The 2013 season was Mark Helfrich’s first as Oregon’s head football coach, and it included a trip to Charlottesville. Then led by quarterback Marcus Mariota, the Ducks destroyed UVA, 59-10. With a new head coach of its own, Virginia heads to Eugene, Oregon, on September 10 to finish off the home-and-home series.
Helfrich guided the Ducks to an 11-2 record in 2013 and a 13-2 record and BCS Championship appearance in 2014/2015. Oregon had won 10-plus games in seven straight seasons prior to last year, in which the program finished with a 9-4 record and a no. 19 ranking in the AP Top 25. The Ducks check in at no. 22 in the USA Today Preseason Top 25 coaches poll.
Although the program’s success has continued since Chip Kelly left in January of 2013, Helfrich did shake things up this offseason with the hiring of former Michigan head coach Brady Hoke as defensive coordinator. Oregon’s offense continues to thrive, but the defense, which 20.46 points per game in 2013 and 23.60 points per game in 2014, was statistically one of the nation’s worst in yards allowed and points allowed in 2015.
Oregon Peek
- Head Coach (record at school): Mark Helfrich (33-8)
- 2015 Record: 9-4
- Offense 2015 Total Yards Game (National Rank Among FBS Teams): 538.2 (5)
- Offense 2015 Points/Game: 43 (5)
- Defense 2015 Total Yards/Game: 485.3 (116)
- Defense 2015 Points/Game: 37.5 (115)
What To Expect On Game Day
Offense:
Oregon’s fast-paced spread offensive attack didn’t slow down with a new quarterback at the helm last season. Vernon Adams Jr. started 10 games on an offense that was ranked no. 5 among FBS schools in both points per game and total yards per game. Adams is gone, however, and the leader to replace him is Montana State transfer and 5th-year senior Dakota Prukop. Prukop completed 62.8% of his passes for 3,025 yards with 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Prukop’s adjustment to the FBS level will be made easier with talented junior tailback Royce Freeman lining up next to him. Freeman’s 1,836 yards rushing last season was an Oregon single season record. A quality receiving option as well, the star junior finished 2015 with 26 receptions for 348 yards.
Oregon has depth at tailback, too, including sophomore Taj Griffin, who averaged 7.4 yards per carry in 77 tries. Overall, the Ducks were fifth in the nation in rushing offense last season, averaging 279.9 yards per game, but three offensive line starters will need to be replaced.
Bralon Addison, Oregon’s leading receiver from a year ago, is gone, but the Ducks do return some talented performers at wide receiver. The group includes senior Dwayne Addison (40 catches for 463 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2015) and junior Darren Carrington II. Carrington was Oregon’s big-play receiver last season, averaging 19 yards per catch while totaling 32 receptions.
Devon Allen, who placed fifth in the 110-meter hurdles final at the Rio Olympics, is also a part of the Ducks’ receiving corps. Dynamic athlete Charles Nelson, who saw action at receiver, safety, and returner last season, will be one to watch on offense this season. Oregon’s official website describes Nelson as “one of the program’s most versatile athletes in recent memory.”
Defense:
While UVA moves from a 4-3 base to a 3-4 base, Oregon is doing just the opposite. Hoke is implementing a 4-3 defensive set as he seeks to improve a defense that yielded 306.5 passing yards per game (no. 125 in the FBS), 178.8 rushing yards per game (no. 73 in the FBS), and 37.5 points per contest in 2015.
Oregon will have to replace four of its top five tacklers from a year ago, including stud defensive lineman DeForest Buckner, linebacker Joe Walker, linebacker Rodney Hardrick, and linebacker Tyson Coleman. Buckner was the no. 7 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Walker, who led the team in tackles, was a 7th-round pick.
Junior safety Tyree Robinson, who had three interceptions and 64 tackles last season, headlines a secondary with experience.
Special Teams:
The aforementioned Nelson returned 33 kickoffs last season, averaging 26.5 yards per attempt. He returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown in a win over Arizona State. Nelson will be one to watch in the return game. Oregon also averaged 12.6 yards per punt return in 12 tries, scoring one touchdown in the process.
The Ducks’ kicking game is highlighted by place-kicker Aidan Schneider, who made 22 of 24 field goals last season. Five field goal makes came between 30 and 39 yards, while three others came between 40 and 49 yards.
Punter Ian Wheeler and kickoff specialist Matt Wogan return as well. Wheeler averaged 39.84 yards per punt, including a long of 56 yards. He directed 13 punts inside the opponents 20-yard line. Wogan booted all of Oregon’s kickoffs in 2015, averaging 63.8 yards per kick. Thirty-seven percent of his kickoffs resulted in touchbacks.
