The courage of Josh Huff: Huff went to the sidelines with what looked like a potential season-ending ankle injury in the first half. He had to be carried to the bench by two offensive linemen and medical staff was working on him feverishly. Rob Moseley tweeted that the injury required a halftime x-ray and Huff had to demonstrate to trainers and coaches that he could run and cut. He returned in the second half to catch a huge 65-yard scoring pass after Washington pulled within 21-14 after scoring on their opening possession of the third period. (Gary Breedlove, Eugene Daily News photo.)
The cool of Marcus Mariota: Every time the Huskies threatened to make it a game, the Oregon offense and Marcus Mariota had an answer. They didn’t flinch when the Huskies came out physical. It didn’t upset their rhythm when Keanon Lowe dropped an easy touchdown catch on the opening drive. Mariota made great decisions all day, finding open receivers, buying time, pulling the ball down to run at just the right times, burning Washington with his speed. He was on target and laid out some balls beautifully, distributing the ball not only two his two principal weapons, Huff and Addison, but using 7 different receivers in all.
The clutch contributions of young Ducks: Thomas Tyner is beginning to trust his speed and run with more authority, steadily improving, though he still has yet to flow freely and be instinctive. He seems inhibited a bit by the need to protect the ball, but he did have 12 carries for 57 yards, two catches for 24. A solid performance, but what’s missing is the quick, decisive cut to beat the last defender. He runs hard in open space, hesitates when he meets the defense. Torrodney Prevot had a big fumble recovery, and the new starting tandem at tight end, Pharoah Brown and Johnny Mundt, hauled in a couple of key first down catches. DeForest Buckner got his first start on the defensive line and brought good pressure up the middle, especially in the fourth quarter.
Some quibbles: Jake Fisher did not have his best game, with two false starts and a holding penalty. The defense appeared to have a lack of urgency in the third quarter, with some poor tackling on Sankey and a failure to get off blocks and pursue to the hole. You can’t tackle an elite back with a half-hearted arm. Where were the linebackers on those big runs? It’s something that will be addressed in film study and practice, a key area for improvement with the capable running attacks of UCLA and Stanford coming up.
Coaching excellence: Mark Helfrich’s even-keel leadership is perfect for this team, a mature group with great internal leadership. A terrific contrast to Steve Sarkisian, who seems to waste a lot of energy lobbying for every call. Scott Frost continues to mix things up beautifully calling plays, including an inventive shovel pass to a streaking Bralon Addison motioning through the backfield that went for a 43-yard gain in the first scoring drive of the first quarter, some great open-field running by the shifty Texan, getting a nice birthday block by Josh Huff downfield.
The offensive line, including Fisher, did a great job of giving Mariota time to survey the field. Mariota displayed an effective “clock in his head,” sensing pressure, buying time, finding open receivers and exploiting running lanes.
It was a great effort by Byron Marshall and the Oregon offensive line on the first touchdown on 4th and 1, but his forward progress seemed to be stopped on the play. Every week interminable replays seem to be having to much influence on games, and there were several agonizing examples today.
It was like watching a great fast break offense versus a solid half court team. Every time the Huskies answered with a score to make it closer, the Oregon offense responded with a decisive drive. The Ducks got 9 stops on the Huskies, three three and outs, six punts total, and two turnovers, forcing the hosts to settle for a field goal after a first and goal at the Oregon five. They’ve improved offensively and defensively but couldn’t keep pace, couldn’t do enough to slow Oregon. In another class move by Mark Helfrich, his pulled his starters in the last two minutes, taking a knee at the Washington 11 to end the game.
Fans talk a lot about the hated rivalry and the acrimonious history between the two schools, but it’s clear to the players it is indeed another football game. There was a lot of mutual respect exchanged at the end of the game, hugs and handshakes, an acknowledgement of a hard-fought but civil game. Marcus Mariota exchanged greetings with Marques Tuiasosopo and Keith Price, both teams meeting at midfield in clear gestures of respect, seeking out old teammates, rivals from high school, guys they played across from during the game.
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