Arkansas State @ #5 Oregon Game Thread

[UOducksTK1]

Man, not much respect for the Arky St. Offense around here. I think there will be some surprised folks come Sept. 1st. (Disclaimer: I love being wrong on these kind of predictions)

No, I have a lot of respect for Malzahn and the players he'll have in this game, but if this is supposed to be our best defense in ages and they give up 31 at home, it's a terrible sign for us.

Only way that happens is if they put up 17 through 55 minutes and drop a couple of touchdowns late in the game.

[Elduderino]

Man, not much respect for the Arky St. Offense around here. I think there will be some surprised folks come Sept. 1st. (Disclaimer: I love being wrong on these kind of predictions)

No, I have a lot of respect for Malzahn and the players he'll have in this game, but if this is supposed to be our best defense in ages and they give up 31 at home, it's a terrible sign for us.

Only way that happens is if they put up 17 through 55 minutes and drop a couple of touchdowns late in the game.

Which, IMO, is entirely plausible. I could see them putting up 17 or even 24 in that first 3 quarters. Our defense is going to see a lot of snaps against a pretty good offense (I expect our O to move the ball easily). If after that first 55 minutes we've got a comfortable lead, I fully expect to see us dig deep into the rotation to see just what we've got for depth defensively.

I'm also not sure that when the season is finished, 55-31 or so, won't look all that bad.

EDIT: Ooooor I could end up looking like an idiot. Which in this case, would be totally OK.

[rockthief]

31 pts, I hope not. WOuld love to have a couple shut-outs this year.

[NCDucks09]

Man, not much respect for the Arky St. Offense around here. I think there will be some surprised folks come Sept. 1st. (Disclaimer: I love being wrong on these kind of predictions)

No, I have a lot of respect for Malzahn and the players he'll have in this game, but if this is supposed to be our best defense in ages and they give up 31 at home, it's a terrible sign for us.

Only way that happens is if they put up 17 through 55 minutes and drop a couple of touchdowns late in the game.

Which, IMO, is entirely plausible. I could see them putting up 17 or even 24 in that first 3 quarters. Our defense is going to see a lot of snaps against a pretty good offense (I expect our O to move the ball easily). If after that first 55 minutes we've got a comfortable lead, I fully expect to see us dig deep into the rotation to see just what we've got for depth defensively.

I'm also not sure that when the season is finished, 55-31 or so, won't look all that bad.

EDIT: Ooooor I could end up looking like an idiot. Which in this case, would be totally OK.

The question is, do you think there are any players of the starting offensive lineup for ASU that could make Oregon's second string offense?

If no, then Oregon's second and thirds string D should not have a problem shutting down ASU's offense.

If yes, then in the second half, you may see ASU score a little bit.

Autzen will be ASU's first big game atmosphere they've experienced to date (I don't know what kind of experience the seniors have). They are going to turn the ball over a lot, both forced and mistakes due to nerves and timing disruption from the crowd.

This game has New Mexico St written all over it. K.Barner, 5 TD's.

[GrandpaDuck]

New Mexico was a winless team with a horrible coach. Arkansas State is a 10 win bowl team with an outstanding offensive coach. ASU >>>>> NMU

31 would be a lot for the defense to give up but if the offense and special teams spotted or set-up say 21 points like in last years opener then 31 would not be out of reach.

They also have a QB who is both highly mobile and experienced to help negate what will probably be a mismatch between their offensive line and Oregon's front 7.

The ultra fast tempo though could result in so many possessions that like the New Mexico game, Oregon's score could get embarrassingly high well before the fourth quarter.

[uodux1212]

Our defense gave up more than 31 points 3 times last year. LSU, SC and Wisconsin, three pretty decent teams....

[USUaggieDuck]

Aplin is basically a sunbelt version of cam newton. He dominates league play

Posted from my Android

[RedWolfMark]

I really think UO fans will be surprised at how athletic we are and the talent we have at the skill positions. Once the jitters are out of the system and we settle in, the Oregon defense will be strongly tested. Josh Jarboe is a senior wideout who signed with Oklahoma out of high school. David Oku, who played at Tennessee for two years, was rated nationally the #1 all purpose back in the 2009 signing class. I know its easy to discount ASU because of the conference we play in, for years anyone from the Sun Belt was considered the easy buy game. Its a stigma the conference has been fighting to get rid of for years, which was only possible by winning a few of those money games. The tide is beginning to change in that thinking though. While Im not impressed with our latest additions in conference expansion, the teams we do have currently will be competitive with just about everyone. Coach Malzahn wants to only play one money game a year starting next season. The coaches and several team leaders in recent interviews said they are planning to go up to Oregon to win the game, anything else is unacceptable. That hasnt always been the case with A-State. The last coach used those games as an opportunity to play reserves after a half.

[RedWolfMark]

Where Oregon will win the game is depth. After our two deep we really drop off. Its still a work in progress for Gus.

[wlduck]

I am of two minds regarding this game:

- Duck fans are vastly under rating Arky State, and this game will be much tighter than we think.

But:

- If we really are the #5 or better team in the country, it shouldn't matter that Arky St is talented. We are at home, and supposed to be elite. If that's true, we will pull away.

[Bud Lee]

I am of two minds regarding this game:

- Duck fans are vastly under rating Arky State, and this game will be much tighter than we think.

But:

- If we really are the #5 or better team in the country, it shouldn't matter that Arky St is talented. We are at home, and supposed to be elite. If that's true, we will pull away.

I look at this game much like I look at the LSU vs. North Texas game. No way either of our opponents put up more than 14 unless we screw something up.

Anyone want to place bets on who holds their opponents to fewer points? I bet we will holding North Texas to a field goal late in the game.

[GrandpaDuck]

Anyone want to place bets on who holds their opponents to fewer points? I bet we will holding North Texas to a field goal late in the game.

That's a suckers bet Bud. You slick Easterner trying to take advantage of us Coastal rubes?

North Texas State was 96th in total offense last year, while ASU was 24th.

ASU returns most of its skill position players plus adds Gus and Poole.

Each team in the UO<>ASU game will have probably twice as many possessions in which to score than in the LSU<>NTS game because of both teams going up-tempo no huddle. Now maybe if you want to divide total points in half, but that still doesnt take into account that ASU>>>>NTS and more than double up'd on them when they drubbed them last year.

(I've been visiting an ASU board this summer and have been served a lot of Red Koolaide)

[Bud Lee]

Anyone want to place bets on who holds their opponents to fewer points? I bet we will holding North Texas to a field goal late in the game.

That's a suckers bet Bud. You slick Easterner trying to take advantage of us Coastal rubes?

North Texas State was 96th in total offense last year, while ASU was 24th.

ASU returns most of its skill position players plus adds Gus and Poole.

Each team in the UO<>ASU game will have probably twice as many possessions in which to score than in the LSU<>NTS game because of both teams going up-tempo no huddle. Now maybe if you want to divide total points in half, but that still doesnt take into account that ASU>>>>NTS and more than double up'd on them when they drubbed them last year.

(I've been visiting an ASU board this summer and have been served a lot of Red Koolaide)

We cool Grandpa, but you call me a easterner again we are going to have problems


That Red Koolaide may have you thinking right…maybe it will be a close one considering what you have just said

[GrandpaDuck]

That Red Koolaide may have you thinking right…maybe it will be a close one considering what you have just said

Well not close, as I think the ASU defense will be completely overwhelmed by the Oregon ground game especially against the sweep plays. (Barner's best play throughout his career coinciding with what our line does best, particularly Grazu.)

It's just that ASU's offense multiplied by the number of times they will see the ball will give a higher scoring potential than probably half the teams on our schedule this year.

[UOducksTK1]

I really think UO fans will be surprised at how athletic we are and the talent we have at the skill positions. Once the jitters are out of the system and we settle in, the Oregon defense will be strongly tested. Josh Jarboe is a senior wideout who signed with Oklahoma out of high school. David Oku, who played at Tennessee for two years, was rated nationally the #1 all purpose back in the 2009 signing class. I know its easy to discount ASU because of the conference we play in, for years anyone from the Sun Belt was considered the easy buy game. Its a stigma the conference has been fighting to get rid of for years, which was only possible by winning a few of those money games. The tide is beginning to change in that thinking though. While Im not impressed with our latest additions in conference expansion, the teams we do have currently will be competitive with just about everyone. Coach Malzahn wants to only play one money game a year starting next season. The coaches and several team leaders in recent interviews said they are planning to go up to Oregon to win the game, anything else is unacceptable. That hasnt always been the case with A-State. The last coach used those games as an opportunity to play reserves after a half.

I don't disagree with any of that, but you are playing in Autzen. Changes everything.