Re: NDSU @ Oregon 9.5.2020
Hello Bison Fans, another Oregon fan here offering a somewhat different perspective. I’m a contributor for ScoopDuck.com which is the largest Oregon Football Forum on the web where I write X and O’s and Personnel based content. The offseason is less than 3 weeks old and I’m already bored and starting to dig my teeth into some NDSU tape ahead of our September matchup.
I also want to mention that I have the utmost respect for the NDSU fan base/Program, that was flippin awesome when Game Day went to Fargo! I hope to see a bunch of you in Autzen I know some Oregon fans have offered some previews by scanning through the thread to this point but I figured I’d give you my perspective on the 2020 Ducks which might be somewhat different/more detailed. Frankly, this is the most talented team we have ever had on paper. I know are all aware of the turnover at OL and QB as ive seen written here already but we are also replacing an OC who was a… controversial guy to put it lightly. Most fans weren’t particularly high on him, and blame him for what was a less than explosive passing game in 2019. Going into 2020 we have hired Joe Moorhead who was formerly the OC at Penn State, HC at Mississippi State and at HC Fordham. He has coached several top 10 offenses in any metric and brings a lot of experience working with less than ideal OL’s (Penn State 2016-2017 had a putrid line in terms of talent yet were top 10 S&P+ offenses). Our OL will be relatively inexperienced but will not be lacking for talent. 6’6 325lb LT Penei Sewell won the Outland Trophy for best Lineman (OL & DL) in CFB last year as a true Sophomore. His bookend will be RSFR 6’7 354lb Steven Jones who also started games as a true freshman at LT when Sewell went down in 2018. We were lucky to have the depth to redshirt him in 2019 limiting him to 4 games in an effort to preserve eligibility. These guys are both massive, athletic and powerful guys with NFL aspirations. The Guards are likely 6’6 313lb RSJr Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu (Sala) whom was the number 1 Juco OL in the 2019 class and redshirted while appearing in 4 games in 2019. The other Guard will likely be 6’5 335 pound RSFr Jonah Tauanu’u who was a top100 recruit in the class of 2019 and appeared in 4 games in 2019. The biggest question mark on the OL is the center position where the most likely starter is Alex Forsyth the 6’4 303 pound RSJr whos played sparingly at a couple different spots in a reserve role to this point. This group wont be the cohesive unit that the 2019 Joe Moore Award Finalist (best OL unit in CFB) was, esp in week 1 with a new OC but it man for man is a more ‘talented’ and ‘athletic’ group man for man. At QB we return 6’4 219Lb RSSo Tyler Shough who has sat behind Herbert and played very well in a reserve role but has zero starting experience. There were rumors that Oregon was kicking the tires with a few Grad Transfers but nothing really substantial has come to bare at this stage with no one even scheduling a visit to campus despite some rumors. The rumors coming from within the walls of the football building the staff has a lot of confidence in Shough but is concerned with the depth behind him where Oregon will have 3 freshman none of which have played a snap of college football. In regards to Shough as a player hes a very good athlete and really smooth accurate passer. Oregon fans are very excited about the upside of the former Elite 11 finalist.
Those two units have the highest turnover and most questions but also have significant upside and talent stepping into new roles. At WR this is the deepest and most talented group in recent memory. This group features all shapes and sizes and likely will feature 6’5 210 pound USC transfer Devon Williams along with a group featuring 7 other 4 star players and a Senior in Johnny Johnson III who has been very productive. RB returns everyone including 5’9 210lb 2x 1000 yard rusher CJ Verdell and the true Freshman Trey Benson is a name to watch out for come September. He’s 6’1 210 and ran a laser 4.4 last may at the New Orleans Nike Camp. TE returns its best TE from injury 6’6 260 pound Sr Cam McCormick who is the best all around player in the group. 6’5 250lb Sr Hunter Kampmoyer played a lot down the stretch due to injury in 2019 but is a one dimensional player (very limited athletically but a great inline blocker). Last year despite Herberts praise as a high 1st round draft pick Oregon was very inefficient and inconsistent in the passing game. This is a point of emphasis with new OC Joe Moorhead and a deep and talented group of WR which should be healthy after several guys missing substantial time in 2019 to injury.
Defensively we are loaded and that’s without projecting contributions from new comers. This is unquestionably the most talented and deep group we have ever fielded. It will be year two in what is a hybrid 3-3-5/4-2-5 base nickel group that will go to a 3-4 or bear front against 12 Pers. We use a lot of steming in and out fronts presnap to create confusion and post snap are very aggressive due to our corners being very good in man coverage. Up front we return everyone including two players that forwent the draft to play out their senior years at Oregon. Jordon Scott (6’1 325) and Austin Faliou (6’3 290) start at DT and are both really stout players in the run game with Faliou being more of a quick penetrator and Scott being one of the best 2 gapping 0/1 techs in all of college football. There is depth with 6’3 313lb RSJr Popo Aumavae and 6’3 290lb Sophomore Brandon Dorlus who both played a ton of snaps in meaningful time in 2019 being the first off the bench at DT. On the edges the starters at Stud and DE will both be sophomores who had outrageous freshmen campaigns. One of which is Freshman All American Kayvon Thibodeaux the 6’5 240 pound speed freak who had 9 sacks as a true freshman with really only one pass rush move. He is the quickest and most explosive edge player we have ever had and Oregon got more creative as the year wore on in terms of moving him around and rushing him from the inside as well when matchups were more ideal inside. PFF had him grade out as the single most disruptive freshman edge player they have ever tracked (since 2014). The bookend is Mase Funa (6’2 260) who is just a great player. Both guys will improve a ton with a full offseason of development which is saying something because they were both phenomenal in 2019.
At ILB we return 2 year starter RSJr Isaac Slade-Matautia (6’1 235) who is an explosive instinctive guy and an excellent tackler in space. We do however have to replace Troy Dye who had 400 career tackles at the other linebacker spot. There are several candidates with experience and production but the two most interesting are both true freshman from this newly minted top 10 2020 recruiting class. Noah Sewell (6’2 266) and Justin Flowe (6’2 225) were the number 1 and number 2 rated linebackers in America last year and both will be in Eugene as early enrollees for spring ball and off season training.
The secondary is another loaded group, with 4 of the top 30 graded DBs by PFF on the unit. Both corners were draft eligible and decided to return. Ones a 4 year starter, the other a 3 year starter and have been very good in a man coverage heavy scheme. The crazy thing is the best corner on the team is sophomore Mykael Wright who doubles as our explosive Kick off return man and was a former top 100 recruit. Oregon added another 5 star corner and returns others with quality experience. At Nickel we have 6’2 200 pound Jr Jevon Holland who has led the team in interceptions each of his years on campus. Hes a stud and All-American Candidate. Hes excellent in man coverage, a great tackler and very instinctive in the box as a run defender. At Safety is probably our “weakest” group but we return a 3 man rotation that was effective in 2019 including 2020 Rose Bowl MVP Brady Breeze who is a senior and really came on late in 19’. This group tackles well and is solid in coverage but is getting an injection of upside with Juco Safety and former freshman all American (at Illinois) Bennet Williams who could push for a starting spot despite the experience at S.
We return an inconsistent place kicker, have a good snapper, great return men and will be breaking in a new punter.
Originally Posted by Bisonator98
