. The Ducks earned four flags last week against USC, all of which were called against defenders who were holding receivers without even looking for the ball, making it easy, and almost requiring interference calls to be made.

The defense sacked Williams ten times last year in a 49-21 victory and got five more in Seattle on Saturday. The Duck front four did a good job of pressuring him in other ways, tipping two passes and getting pressures on seven of Williams’ passes. Oregon’s athletic front four chased down Williams like a bunch of hounds, allowing one 18-yard run, but only nine on nine other scrambles. Oregon’s defense gave up 154 yards rushing, over their average, but only 129 passing, pursuing in force and tackling physically throughout the game.

In the second half, Oregon’s Jeremiah McClellan made an unbelievable one-handed catch with all five fingers for a first down, while the defender was holding McClellan’s right arm right in plain sight of the sideline official, the one who usually calls pass interference. There was a review of the play and the incomplete call of the official was ruled “upheld.” There should have not been a review, there should have been a PASS INTERFERENCE CALL, for the same reason Oregon corners holding and not looking for the ball are routinely being called!

Keeping the Huskies’ quarterback from breaking out was a major factor in the victory, along with the defense’s ability to be physical, especially when their end zone was threatened. The Huskies scored at the end of the first half on a pass and halfway through the fourth quarter to cut the score to 19-14, but Malik Benson’s 64-yard touchdown reception a minute later silenced the crowd and shattered any Dawg dream of upsetting the Ducks and keeping them out of the playoffs.

Coach Lanning got his first win in Seattle and although it was decisive, it definitely was not easy. The Husky defense checked Oregon’s running game, allowing only 2.5 per carry, five yards less than their usual. Lanning will also have some counseling to do about unnecessary roughness and personal foul penalties, indiscretions that halted offensive rhythm and cost points against both USC and Washington. With the Ducks at 11-1 and a national top-5 ranking, they are not good enough to overcome stupid penalties against the elites of the college football world.

While Lanning drives the lads to better manners and execution, the team will practice this week, eager to find out next weekend who they will play, likely in Autzen Stadium, for some winter playoff football. It’s been a great year, but there is still more to be achieved.

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, DECEMBER 3rd AT 5:00 P.M.  Plays from Oregon game 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.