Scouting the Ducks defense & special teams

Right: Oregon defensive end Kenny Rowe leads the team in sacks and tackles for loss. (AP Photo)

In scouting Oregon’s defense, I found there’s really not much of one. UO has given up 24 or more points in five games. The Ducks have also given up 360 yards or more on four different occasions, 400 or more yards twice, and allowed a whopping 505 yards against Stanford.

In contrast, Ohio State only allowed 24 or more points three times, and has never allowed an opponent to gain more than 368 yards in any game this season.

And they say defense wins championships? Apparently that’s not true in the Pac-10. Two of the top four teams from that conference have already played in their bowl games and BYU drubbed Oregon State, 44-20, in the Las Vegas Bowl and Nebraska took Arizona to the woodshed, 33-0, in the Holiday Bowl. And those two teams that came just a few points away from winning the Pac-10 and earning a trip to the Rose Bowl. So what does that say about Oregon? The Pac-10? Overrated? Clearly both of those teams have no defense, either.

The Ducks are a fairly respectable 33rd in the NCAA in total defense, allowing on average 329.4 yards per game, but UO is 50th in total defense, surrendering 23.6 points per game. The Ducks are equally as good (or bad) stopping the run vs. the pass, ranking 38th in the NCAA in both rushing defense and passing defense. Oregon gives up 127.7 yards on the ground and 202.8 yards through the air.

The Ducks base defense is the 4-3, though with the personnel it can look more like a 3-3-5. The front four is rather small, averaging 263.0 pounds along the defensive line. But there’s plenty of experience with two seniors and two juniors. The best of the group is a defensive end who looks more like a linebacker with 6-foot-3, 232-pound junior Kenny Rowe, who leads the team with 8.5 sacks and 11.0 tackles for loss.

The linebacking corps is somewhat small, too. Middle (MIKE) linebacker Casey Matthews, a 6-foot-2, 235-pounds junior, is tied for third on the team with 72 total tackles with four tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Spencer Paysinger, a 6-foot-3, 226-poiund junior weakside (WILL) linebacker joins Matthews with 72 total stops. Eddie Pleasant, a 5-foot-11, 207-pound strongside linebacker (SAM) has 50 total tackles but gets in the backfield often with 4.5 sacks and 7.0 tackles for loss.

The two top tacklers on the Oregon roster are in the secondary, which is never a good sign. John Boyett, who is listed as a second-team free safety, is a 5-foot-10, 190-pound redshirt freshman and has 78 total tackles. Boyett has played in all 12 games, making nine starts and has two interceptions. Second on the team in tackles is 6-foot-1, 185-pound sophomore roverback, Javes Lewis, who has 77 stops and two picks.

Oregon’s secondary, though, has been in a state of influx. Walter Thurmond III, a fifth-year senior cornerback and team captain, injured his knee on the opening kickoff of the Ducks’ 42-3 win over California back on Sept. 26, which ended his collegiate career. Another fifth-year senior cornerback, Willie Glasper, injured his right knee in practice back in early October and is also done for the year. Both also played key roles on special teams. Thurmond had a punt return for touchdown against Purdue, and was second in the Pac-10 averaging 15.0 yards per punt return. He was also third in the Pac-10 in kickoff returns, averaging 27.7 yards per boot.

The place-kicking duties fall on the shoulders of senior Morgan Flint, and he’s pretty good. Flint has made 15-of-17 FGs and he converted on all 52 of his PAT attempts. He doesn’t have a strong leg, though, as his longest field goal is from 43 yards out. Redshirt freshman Rob Beard, who has a strong leg, kicks off for the Ducks.

True freshman Jackson Rice handles the punting for Oregon, and is averaging 40.3 yards per punt, though the Ducks are 60th in the NCAA in net punting at 35.8.

Kenjon Barner, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound redshirt freshman back-up running back handles the kickoff and punt returns. Barner is averaging 9.1 yards per punt return and 24.3 yards per kickoff return, which includes a 100-yard KO return for TD against UCLA.