Oregon Ducks offense clearly missing leading receiver Tez Johnson despite dominant victory
The Oregon Ducks are 10-0 for the first time since 2012, and just won another game by a final score that was, unofficially, "a lot to a little." So why does it feel like it was less than stellar?It was a good night for Dillon Gabriel, namely because he was able to break the record […]
The Oregon Ducks are 10-0 for the first time since 2012, and just won another game by a final score that was, unofficially, "a lot to a little." So why does it feel like it was less than stellar?
It was a good night for Dillon Gabriel, namely because he was able to break the record for the most all-time passing touchdowns in college football history. Aside from that, though, the offense didn't look great. Penalties frequently backed them up and derailed drives, and the absence of leading wide receiver Tez Johnson was certainly felt.
More often than not, Johnson is the wide receiver that's the go-to option. The Ducks like to design touches to him on screens and other shorts targets, simply getting the ball into his hands and allowing him to go pick up the yards.
Without Johnson on the field, the offense was missing some of its spark. For a team that hits explosive plays often, the Ducks had only two receptions go for 20+ yards, with running back Jordan James setting the high water mark with a 26-yard catch.
Gabriel finished with a season-low 186 passing yards, failing to get much going through the air for a majority of the night.
"We felt like, as a team, we were going to be able to create some explosive passes, and that didn't really happen tonight," head coach Dan Lanning said after the game. "So we didn't do a great job there, somewhere to improve, but we were able to kind of lean back into our run game in the second half especially."
Next up in the passing attack saw Evan Stewart lead the team in receiving with six receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown. Behind him, tight end Terrance Ferguson was targeted early and often, seeing a couple early targets go through his hands for drops. He had six receptions as well, converting them into 35 yards and a touchdown of his own.
What was interesting to see — the screen game wasn't as prevalent in the game plan without Johnson available. It's understandable, as Johnson is incredibly elusive on those short completions, but we've seen Oregon use screens plenty this season to the running backs and the tight ends. It seemed as though the playbook shrunk slightly without Johnson available.
There's still no real inclination as to when Johnson will be available to return to the field for the Ducks, but he's expected to be sidelined for a few weeks. With a road trip next weekend followed by a bye week, Johnson's availability heading towards the postseason will be a crucial development to keep an eye on.
Ducks HC Dan Lanning discusses ‘special moment’ for Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel
Huge props to the QB.
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