Defense Continues To Grow In Victory Over USC
By Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com
The Oregon defense has been challenged to stop the run two weeks running. Joe Walker has answered the call.
The Ducks’ senior inside linebacker had 15 tackles in Saturday’s 48-28 victory over USC, after making 10 a week earlier at Stanford. Nearly half of Walker’s stops against the Trojans, seven, came in the first quarter as the UO defense denied USC’s efforts to be balanced.
Oregon has endured some struggles defensively over the course of this season. But the Ducks seem to be improving week to week, and the senior Walker is playing his best football as his UO career nears an end.
“It feels great,” Walker said. “It feels great to do it with these guys. We’ve worked so hard the whole year, and it’s great to finally show out.”
After facing Cal’s pass-happy attack and Stanford’s run-heavy approach over the previous two weeks, the Ducks faced a USC offense that has been very balanced in November. Oregon’s plan was to stop the run and turn the Trojans into a passing team – which Walker and the front seven accomplished by limiting them to 2.7 yards per carry in the first quarter, and 3.3 for the first half.
The Trojans tied it 7-7 in the first quarter on a couple of great individual efforts, as quarterback Cody Kessler got off a pass before absorbing a huge hit by DeForest Buckner, and Darreus Rogers outwrestled two UO defensive backs for a touchdown reception. And an apparent missed assignment by Oregon contributed to a touchdown pass that made it 14-14 in the second quarter.
But the Trojans didn’t score again until the third quarter, as the UO defense made enough stops to help the Ducks jump out to a 38-14 lead.
“We had to stop the run, and then make the plays on the back end,” said cornerback Arrion Springs, whose sack and forced fumble in the fourth quarter were huge Saturday. “So they trusted us to play more man then usual.”
Forcing USC to throw more allowed Oregon’s pass rush to get after Kessler. Redshirt freshman defensive end Jalen Jelks sacked Kessler in the second quarter and again in the fourth.
Jelks is still developing as an every down player, but he’s already an asset in passing situations.
“I just try to maximize opportunities – attack and get after it,” Jelks said. “Pass rushing, that’s where I’m most confident right now. That’s my bread and butter.”
The Ducks ended up defending 46 pass plays – Kessler’s 41 attempts plus the five times he was sacked. Under pressure to play more man coverage than usual, the secondary got some relief from the return of Chris Seisay and Tyree Robinson from injuries.
Robinson left the win at Stanford early, and was moving around with a medical scooter earlier this week. And Seisay hadn’t played since September. Neither was certain he’d be back by Saturday, but both contributed to the UO pass defense.
“Ugo (Amadi) and Arrion are playing well, so I don’t even need any more reps,” Seisay said. “We can all keep rotating. That kept us fresh, having so many corners that can play.”
USC made some adjustments in the second half Saturday, Buckner said, opening up cutback lanes that backs Justin Davis and Ronald Jones II exploited. But the Ducks adjusted in kind, and played with the discipline that eluded them earlier this season.
“Guys are definitely buying in,” Buckner said. “Doing their job, making the plays that come to them and not worrying about anything else.”
