(Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)

So that is what a passing game is supposed to look like.

Last week the Oregon thumped then-No. 6 Cal 42-3 in a dominating performance where everything came together for this young but promising team.

Whether it was the re-emergence of seemingly ignored tight end Ed Dickson, the efficiency of oft-maligned quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, or the defense holding Jahvid Best to only 55 yards rushing everything turned out just Ducky last Saturday.

The dark cloud within this silver lining was the injury to cornerback Walter Thurmond III on the opening kickoff. A dangerous kick returner and lock down corner that was expected to receive post-season accolades and be an early round pick in the coming NFL draft, Thurmond has undergone season ending surgery to repair damage to his knee.

Expectations are soaring again for Oregon fans after the big win over Cal. The Ducks will complete a four game home stretch this week against Washington State, a team almost unanimously picked to finish last in the Pac-10 conference.

After going 2-11 last year, with wins over FCS Portland State and winless Washington, the Cougars endured several early season setbacks before beating Southern Methodist in overtime. WSU comes off a loss to USC at the Coliseum, but managed to keep the score much closer than most had expected they would.

So this week the Ducks come in as the much ballyhooed flavor of the week in the Pac-10. Against them is a young, plucky Cougar team that has been given a spark by a freshman quarterback and shown surprising resilience in the face of adversity.

The words “trap game” spring to mind.

The last thing Oregon can afford to do is fail to take WSU seriously, because as dominant as their performance was against Cal there is still room for improvement.

The Duck’s special teams have been erratic so far this season. Thurmond was a dangerous returner (his punt return for a touchdown turned out to be the difference against Utah) but also had a couple of fumbles to his credit.

The Ducks have also been plagued by penalties on return plays and have allowed a punt to be blocked at various points this season. It is imperative the Ducks avoid negative momentum changing plays on special teams because with the loss of Thurmond they have much less ability to affect positive swings in this phase of the game.

Thurmond’s absence will also be keenly felt on defense. Nick Alliotti will no longer be able to leave one corner on an island with total confidence. With starting free safety TJ Ward questionable for Saturday as he continues to recover from a high ankle sprain suffered opening week, Washington State’s new passer Jeff Tuel may face a Ducks secondary with no returning starters from last season.

Oregon kept Cal’s offense in check even without the services of Thurmond and Ward. True, Golden Bears quarterback Kevin Riley missed his share of open receivers. But part of the reason he had so little success was the Ducks ability to apply pressure throughout the game.

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