Oregon Ducks can create a mismatch for breakout star Jordan Burch against Ohio State by lining him up at one specific spot
It seems like the talk around Oregon Ducks edge rusher Jordan Burch has been that he's an elite athlete dripping with potential for years. This season is different. Burch is putting it all together, and figuring out how to utilize his size, strength, and speed to his advantage.Burch is having a breakout season and looks […]
It seems like the talk around Oregon Ducks edge rusher Jordan Burch has been that he's an elite athlete dripping with potential for years. This season is different. Burch is putting it all together, and figuring out how to utilize his size, strength, and speed to his advantage.
Burch is having a breakout season and looks like a game-wrecker up front. So far, through five games, Burch has 5 sacks, 14 hurries, and 21 pressures according to PFF. His athleticism and length has been on full display. Last Friday night's performance saw Burch record a season-high 2.5 sacks.
Ohio State doesn't have many weaknesses, but one is the pass protection of their right tackle Josh Fryar. Burch has the flexibility to play all over the defensive line, which benefits him greatly. Burch has played 105 snaps on the left side of the defensive line (which lines up on Fryar's right side of the offense), and 109 snaps on the right side of the defensive line. They're truly moving him around everywhere. Tilting these numbers more in favor of lining him up on Fryar would be a mismatch that could allow Burch to feast in this huge matchup.
We know the Ohio State wide receivers, like Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka, are supremely talented. One way to limit their potential impact is to get to the quarterback before he has a chance to get the ball to them.
Fryar has only allowed one sack so far this season, but he has surrendered three pressures over the last two games against Michigan State and Iowa. Oregon could look to move Burch over to line up more against Fryar, but when he stays on the right side of the defense, he'll be going toe-to-toe with left tackle Josh Simmons.
Simmons is getting a lot of love in NFL Draft circles right now. He hasn't allowed anyone to get close to the quarterback this season, currently pitching a clean sheet with no pressures, hurries, hits, or sacks allowed.
No matter who Burch lines up across, this game is a massive opportunity to step up on a huge stage and make a name for himself on a national level, much like Aidan Hutchinson did for University of Michigan against Ohio State in 2021 when he sackes C.J. Stroud three times.
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There’s more at stake than the score of this game.
Follow along all year for more Oregon Ducks coverage on A to Z Sports. You can find me on X @JonHelmkamp, as well as follow our main page @AtoZSportsNFL for all the latest news.
