Why Ducks' Defensive Play Holds the Key to Winning the Pac-12

Every team—well, almost every team—in the Pac-12 will have a respectable-to-great offense in 2012.

Matt Barkley to Robert Woods and/or Marqise Lee will account for mega-yards and touchdowns every game.

Mike Leach will launch Air Raid in the Palouse.

Sean Mannion, with a year of experience under his belt, will shock and amaze in Corvallis.

Stepfan Taylor at Stanford will run roughshod over opponents.

While Washington may have issues at running back, Keith Price is the real deal at quarterback and will make some noise.

And the list goes on. Offensively, the Ducks will be, well, the Ducks, and will put up the points at breakneck speed, making defenders look like slugs.

But this year more than ever, defense is what will win games and keep the Ducks in the Natty hunt. While I'm generally optimistic about the defensive team the Ducks will field, there are some issues.

Here's what I'm talking about.

The Secondary Is Crucial

I chose this photo of USC wide receiver Robert Woods and Oregon cornerback Terrance Mitchell not to embarrass Mitchell, but to prove my point about how important the secondary will be to Oregon's aspirations in 2012.

I believe that is the goal line in the photograph.

USC, of course, has two of the most dangerous receivers not only in the Pac-12, but in the country. If Woods and Marqise Lee stay healthy, if surfer dude is efficient in getting the ball to them and if they can run the ball enough to be honest, the Trojans will most likely win every game.

If the Ducks hope to beat USC, it's absolutely critical that the secondary contains—notice I didn't say "stops"—Lee and Woods. The pair will get their catches; just don't let them get the long bombs, and pay extra attention on third down and nine.

And, for gosh sake, make them work for every catch.

Don't put all your energies into that Nov. 3 game either, or that game might not matter in the long run. The secondary needs to show up for every Pac-12 game this season (and probably for Arkansas State in game one). If they don't, there are several teams that are capable of embarrassing the Ducks.

The good news is that the Ducks DBs have a year of experience, including some big games, and should be more seasoned. As a group, they weren't terrible last year, they just made a few bad plays at the wrong times.

Get rid of those boo-boos this year and times are good.

John Boyett

Those of you who read this space know that I am a huge fan of Oregon safety John Boyett (John Boyett for Heisman).

The senior is even more important this year. With Eddie Pleasant gone (see next slide), Boyett's leadership and field coverage will be a defensive key.

I suspect that Boyett is in a darkened room somewhere watching film from last year as I type this. Which is one reason I love the guy—he's always prepared.

Boyett's experience defending against opponents like Matt Barkley, Keith Price, Stepfan Taylor and Markus Wheaton, and his leadership in helping the younger guys understand their roles, are perhaps the key components in whether the Ducks return to the big scene in 2012.

Replacing Eddie Pleasant Is Another Key

As voted by the coaches, all-Pac-12 first team rover Eddie Pleasant was a major force for the Ducks the past three years. He is an aggressive hitter, and opposing coaches tend to remember that kind of player.

Now with the NFL's Houston Texans, Pleasant will be sorely missed at the rover position. How do you replace a player who was the fourth-leading tackler last year with 61 stops (36 solo), and who had not one, but two interceptions in a key game against the Huskies in Seattle?

There is currently no player listed as "rover" on the Ducks roster. But there are many DBs, and it looks like Oregon defensive backs coach John Neal will have plenty of flexibility in replacing Pleasant.

In an interview with Oregonlive.com's Aaron Fentress, Neal said he could have 10 players capable of contributing next season with the goal being to start the top four defensive backs and place them where they fit best.

The heated competition early on seems to be between Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (who started the Rose Bowl at cornerback) and junior safety Brian Jackson, who might be the front-runner. Jackson is also one of Boyett's best friends on the team.

Also in the mix are sophomore Dior Mathis, redshirt freshman Issac Dixon, sophomore Erick Dargan and junior cornerback Avery Patterson.

If I were some of these guys, I would remember that the Amoako brothers—hard-hitting star DBs from Arlington, Texas—will join them in the fall.

The First Line of Defense

Wouldn't life be easier if Matt Barkley were sacked before he could throw the ball; or Stepfan Taylor never got past the line of scrimmage; or an Andrew Furney kick got blocked?

Yes, it would.

I have very high hopes for the Ducks defensive line play in 2012, and I believe it will be another key component in the Ducks going all the way.

If seniors like Dion Jordan, Kiko Alonso and Michael Clay have superstar years before all three head off to the NFL, and juniors like Ricky Heimuli, Taylor Hart and Wade Keliikipi live up to their full potential, this defense will be the difference in whether or not the Ducks can win the big games.

I got excited just writing their names! This group really holds the key. And if they do their jobs, it won't matter one hoot whether Bryan Bennett or Marcus Mariota starts at QB.

Pivotal 3-Week Stretch

There will be no more important games for the Ducks defense than the tough three-week stretch that begins Nov. 3 at the L.A. Coliseum against you-know-who. That big game is followed on Nov. 10 by a meeting with Cal at Berkeley. If the Ducks get by those two games, their reward is Stanford in Eugene.

Barring any key injuries, the Ducks offense should be clicking on all gears by then and executing better every week.

So, that leaves the defense. The questions I need answered are:

1. Will the defense jell and play together under John Boyett (John Boyett for Heisman), Michael Clay and Dion Jordan's leadership?

2. Will the young cornerbacks be better with a year's experience?

3. Will the guys up front play smash-mouth football on every single play?

If the Ducks defense lives up to its gaudy potential and can stop these three teams in this crucial stretch, it's party time.