By Ken Woody
A frantic crowd of 58,134 saw an incredible football game that ended with the hometown Ducks 37-34 winners over Boise State on a 25-yard field goal by Atticus Sappington that split the uprights with no time left on the clock. Sappington had a reprieve as he missed an extra point in the third quarter that left the game tied when the Oregon should have led, 21-20. The score was tied or had a lead change nine times in a contest that produced spectacular plays by both sides. No fan, Bronco or Duck, could ever relax, even with their team in a lead that could evaporate the next possession of their opponent.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning agreed: “We like sweating around here apparently. That was an exciting game. Hats off to Boise State, they played a hell of a game.
I think the difference tonight was special teams. I told Atticus when he missed the extra point that he would have an opportunity to kick again and it’s going to be the difference for us and it was; I’m really proud of our guys for showing some resiliency.”
After a long wait (two years), Lanning finally got some decisive plays from his special teams with two long touchdowns, one on a punt return and another on a kickoff, both rare in that kickoffs are usually deep in the end zone and punts are fair caught. It seemed that was all punt returner Tez Johnson would ever do, even when he had room to run. Someone evidently got to Johnson, maybe after he watched a punt hit on his 20-yard line with no Bronco closely covering as it rolled to the four-yard line and hesitated until it went out of bounds before picking it up. When your offense is struggling to gain yards, this was a cruel thing to do.
On the next punt, Tez did not call a fair catch even though a couple of Broncos were close. This time, he spun away from a tackler, broke away from two more and dashed 85 yards to the Boise end zone, smartly escorted by blockers who were hustling like never before. You see many punt and kickoff returns marred by penalties like blocking in the back or holding and lately the Ducks have been offenders. The entire unit showed discipline in their blocking as Johnson’s touchdown put the Ducks ahead and energized both the crowd and his teammates.
Johnson’s return was a surprise to many covering the game as he has continually chosen to fair catch nearly every punt coming his way. He should remember that he is the Ducks’ most difficult offensive player to tackle, even by those who might be close. Lanning’s offense was outgained and outscored by Boise State, but kick return yardage made the difference in this game; the Ducks racked up 229 yards to the Broncos’ 43 and scored two touchdowns. It sometimes appears that Johnson has made up his mind beforehand to make the fair catch and often has room to run, observing too late to do it. The answer is for the blockers to treat every punt as a breakaway offensive play and Johnson to develop a better sense of opportunity before settling for a fair catch.
Most kickoffs today go in the end zone and are fair caught, with the ball being marked on the 25-yard line. In the early fourth quarter, Boise’s great running back Ashton Jeanty scored two touchdowns inside of three minutes to make the score 34-27 and bring a hush to Autzen Stadium. Noah Whittington caught the kickoff on the goal line, bulled his way up through a couple of arm tackles, spun away from one tackler and cut to his left towards the sideline. Too busy to notice, Whittington was aided by crushing blocks by Kenyon Sadiq, Zack Grace and timely shield blocks by Daylen Austin and Tyler Turner. It was gratifying to see both kick returns score without a penalty.
The Broncos’ lead did not last long—16 seconds, as Whittington ran it back 100 yards, but dropped the ball short of the goal line going in; the score was saved by Jayden Limar who alertly covered it in the end zone. The play gave old Ducks shivers recalling a Utah game in Salt Lake years ago when a Ute returned a kick for a touchdown, dropped it on the three-yard line going in for the score (showing off) and an Oregon linebacker picked up the ball and went a 100-yards for a crucial score in a Duck victory.
Lanning commented after the game, ““Believe it or not, that’s a situation we coach a lot, and obviously we don’t coach it well enough. That ball should make it all the way in the end zone and be handed to the official. I promise we
will be coaching that really hard moving forward.”
For the second game in a row the Ducks were plagued by penalties, including several in the second half that eliminated nice gains by the offense. Patrick Herbert was called for holding on a 35-yard kickoff return one play after the Broncos scored on Jeanty’s 70-yard sprint that was set up by Herbert’s fumble on a completed pass play. Herbert’s penalty cost Oregon 25 yards: rather than having the ball at the Duck 37, the 10-yard penalty also negated the return.
Not a good situation for a sleepy offense that could only convert four-of-12 third downs and average 3.0 per rush, a point-one improvement on the ground gains the week before against Idaho. These are mind-blowing to those who remember last year’s success when the Ducks averaged 5.9 per rush and 184 yards per game on the ground.
Once again, Oregon’s offensive line gave up sacks, this time four of them, making it seven for the season, two more than all of last year. The Ducks gave up two turnovers, both fumbles; one by Herbert and another by Dillon, who fumbled after being hit in the chest by a center snap that, because it was not on Dillon’s snap count, caught him by surprise. He fumbled trying to make the best of it and the grateful Broncos took over on the Oregon 22-yard line, quieting the capacity crowd. Four plays later, the Broncos scored and the score was 34-27 with the game spinning out of control. The lesson for the Duck offense was this: two turnovers and a penalty turned the game from 27-20 for Oregon to 34-27 for Boise State and possibly the second biggest upset of the weekend to Notre Dame’s shocking loss to Northern Illinois.
The defense gave up the 70-yard explosion play to Ashton Jeanty that caught the Ducks in the wrong defense and allowed 9-of-19 third down conversions. However, the secondary made 12 pass breakups, an astounding total that often came on critical down and distance situations. The depth, quickness and speed displayed by the pass defenders were evidence of highly-ranked recruits who limited Boise’s quarterback Maddux Macken to 17 completions out of 40 attempts for 148 yards and a measly 3.7 yards per attempt, 8.7 per completion, with the longest 21 yards. The Ducks’ heralded pass rush was anemic, managing only one sack and four hurries. Defensive end Jordan Burch broke smartly on a short pass deep in Boise territory, but could not corral the slippery pigskin. It was a lineman’s dream: an interception for a touchdown–but not on this night.
Oregon fans are frustrated. This season is not starting the way the media predicted. Turnovers, penalties, and sacks swirl in their midnight dreams and they are not suffering alone. Lanning and his staff do this for a living: it’s a constant pressure. The job of the coaches is to lead, and better, teach their players to perform to a standard they have all agreed to beforehand. This week, the Civil War against rival Oregon State. It’s a war of wills and it would be a serious mistake to not recognize that unless present performances are improved, Oregon could go down to the revenge-minded Beavers who are undefeated, avoiding the sloppy play that plagues their neighbors to the south. It’s painful to think about,
but that’s what makes the game so interesting, and so important.
Ken Woody coached college football for 18 years as an assistant at Oregon, Washington, Utah State and Washington State and as a head coach at Whitman College and Washington University-St. Louis. He conducts a coaching clinic, free to all, at the 6th Street Grill every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. during the season. Plays from Oregon games are analyzed, there are scouting reports for opponents, and highlights from referees; all to learn about football and understand why the Ducks win or lose.
Questions and comments welcomed.
Contact Ken at: woody8783@comcast.net
