Oregon Football: Grading Each Positional Unit at Halfway Point of the Season

The Oregon Ducks (5-1, 2-1) have had some ups and downs through the first half of the season; however, they’re still in position to win the Pac-12 North title and have a chance of advancing to the College Football Playoff. 

While a loss to Arizona at home was disappointing for the program, wins against preseason-ranked Top 10 opponents Michigan State and UCLA have proved that the Ducks, when healthy, are one of the best teams in the entire country. The Ducks, specifically the offensive line, have had to deal with numerous injuries so far this year and have yet to truly play up to their lofty potential.

That being said, the Ducks lead the Pac-12 North and are ranked No. 9 in the country by The Associated Press.

If the Ducks can win the Pac-12 conference title and escape without suffering another loss, they will likely find themselves playing for a spot in the national championship come Jan. 1.

In order to get a sense of where the Ducks stand after their first six games let’s take a look at how each position group has performed so far in 2014.

Quarterbacks

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Well, this one is going to be pretty easy to grade. Junior quarterback Marcus Mariota has been the Ducks' best player this season and has perhaps been the best player in the entire country. 

On the season Mariota has thrown for 1,621 yards and 17 touchdowns and has completed 69.7 percent of his passes—the best percentage of his outstanding Oregon career. Mariota has also yet to throw an interception this season and leads the nation in passing efficiency with a mark of 193.7

Oh, did we mention that he is also averaging 5.9 yards per carry on the ground and has scored five touchdowns as a runner this season?

Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports currently has Mariota ranked second in the Heisman race. Mariota also headlines Sports Illustrated's Midseason All-America team. 

If the Ducks manage to find a way to win the Pac-12 championship and end the season with only one loss, you can bet Mariota will find himself in New York City for the Heisman Trophy presentation.

In short, Mariota has been nothing short of fantastic this season. Outside of a late, costly fumble against Arizona, Mariota has been ridiculously efficient and nearly flawless. He gets our highest grade. 

Grade: A

Running Backs

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Oregon’s rushing attack is having a down year. However, comparing a rushing attack featuring a true freshman and sophomore to Oregon rushing attacks of years past isn’t quite fair. 

The Ducks currently rank No. 26 in the country in rushing offense and are averaging 217.2 yards per game on the ground. The Ducks are also gaining 5.45 yards per rush this season.

While those numbers seem solid, when you compare them to recent Oregon teams they seem quite paltry. As recently as 2012 the Ducks were ranked No. 3 in the country in rushing offense and were gaining 5.98 yards per rush and averaging 315.2 yards per game on the ground.

Oregon’s rushing attack has been hurt by the fact that the young, inexperienced and injured offensive line has failed to give running backs Royce Freeman, Thomas Tyner and Byron Marshall—who recently was moved to wide receiver—room to run. It has also been hurt by the fact that Marcus Mariota is so darn good that the Ducks are throwing the ball more than they have in recent years.

That being said, true freshman Royce Freeman has been one of the most impressive and surprising players on the Oregon roster this season. Freeman has rushed for 467 yards on 85 carries and has scored seven touchdowns. He has already taken away the starting role from sophomore Thomas Tyner and is firmly set as Oregon’s featured back.

Freeman also produced Oregon’s first 100-yard rusher of the season last week against UCLA. On the day, Freeman ran for 121 yards on 18 carries and scored two touchdowns.

Oregon’s offense is predicated on the running game. In fact, when the Ducks run the ball successfully they’ve been unbeatable. Since former coach Chip Kelly’s first year at Oregon in 2007, the Ducks are 57-0 when they rush for more than 240 yards in a game. You can take that to the bank. 

Oregon is going to need for Royce Freeman and Thomas Tyner to produce at a high level if the Ducks have dreams of reaching the College Football Playoff. It would also help if Oregon's offensive line can stay healthy.

Grade: B-

Wide Receivers

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The Ducks' passing offense is ranked No. 20 in the country and is gaining 305.3 yards per game through the air. The Ducks also lead the country by averaging 10.41 yards per pass attempt.

While Marcus Mariota has everything to do with the success of the passing game so far this season, don’t be so quick discount how well Oregon’s receivers have played as well.

The Ducks are led by redshirt freshman Devon Allen, senior Keanon Lowe and running back turned wide receiver Byron Marshall.

Lowe was supposed to fill the role left open by injured star wide receiver Bralon Addison and has done a fine job in that role. Lowe has caught 17 passes for 266 yards and scored four touchdowns on the year. However, it has been Allen and Marshall who have really surprised.

Marshall—the Pac-12’s leading returning rusher from last season—was so effective out of the backfield as a pass-catcher that the Oregon coaches decided that he should play wide receiver full time.

Marshall has caught 29 passes for 340 yards this season and scored two touchdowns. He’s been Mariota’s go-to receiver in key situations and will only get better as he becomes more familiar with running routes from different spots on the field.

While Marshall may be Oregon’s most consistent pass-catcher, the star of the show this season has been Devon Allen. Allen, who won the 110-meter hurdle at the NCAA and U.S. Outdoor Championships as a true freshman, has shined as a wide receiver for Oregon this season. Allen has caught 21 passes for 412 yards and scored six touchdowns. He’s also averaging a ridiculous 19.6 yards per catch.

The Ducks are strong at wide receiver and may get stronger if Addison is able to return to the field this season. However, there is still room for improvement, and it has nothing to do with catching balls.

Oregon’s rushing game depends on its wide receivers being able to block linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties downfield and create running room for their speedy backs. That hasn’t always happened this season, and the group as a whole needs to improve in that area.

Grade: B+

Tight Ends

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The Ducks were supposed to feature two tight ends this year—Pharaoh Brown and Johnny Mundt. However, only Brown has really been a part of Oregon’s offensive attack this season. 

Brown has caught 15 passes for 215 yards and scored three touchdowns so far this season. While he’s done well catching the ball, Marcus Mariota and offensive coordinator Scott Frost have underutilized him. Look for Brown to get more touches as the season moves forward.

Mundt, on the other hand, has played in four games this season and has only caught two passes for 29 yards. Obviously Oregon believes that Brown is the guy moving forward and that Mundt is going to play second fiddle for the time being.

The tight ends have played well when they’ve been used; however, they’re just not getting enough action. Brown has been very effective when he’s been a true part of the game plan; however, he’s been out of the plan far too often this season. Mariota and Frost should be able to utilize him more often going forward.

Grade: B-

Offensive Line

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Oh, boy. Where to begin? 

The Ducks offensive line has been decimated by injuries all season, and it has shown. Before the season even started Oregon lost left tackle Tyler Johnstone for the year. Then the Ducks lost right tackle Andre Yruretagoyena against Michigan State. Lastly, Oregon lost left tackle Jake Fisher against Wyoming the following week.

While Fisher came back against UCLA and finally provided some stability to the line, his absence may have cost Oregon a game against Arizona. In the two games Fisher missed—against Washington State and Arizona—the Ducks offensive line allowed 12 sacks.

With Fisher in the lineup the Ducks are averaging 49.5 points per game. In his absence the Ducks averaged 34.5 points per game. The difference is clear. Also, the Ducks have only allowed three sacks in four games with Fisher as opposed to the previously mentioned 12 in two games without him.

All in all, the Ducks are ranked No. 98 in sacks allowed this season with 15. That’s simply not going to cut it. 

With Fisher back the Ducks line looked much improved against UCLA. Only time will tell if the young players, such as true freshman Tyrell Crosby—now playing right tackle—are able to improve as the season goes along. If Crosby can improve and the Big Three—center Hroniss Grasu, left guard Hamani Stevens and Fisher—can stay healthy, the Ducks will have a chance to turn negative into a positive.

Don’t give up on the offensive line yet, but there’s a lot of work to be done.

Grade: D

Defensive Line

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Despite the fact that Oregon’s defense has racked up 18 sacks so far this season—ranked No. 23 in the country—it has seemed like the defensive line has been nonexistent at times for the Ducks. 

In order to win on the defensive side of the ball you must be able to stop the running game at the point of attack and put pressure on the opposing quarterback. Currently, the Ducks are ranked No. 79 against the run this season and are allowing 174.8 yards per game on the ground.

While the Ducks have been able to get pressure on the quarterback at times, bigger offensive lines have too often beaten them at the point of attack.

Defensive ends DeForest Buckner and Alex Balducci haven’t been consistent enough in getting to the quarterback or plugging up the line and forcing running backs to run east and west. Defensive tackle Arik Armstead—who didn’t suit up against UCLA—has also been a mild disappointment.

Overall, the Ducks need for their defensive line to improve both against the rush and the pass. The line has all the potential in the world. Now it’s time for it to step up and make a difference.

Grade: C

Linebackers

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The Ducks linebacking crew has been spotty this year, but then again so has the entire defense. Oregon is led by Tony Washington, Tyson Coleman, Rodney Hardrick, Derrick Malone and Joe Walker; however, it's also gotten solid contributions from Christian French and Torrodney Prevot.

Really, it seems like the Ducks linebackers have been put into a weird position by new defensive coordinator Don Pellum. Pellum has seemed to be unsure whether to use experienced linebackers like Washington and Hardrick as rushers or in coverage.

Pellum has a ton of athletic bodies at his disposal from this group and should use more exotic blitzes in the second half of the season. We shouldn’t pin too much blame on the linebackers for the performance of the defense, but as a group they haven’t done a great job of making tackles in the open field.

Expect to see players like Walker, Coleman and Malone used more in coverage and Washington and Hardrick used to put more pressure on quarterbacks. We should expect a lot from this crew in the second half of the season. These players are more than capable of being one of the most dynamic linebacking cores in the Pac-12.

Grade: C+

Secondary

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Thought to be a strength before the season, Oregon’s passing defense has been one of the worst in college football so far. The Ducks rank No. 116 against the pass this season and are giving up 295.5 yards per game through the air.

Quite simply, that’s not good enough for a team that features one of the best cornerbacks in America in Ifo Ekpre-Olomu.

While the Ducks' passing defense cannot totally be blamed on the secondary, it has played a significant role in the failures of the defense. However, there have been some standout performances from safeties Erick Dargan and Reggie Daniels.

Daniels—a redshirt sophomore—leads the Ducks with 41 tackles so far this season and also has an interception. Dargan—a senior—has probably been Oregon’s best defender so far this year and certainly its best playmaker. Dargan has intercepted three passes this season—including an acrobatic interception against Michigan State.

On the year the Ducks have intercepted six passes—a statistic that ranks them No. 48 in the country. Considering the Ducks intercepted 26 passes in 2012—ranked first in the country—and 17 passes in 2013—ranked No. 23—it’s a bit disconcerting they only have six interceptions this season.

The player who needs to step up is Ekpre-Olomu. While he has two interceptions this season, he’s been beaten more than a few times against taller receivers—specifically against Michigan State’s Tony Lippett and Washington State’s Dom Williams.

If Ekpre-Olomu can lock down his side of the field and force quarterbacks to look elsewhere, Oregon’s secondary may be in for a breakout second half of the season.

Grade: C

Special Teams

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Oregon’s special teams this season have been surprisingly average. While the kicking game has marginally improved—kicker Matt Wogan has made three of four field goals this year—the punt and kick returners have failed to be as explosive as we’re used to out of Oregon teams.

The Ducks have only returned one punt for a touchdown this season—Charles Nelson’s 50-yard touchdown in the first game of the season against South Dakota. Otherwise, the Ducks special teams have been somewhat vanilla.

In fact, the Ducks have failed to take a kickoff for longer than 30 yards this season and have only returned 11 punts for a grand total of 93 yards—50 of which came on one play by Nelson in the season opener.

However, if there’s been one bright spot it has been the play of Nelson—not only as a punt returner but also as a defender. To be short, he’s been everywhere the Ducks have needed him to be.

The Ducks have the firepower and the athletes to make explosive plays on special teams; however, that has yet to really impact any game so far this season. Look for that to change and for Nelson to get more touches as a punt and kick returner.

Grade: B

Jason Gold is Bleacher Report’s lead Oregon writer. Follow Jason on Twitter @TheSportsGuy33.