Oregon head coach Dan Lanning talks about the game-changing performance that propelled the Ducks to victory
By no means was it a perfect performance for the Oregon Ducks, but the good guys still won by a commanding 39-18 score. On a day where the team had a ton of penalties, where quarterback Dillon Gabriel only passed for 183 yards, and where their top wide receiver, Tez Johnson, was sidelined due to […]
By no means was it a perfect performance for the Oregon Ducks, but the good guys still won by a commanding 39-18 score. On a day where the team had a ton of penalties, where quarterback Dillon Gabriel only passed for 183 yards, and where their top wide receiver, Tez Johnson, was sidelined due to injury, to still grind out a three touchdown victory feels pretty good.
There's plenty of highlights to discuss from this game, but arguably no one made more of an impact than defense end Jordan Burch.
Burch, who missed multiple games with an injury, appears to be all the way back to his normal, explosive self. That's fantastic news for a team that's closing in on a College Football Playoffs berth.
He was essentially living in the Maryland backfield, constantly generating pressure and getting to the quarterback (above) for a strip sack that ended up being returned for a touchdown to give Oregon a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter.
A fun fact from this game — Burch had the longest play of the night from the Oregon offense. They lined Burch up in the backfield on a punt attempt on 4th and 3 from their own 22-yard line, snapping it directly to him before he rumbled for a 36-yard pickup. "
"Yeah, I think he's fine. Just tweaked his ankle a little bit," head coach Dan Lanning answered when asked about Burch's health. "But, you know, I have to watch the film. But obviously Jordan had some game changing plays in this game."
"We were playing to a win, and, ultimately, like you mentioned, we kind of stalled out on third [down]. I didn't want that to be the case," Lanning said about the fake punt play call. "We felt good about the fake that we had dialed up. You know, felt like there was even some moments, maybe in the first half, to utilize it, and did a great job there executing it and keeping the drive alive and creating some momentum for us there in the third quarter."
Burch showcasing his elite athleticism is a great sign for an opportunistic and aggressive Oregon defense that has its eyes set on a run for the National Championship. The Ducks are now 10-0 for the first time since the 2012 season and have two games remaining before a potential date in the Big Ten Championship 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.
