Oregon DC Tosh Lupoi discusses the one 'elite advantage' the Ducks have over Ohio State in the Rose Bowl
There's plenty to dissect between the Oregon Ducks and the Ohio State Buckeyes before their meeting in the Rose Bowl. And while there's a lot to be said for the players on the field, Oregon's defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi sees an advantage elsewhere. "We felt like we got an elite advantage while the opponent was facing […]
There's plenty to dissect between the Oregon Ducks and the Ohio State Buckeyes before their meeting in the Rose Bowl. And while there's a lot to be said for the players on the field, Oregon's defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi sees an advantage elsewhere.
"We felt like we got an elite advantage while the opponent was facing and preparing for another opponent," Lupoi said. "So we'll try to address anything that we can improve on individually, and hopefully that shows come January 1."
The last time these two sides met, it was settled by one point, with Ohio State having an opportunity to get into scoring range for a game-winning field goal. The defense was able to do just enough to prevent the comeback.
These two sides were very evenly matched in that meeting, but that was two and a half months ago. A lot has changed. Ohio State has numerous injuries along the offensive line, but superstar true freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has even more experience under his belt on his way to developing into one of the best players in the country.
For Oregon, Lupoi and the defense will have edge rusher Jordan Burch back in the fold, something they didn't have last time.
Last week, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said that he felt the team that prepares the best will the game. Oregon, with a full extra week of focus and preparation, has what Lupoi calls an "elite advantage," which it absolutely is.
Preparation is great. The game still has to be played. Lupoi was later asked about how much the preparation will help, which he said "I think we'll be able to better answer that in the evening on January 1."
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