Oregon Ducks: Why This Is The Year To Win The National Title

National Championship? For a team that has a new starting QB? You heard it here; YES! You cannot take Oregon out of the running for the title with the start they have had, even with brand new QB Darron Thomas. Thomas has had a mediocre season at best. He has done what he needs to for the team to perform well. Oregon is number 5 in the nation and on a roll. 

So what happens if Darron Thomas turns it on? What if he starts firing on all cylinders? Then the Ducks would be completely unstoppable. From top to bottom, Thomas is the only question mark. The Defense has established themselves as the Top D in the nation. LaMichael James in back in Heisman candidate form. The experienced offensive line starts 3 seniors and 2 juniors who are proving to be exceptional all year, if you take out the first quarter of the Tennessee game. If it was going to be any year for the Ducks, this would be the year.

Oregon loses half of their starters on Offense and Defense which almost always means a re-building season the following year. They have major talent coming up, but it is already looking to be an above average season next year with so many talented youngsters, which poses the National Title question again in about 3 years with all of the young players gaining experience, and the great recruiting and National exposure Oregon is getting. With that said, those seniors that Oregon will be losing are the heart of this team. Bo Thran, Jordan Holmes, and CE Kaiser are the big boys up front who are making the argument that they are the best O line in the Pac 10. Brandon Bair, Kenny Rowe, Casey Matthews and Spencer Paysinger are the leaders of the front 7 on Defense, and have held their opponents to 93 rushing yards per game and have allowed only one rushing Touchdown all season.

The Defense is established. Teams know they cannot run all game against Oregon unless you have an O line with every big boy 320+. The only way you can run on that front 7 is north-south and you have to overpower them, but there is no team in the nation that has the stamina to do that against Oregon's front 7 all game long. The reason why Oregon has the best defense in the nation, is because they practice against a spread offense who executes extremely well and has a ton of stamina. In the games, Oregon's offense usually possesses the ball for about 2 or 3 minutes, which would technically mean that the Defense does not get worn down, but that is wrong. Oregon's no huddle offense is the hardest to stop because of the stamina that each offensive player possesses. I am not saying that other teams are not in shape, I am saying that they are not in shape like every single offensive player is on Oregon. Which leads me to my next point about the Defense. They practice against that Offense every day for three or four hours, up and down the field. So, with that in mind, there is no other Offense in the country that can wear down the Oregon Defense, and the Offense with the best bet to do so, would be Oregon's, which means the Defense practices against the only team that could possibly beat them, every day. 

Oregons offense is coming along. The only question marks are a couple of receivers, and Quarterback Darron Thomas. Thomas has all the potential to be great, but I would argue that Oregon can win the National Title without Darron Thomas playing amazing. Since Oregon is so well grounded at the running back position and the Offensive line is experienced and tough to handle, all DT needs to do is not lose the ball and throw a couple sideline passes to Jeff Maehl. 

With all that said, Oregon still needs two or three teams to lose if they want to play for that National Title. If Oregon goes undefeated, they will need Boise State to have a close game with OSU or lose to OSU. Or they need either Alabama, TCU, or Ohio State to lose. Alabama and Ohio State are tough to beat. TCU is not going to play anyone who can really beat them until BYU or Utah, and that is only two games.

The road will be tough for Oregon, but what makes them so deadly is how the Offense and Defense feed off each other. If one side of the ball is down and needs some motivation, the other side picks them up. When both are on their game, Oregon cannot be stopped. If it is going to be any year to win the Title, this would be the year. Go Ducks.