The Oregon Ducks have gotten out to an ugly start during the 2024 season after defeating the Idaho Vandals, 24-14.
The issues for the Ducks started and ended with the offensive line, who struggled to get pushes against an arguably bad defensive line. The Vandals recorded three sacks against the Ducks, who allowed just five sacks all last year with quarterback Bo Nix behind the line. The Ducks will need to figure out their offensive line issues ahead of the start of their opening Big Ten Conference season.
Oregon Ducks Offensive Line Allows Three Sacks Against Idaho Vandals
The Oregon football team is off to a 1-0 start to the 2024 season, but it was not necessarily the way the team expected to win. The Ducks put up 24 points against an Idaho Vandals squad that has not boasted the best defense by any means. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel recorded 380 yards and two touchdowns through the air for the Ducks but lost a fumble as well.
Gabriel did not have the worst debut for Oregon and proved he has serious arm talent as a quarterback. However, Gabriel was truly let down by his offensive line, who allowed three sacks against the Idaho Vandals. The Ducks allowed just five sacks all last season and provided one of the most menacing offensive line units in college football.
The Vandals allowed just 107 yards on the ground on 37 carries against the Oregon offense and forced multiple stops. Oregon struggled at times to drive against the Vandals, as the offense had to punt the ball three times and turned the ball over on downs twice as well. Oregon was their own worst enemy and struggled to fully execute their scoring opportunities against the Vandals.
A season ago, the Oregon football team kicked off their season with an 81-7 win over Portland State, which truly showed their dominance. With just a 24-point performance against the Vandals, the Ducks may not be able to showcase the same type of firepower they had last season. While a drop in production will certainly occur, it will not be due to the quarterback change, but rather the struggles along the offensive line.
What Went Wrong For the Oregon Football Team, Offense Line?
After the difficult performance from the Ducks, many fans were quick to blame quarterback Dillon Gabriel or the Ducks’ running backs rather than the real source of the issue. Last season, quarterback Bo Nix was sacked just five times, and this was not solely because of his ability as a quarterback. Enter Dillon Gabriel, a strong-armed quarterback with a quick release, and the sack issues become apparent.
It is not an issue of quarterback as Gabriel and Nix play a similar, fast-paced style of offense where the ball is not in their hands long. While the time of his releases were not an issue, the strength and physicality of the offensive line truly was. The Vandals were about to power their way into the backfield three times for sacks when likely a single sack should not have been allowed.
The Oregon football team struggled to physically overpower the Vandals’ defensive line and that led to far too many players getting through. A season ago, the Ducks were one of the strongest offensive lines in the country both performance-wise and physically. The Ducks need to get back to the same physicality they once had last season to produce the same results on the field.
The struggles along the offensive line against the Vandals are completely unsustainable for the Ducks moving forward. The Oregon football team is entering their first season in the Big Ten Conference, which has become known for developing excellent linemen and playing physical football. The Ducks might not be able to compete with the rest of their conference if their offensive line continues to play this poorly.
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