Arizona vs. Oregon: Chip Kelly and RichRod Might Score 100 Total Points
Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
When the Oregon Ducks play host to the Arizona Wildcats this Saturday night in Eugene, don't be surprised if the two tempo-based offenses push the final score total above 100 points. Oregon is averaging 86 plays a game. Arizona is pushing that pace to an astonishing 93 plays a contest. Both offenses want to go fast, and with that approach to the game, expect to see plenty of scoring opportunities.
Part of the reason Arizona has taken so quickly to Rich Rodriguez's system is the Wildcats are no strangers to tempo. In the three seasons prior to RichRod's arrival, the team went from 70 to 73 to 76 plays per game in 2011.
And more points is exactly what we should expect Saturday—from both teams. Oregon is fifth in the nation, putting up 54 points a game. The Wildcats are seven spots back at 12, averaging just over 46 points a game.
In six games, the two teams have combined to score 41 touchdowns. Get ready for fireworks, as Arizona brings their fourth overall offensive attack to match up against Oregon's seventh-ranked total offense.
Do you expect the Wildcats and Ducks to combine for over 100 points?
The Ducks can throw the ball, but unfortunately for most teams, they don't have to in order to be a potent offense. They currently sit behind just Air Force, Army and Georgia Tech in the rushing rankings.
One thing to pay attention to in this ball game: The Ducks are playing without John Boyett. The senior safety announced a week ago he would be out for the season following a nagging knee injury that ultimately required surgery. Arizona likes to take shots down the field with Scott, and if the Wildcats can get the run game working, there may be opportunities deep.
Now, to be fair to the defenses, this 100-point-fest that some folks are looking for is not a given. Unlike most teams the Ducks and Wildcats will play, this week of practice, the scout teams and team periods will be very close approximations of their opponent's system. This won't be Stanford's plodding personnel pretending to be Oregon or Oklahoma State's pass-happy gang pretending to run the ball.
The speed of the offenses, from a tempo standpoint, will not be a shock to the defensive system. Expect plenty of base calls on both sides of the ball and very few risks in the form of blitzes or exotic looks.
Ultimately, we are looking at a game that, 100 points or not, has the potential to be very good if both offenses are firing on all cylinders.
What is the duplicate article?
Why is this article offensive?
Where is this article plagiarized from?
Why is this article poorly edited?



1 Comments
Loading comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete