5 Reasons Why Oregon Crushing Nevada Means the Ducks Won't Lose Another Game

The Oregon Ducks used their home opener for the 2011 college football season to crush the Nevada Wolf Pack 69-20. This win came after a potentially demoralizing 40-27 loss to the LSU Tigers in the Cowboys Classic on September 3.

Against LSU, the Ducks gave little evidence that they were the same potent, quick-strike team they were a year before when their success led them all the way to a 12-0 regular season.

Let's look at five reasons why crushing a team like the Nevada Wolf Pack means the Oregon Ducks won't lose another game.

The Warm-Up

Historically, it has always taken the Ducks at least one game to rev up their engines.

Last season, they used a 72-0 opening beatdown of the New Mexico Lobos to propel them to not only a Week 2 win against 100,000 fans at Rocky Top Tennessee, but to win 11 straight games. In 2009, it took a tough, embarrassing loss on the "Smurf turf" of the Boise State Broncos to get the Ducks ready for their Rose Bowl run. Then in 2008, Oregon used 44-10 and 66-24 wins over the Washington Huskies and Utah State Aggies to launch them into their 10-3 season.

Chip Kelly's "shred offense" is like pushing a stalled train. At first, it's very difficult to get the train moving. Once you get it rolling, it's nearly impossible to stop.

If Oregon were to play the LSU Tigers again next Saturday, I'd expect a very different result because of this warm-up game. 

No Kenjon Barner or Josh Huff

In their 69-20 thrashing of the Nevada Wolf Pack, the Oregon Ducks were without junior standout Kenjon Barner and sophomore wide receiver sensation Josh Huff.

Josh Huff is Oregon's best wide receiver because of his experience and speed. He can catch a screen pass and take it to the house at any moment. With him off the field, the Oregon receiving corp is bad at best.

If last season is any indication, Kenjon Barner may have had five touchdowns against Nevada if he was able to play. Last season, he scored five times in the Ducks' warm-up game against the New Mexico Lobos.

These two players were missed for their game-changing abilities.

The Fans

When the Oregon Ducks lost on the road to the LSU Tigers in the Cowboys Classic, it's tough for the fans to get into the 2011 version of their team. Last season had Brian Paysinger, Casey Matthews, Kenny Rowe, Jeff Maehl and many more. They were the face of the 2010 Oregon Ducks. The fans knew what to expect week in and week out.

A blowout of the Nevada Wolf Pack gives the home crowd a glimpse of who the key players are going to be this season. They know what jersey numbers to buy (No. 5, 6 and 21.)

The Oregon Ducks faithful are now fully invested in their team and the 2011 season.

Darron Thomas

Be honest. You were wondering if Darron Thomas really was a great quarterback or if Jeff Maehl and Drew Davis just made him look good last year.

I was wondering that too. After Oregon lost Maehl and Davis and Oregon struggled to move the ball against the LSU Tigers, I wasn't sure that Darron Thomas was all he was cracked up to be.

All he did against the Nevada Wolf Pack was tie the Oregon Ducks' single-game touchdown pass record with six and throw for 295 yards.

Not only did he throw six touchdowns, but he threw them to five different receivers in Lavasier Tuinei, LaMichael James, Rahsaan Vaughn, Colt Lyeria and De'Anthony Thomas (2).

Darron Thomas needed to believe that he could repeat what he did in 2010. In 2010, he made receivers around him better—the same thing he did against Nevada.

De'Anthony Thomas Is a Star

As I've claimed before (here and here,) De'Anthony Thomas is the next Reggie Bush. His breakaway speed and juke moves were on display against the Nevada Wolf Pack.

The Oregon Ducks have found a star in Thomas. He should be the main reason the Ducks are confident going forward in the 2011 season. He is the reason the Ducks won't lose another game.

Chip Kelly now knows that Thomas can hold onto the ball and torch a defense if you give him space. He put an insane move on a Nevada defensive back that freed him for his 69-yard touchdown reception.

De'Anthony Thomas is the future of the Oregon Ducks football team. With him and Cliff Harris, you might as well call them the "Hollywood Ducks."