A Look at the 2008 Ducks on Video

Here are some good highlights of some of the Ducks' games this season. As you will see, this is a bit different team than last year's Oregon team, largely because Masoli and Blount bring a more physical style than Dixon and Stewart did.

Some things to note. First, since OC Chip Kelly got there last year, the Oregon running game has become very effective and deceptive. It is a spread option offense, but it is run-driven, not pass-driven. The only other recent team that ran this well out of a spread concept was Rodriguez's West Virginia team.

Note how the RB's path is kind of serpentine, weaving laterally along the LOS before heading up field. Very few teams run the ball this way by design (because it takes a lot of practice), but it can be very effective. It has basically the same effect as a cutback run because it waits for a hole to open and it attacks it. But it does not require the whole offense to block one direction, so it gives the RB more options. And with the defense already spread out due to the formation, it creates a lot of space for the RB.

Second, though it's been said a lot this week, Oregon has some big boys running the football. RB LaGarette Blount is a freaking load, but he's also pretty light on his feet. And the QB Masoli (QB in the UCLA game, not the first two videos) clearly has no problem running over people too. This is still a finesse offense, with a finesse scheme, but Masoli and Blount are not finesse players. Our DBs are going to have to lay the lumber on these guys.

Now onto the highlights:

Oregon vs. Washington



Oregon vs. Purdue



Oregon vs. UCLA