The last time the Ducks played in Rose Bowl Stadium, they got Royce Freeman loose for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Having the cohesion up front to run the football is critical in the College Football Playup matchup against Florida State (Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports photo).
Bowl games are advantage defense.
The long layoff is a challenge for offenses to maintain rhythm and execution. Timing suffers. Defenses get extra time to read keys and recognize formations.
Particularly in defending against spread teams, the extra time is invaluable because “assignment football” is so important. The read defenders can be drilled incessantly in assignment discipline, and coaches have a generous window to craft a plan and implement it.
Defensive football is read and reaction, and benefits more from the repetition and extra practice. The layoff allows them to store pent-up energy and come out aggressive.
In bowl games offenses often bog down with nagging little errors, false starts in particular. It’s tougher to sustain cohesion without game speed and live conditions. Defense is more about winning one-on-one confrontations and harnessing instincts.
It’s possible to have a great offensive showing in a bowl game, but tougher. It takes great preparation and discipline, and quick adjustments to whatever new wrinkles and pressure the opponent has created in the four-week layoff.
Offensive coaches have to resist the temptation to get too gadgety during the bowl break, devoting too much time to three or four trick plays that will just as often fall apart on game day. Remember the nifty direct snap to Royce Freeman? The Ducks have tried that gem twice now, and each time it resulted in a false start penalty that killed a drive. All they succeeded in doing was stopping themselves.
Oregon is facing a Florida State defense that is big, quick and athletic, studded with future NFL players like Mario Edwards, Jalen Ramsey and Ronald Darby. It will take fundamentals, timing and execution to score in the Rose Bowl. Linemen have to stay on blocks and give Marcus Mariota time to throw. The Ducks have to establish the running game. Receivers have to be disciplined about their routes and finish plays.
As an offense-first operation, the Quack Attack doesn’t want a low-scoring defensive slugfest and trench warfare. The basis of their plan will always be to f$!king score points.
The Ducks don’t have time to be rusty. They reconvene in Pasadena Christmas afternoon with a week to finish getting ready for the College Football Playoff against the defending national champions. It’s on.