Eleven Touchdowns, 11 Different Ducks: Oregon Wins Home Opener, 77-6

Saturday, September 7

Eugene, Ore.

4:30 PM

University of Oregon

1-1

Nevada

1-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Nevada

Oregon

Photo by: @EricEvansPhoto

Eleven Touchdowns, 11 Different Ducks: Oregon Wins Home Opener, 77-6

09/07/19 | Football

Box Score FINAL STATS - #16 Oregon 77, Nevada 6 Postgame Notes

The Oregon football team got contributions from players up and down the roster Saturday against Nevada.

By: Rob Moseley

EUGENE, Ore. — Perseverance and fortitude were rewarded Saturday night.

Rewarded for the Oregon football team overall, as the Ducks bounced back from defeat in impressive fashion. And rewarded for several players who contributed touchdowns in the 77-6 victory over Nevada at Autzen Stadium.

Justin Herbert threw for 310 yards and five touchdowns Saturday, overcoming a slow start and helping the Ducks rebound from their last-minute loss to Auburn in the season opener. Oregon's 11 touchdowns against the Wolf Pack were scored by 11 different players, including several who were rewarded for impressive displays of team-first attitudes.

Brady Aiello, an offensive lineman who has started games each of the last three years but didn't win a first-string job to open his senior season, lined up at tight end for the second game in a row, and caught a touchdown pass. Receiver-turned-cornerback-turned receiver Daewood Davis also caught a touchdown pass, as did tight end Hunter Kampmoyer, who began his career as a defensive end.

For the second week in a row, the Ducks played without receiver Juwan Johnson and tight end Cam McCormick. Still, their commitment to becoming more explosive in the passing game paid off, thanks to some unexpected contributors.

"It's been kind of tough to find some guys that have to step up, but we did," said Herbert, who joined Joey Harrington and Marcus Mariota as the only quarterbacks in UO history with multiple games of five or more touchdowns. "We found a whole bunch of guys that want to make plays and are able to, so we put them in today. I'm really happy for them that they stepped up big-time. It's fun to watch."

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Oregon football as a whole was fun to watch Saturday, as the Ducks opened their 2019 home schedule by matching their highest point total in the modern era. The UO football team spent the previous week licking its wounds from a 27-21 loss to Auburn in which Oregon led most of the way, but saw Auburn make the final few critical plays. Against Nevada on Saturday, the Ducks made every memorable play, start to finish.

"Obviously the feeling in the locker room after the Auburn game was tough," said Ryan Bay, who scored his first career touchdown. "It was something that we all soaked in, and on the plane ride back everyone was shaking everyone's hand — we looked in each other's eyes and said, 'Never again. We're gonna come back.' "

The Ducks actually had to come back Saturday, after Nevada opened the scoring with a field goal. Those points came off an Oregon turnover, when the Ducks couldn't field a punt cleanly and Nevada recovered. To that point, Herbert looked a little over-amped, leading receivers by a little too much. Only a stout start by the defense, led by some early impact plays from cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, kept Oregon from being in a bigger hole early on.

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"They were the determining factor in the swing of momentum," UO coach Mario Cristobal said. "After us having the fumble, for them to hold them to three there, it was awesome."

The hot defensive start gave the UO offense time to find its rhythm. And once it did, the Ducks rarely looked back — they scored on eight straight possessions, and 11 of 12 to end the game.

A week after relying mostly on screens and run-pass option plays against Auburn's attacking defense, the Ducks created more dropback opportunities against Nevada. After a 3-of-8 start to the game, Herbert completed 16-of-18 before being pulled in the third quarter. He averaged 11.9 yards per attempt, nearly twice his average against Auburn.

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But perhaps the most memorable completion of the night was Herbert's shortest — a one-yard touchdown pass to Aiello. Against Auburn, the Ducks suited up the senior offensive tackle in No. 82, and used him as a tight end on running plays. He was back in No. 82 against Nevada, and inserted at the goal line for what the Wolf Pack assumed would be a run play.

At the snap however, Aiello pealed off the left end of the offensive line and cut to his right, against the flow of the play. The Ducks had practiced the play a couple of times during the week, but in none of those instances had Herbert checked down to his third option, Aiello. The two had never before played so much as catch together. The first time Herbert ever cocked his arm back and threw a pass directed at Aiello was in Saturday's game. And it was caught for a touchdown.

"We have such a studly O line," Aiello said of taking on a different role this season. "Just being able to play a part in this offense is special. Any opportunity you have, you definitely want to make the most of it. And luckily, luck was on my side today."

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Fortune favors the prepared, of course, which is why Aiello was able to make the play, and why backup QB Tyler Shough was able to replace Herbert and complete 8-of-9 passes with two touchdowns, and why reserve linebacker Sampson Niu was able to help force two turnovers. And it was why Davis was able to catch four passes for 39 yards with a touchdown, despite spending the entire offseason preparing to play defense.

With Oregon returning just two veteran cornerbacks this season, Davis moved from receiver to defensive back this year. But after a spate of injuries on offense, not only to Johnson and McCormick but also Brenden Schooler and Mycah Pittman, Davis moved back to receiver in the middle of training camp. He showed no rust Saturday, including on a couple of tough catches near the sideline that required him to drag his toe down inbounds — a tough technique for anyone, much less a player who only has been taking receiver reps for two weeks.

"I've got no words," Davis said. "It was a wonderful opportunity. Coach trusted me so much, for me to go into the game and make a play."

A lot of guys made plays Saturday, some of them unexpected. All of them helped Oregon bounce back from a season-opening defeat in emphatic fashion. A UO team that opened this season with championship aspirations played like it against Nevada.

And the scary part?

"We still think," Cristobal said, "we can get a whole lot better."