The Oregon Ducks have plenty of work to do during the team’s bye week, coming off of a lackluster win against Wisconsin
There are three things that the Ducks must work to improve during the team’s bye week.
The Oregon Ducks are heading into their bye week with a gritty win under their belt – a hard-fought victory over Wisconsin that showcased toughness, resilience, and flashes of elite play. But while the Ducks managed to pull out the win, it was far from a flawless performance.
Sitting at a critical juncture of the season, Oregon’s 2025 campaign has featured moments of brilliance mixed with frustrating inconsistency. The bye week couldn’t come at a better time for Dan Lanning’s squad to regroup, refocus, and iron out some lingering issues before the final stretch.
Here are three key areas the Ducks should look to improve during their week off.
1) Finding an offensive identity
At times this season, Oregon’s offense has looked like one of the most explosive units in the country, and at others, it’s struggled to find rhythm or purpose. The inconsistency has been striking.
One week, Dante Moore looks every bit the Heisman front-runner he once was, delivering darts downfield, orchestrating drives with confidence, and making the Ducks’ offense hum. The next, the group looks disconnected, hesitant, and overly reliant on individual heroics.
It’s not a lack of talent—Oregon has plenty—but a lack of offensive identity.
Right now, it’s hard to tell what kind of offense Oregon truly wants to be. Are the Ducks a physical, downhill, smash-mouth running team that imposes its will in the trenches? Or are they a modern, spread-it-out attack that leans on tempo and spacing to overwhelm defenses?
Until that question is answered – and answered clearly – Oregon will continue to experience the up-and-down production that’s plagued the last month of play. The bye week offers the perfect opportunity for offensive coordinator Will Stein and the staff to simplify the scheme, establish a consistent rhythm, and decide what brand of football this offense truly wants to play.
2) Re-igniting the pass rush
Defensively, Oregon has shown steady improvement throughout the season, but the once-dominant pass rush has cooled off in recent weeks.
Standout edge rushers Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti have been quiet after hot starts. Uiagalelei hasn’t recorded a sack since the Penn State game, and Tuioti, who flashed early in the year, has struggled to make the same kind of impact lately.
Those two must get going again for Oregon’s defense to reach its ceiling. The Ducks rely heavily on their ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks and disrupt the rhythm of passing attacks, and without that consistent presence, the secondary is left more exposed.
The bye week is a chance for defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi to tinker with alignments, dial up more creative pressure packages, and help his top pass rushers find favorable matchups. Getting Uiagalelei and Tuioti re-engaged and confident will be critical as Oregon heads into the most brutal stretch of the schedule.
3) “Players, Not Plays”
When Oregon’s offense is clicking, it’s usually because the players are making plays, not because of an overly complex playbook. The Ducks are loaded with dynamic skill talent, and when those players get the ball in space, good things happen.
Tight end Kenyon Sadiq continues to be a matchup nightmare for defenses, while running backs Noah Whittington, Jordon Davison, and Dirrre Hill Jr. each bring a unique style to the ground game. Add in explosive freshman wideout Dakorien Moore, and the Ducks have no shortage of weapons.
The key? Finding more ways to get those playmakers the ball. Whether through screens, jet sweeps, or quick-hitting passes, Oregon’s offense is at its best when it lets its stars shine and avoids overthinking the play-calling.
This bye week, simplifying the approach and focusing on player-driven execution should be a top priority. Sometimes, the best call is simply putting the ball in your best player’s hands and letting him work.
Oregon Ducks News
National college football analyst lists Dan Lanning as a top target for vacant SEC job
Fox Sports Analyst Joel Klatt lists Dan Lanning as a top candidate for the LSU job.
