Oregon Ducks Football: Lack of Physicality Ruins Title Chances

For the third time last night, the Oregon Ducks football team were defeated off of something you would come to expect a football team to need.

Physicality.

LSU was able to dominate the Ducks in the trenches throughout the night, leading to their 40-27 victory.

Auburn and Boise State were able to do the same the past two years, winning 22-19 and 19-8 respectively.

Running back LaMichael James was unable to get into a rhythm last night, rushing for only 54 yards on 18 carries, due to the weakness of the Oregon offensive line.

Lineman were dropping like flies last night in Dallas throwing more and more young and inexperienced back-ups into the fire. Those backups provided no protection last night for Darron Thomas or James.

On 82 plays, the Ducks longest play was only 18 yards, hardly the expectation in Eugene.

On the other hand, the Tigers' offensive line dominated the Ducks defense. LSU had two runners rush for over 90 yards last night, almost all gained up the middle. Gaining that many yards by running up the middle will break down any defense. LSU was able to prove that last night.

Heralded recruit, De'Anthony Thomas, played poorly last night, making two key fumbles that led to LSU points. Thomas showed no physicality and should not be put third on the depth chart with fellow backs James and Kenjon Barner, both of whom are also 'small' backs. Oregon needs a more physical back.

But guess what? The Ducks do have that physical back, and he received no playing time last night. Tra Carson is a 6'0", 227-pound freshmen with 4.4 speed. Remind anyone of LeGarette Blount?

More importantly, however, the Ducks need to become more physical on the defensive side of the ball.

Oregon's front seven were absolutely man-handled last night, allowing LSU tor run all over them.

There was no pressure in the middle, or an end coming off of the edge. They were all lethargic and couldn't beat their blockers.

Even the secondary played well, holding Jarrett Lee to 10-of-22 for 98 yards and one touchdown, with only red-shirt freshmen Terrence Mitchell getting beat on a play. And all of this was done without preseason All-American Cliff Harris.

Chip Kelly and the Ducks have always built their team on speed and aggressive play-calling, but now the Ducks will HAVE to add in the physicality if they ever want to win that Natty.

If the Ducks expect to beat Stanford in Palo Alto and Win the Pac-12, they need to get more physical.

Move freshmen Colt Lyerla out of tight end, they already have David Paulson, and put him at the hybrid position. You could even do what Stanford did with Owen Marecic. It obviously worked for them.

The Ducks as well need Cliff Harris back. One of Oregon's four fumbles came from the punt returner, the spot originally held by Harris. And if Terrence Mitchell got beat by Jarrett Lee, what do you think Andrew Luck will do to him?

Throw in Tra Carson in the backfield. The Ducks will need a bigger back to push through the line and not get taken out by the first defender.

Move Thomas to cornerback. There's depth at the position and he's a shutdown corner, meaning you won't have to worry about him fumbling the ball.

But once again we come back to the physicality of it all. The Ducks linemen played without it and it cost them the game.

Previewing the game, I wasn't worried about Oregon's defensive line with Ricky Hemuli, Terrell Turner and Dion Jordan, I was more worried about the young secondary. It appears that I had it the other way around, the front seven and offensive line have to get more physical if the Ducks really want to win that Natty.