USC Game #4 Preview: Oregon Ducks

You can fool me once, but you can’t fool me twice. Well, last week, Mike Riley fooled Pete Carroll for the second time in a row at Oregon State, 27-21, dropping the Trojans from their #1 ranking.

This week it’s Mike Bellotti’s turn to see if he can fool Pete Carroll and USC for the second year in a row. Belotti is the winningest football coach in Oregon history.

But unlike the Oregon State game, this one is in the Coliseum, and Bellotti and his Ducks will once again be without their starting quarterback.

Nate Costa was the heir apparent to Dennis Dixon at quarterback. But Costa suffered a season-ending knee injury just before the Ducks’ first game with Washington.

So, Jason Roper took over the signal calling for second year offensive coordinator Chris Kelly’s spread-read offense. Roper split time with another backup quarterback, Jeremiah Mosoli, against the Huskies. True freshman, Chris Harper joined Roper and Masoli in the Ducks’ second game against Utah State.

Then in the Ducks’ third game against Purdue, Roper sustained a knee injury, and Masoli got the start against Boise State but was replaced by Darron Thomas, the fourth qb on the Ducks’ roster.

Although Thomas had a good second-half against the Broncos, Masoli got the nod for the Ducks in their fourth game against Washington State and is expected to start against the Trojans on Saturday night.

Sharing running back duties are two very strong performers, Jeremiah Johnson from Dorsey High School in Los Angeles and LaGarrette Blount, the nation’s best JC running back from East Mississippi CC.

Blount eads the team with 487 yards and eight touchdowns on 66 carries, a 7.3 yards/carry average. Blount has speed and agility as well as power. He can make those quick cutbacks or run over defenders.

Considering the trouble the Trojans had with Jacquizz Rogers last week, Blount should give them all they can handle and then some.

Johnson’s numbers are nearly the same as Blount’s. Johnson has gained 458 yards on 65 carries, scoring six touchdowns and averaging 6.8 yards per carry. This tandem will really put the Trojan defense to the test.

Senior Jaison Williams leads a trio of very capable Duck receivers that includes Terrance Scott and sophomore Jeff Maehl. Williams has 20 receptions for 288 yards.

Scott has caught 18 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns. Jeff Maehl, the slot receiver, has 18 receptions for 205 yards and two touchdowns.

The Ducks also have a very formidable tight end in Ed Dickson from Bellflower HS. Last year, he was caught more passes in one season (43) than any other Duck in history. So far this season, Dickson has caught 20 passes for 266 yards and two TDs.

Outland Trophy candidate Max Unger anchors the offensive line. Unger has started every game during his career at Oregon career and has been versatile enough to play every position on the O-line

Senior left tackle Fenuki Tupou (6-6, 322) is also on the Outland Trophy watch list. RG Mark Lewis, LG Jordan Holmes and RT Jacob Hucko make up the rest of the starting offensive line.

Defense

Anchoring Nick Aliotti’s defense is defensive end Nick Reed, the Ducks’ leading pass rusher. Reed led the team last season with 22.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. Reed is on both the Nagurski and Lott Trophy lists as well as the Walter Camp Player of the Year list. So far this season, Reed has 8.5 TFL to go with five sacks.

Rushing from the other side is junior Will Tukuafu (6’4″, 279 lbs). Tukuafu is tied with Reed for the team lead with five sacks this season and leads the Pac-10 with 9.5 TFL.

Against USC last year, he had with 7 tackles, 3 QB hurries, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery last year.

The Duck’s leading tackler this season is WLB Spencer Paysinger from Beverly Hills High School. Paysinger was credited with 12 tackles, 2.5 TFL and one sack in his debut against Washington. Senior John Bacon is the middle linebacker, and another Dorsey HS grad, Jerome Boyd starts at SLB after an All-Pac Ten Honorable Mention season last year.

Many regard the Ducks as having one of the most talented defensive backfields in the Pac-10. Preseason All-Americans Patrick Chung, Jarius Byrd and Walter Thurmond are the heart and soul of the defensive backfield.

Chung, a senior Rover, led the Ducks with 117 tackles a year ago. He was on preseason watchlists for the Nagurski, Thorpe and Bednarik Awards. He has been a four-year starter and three-time all-conference honoree as well as a second team All-American last year.

Jarius Byrd led the Ducks with seven interceptions last year and was also credited with three fumble recoveries and 65 tackles. He is a three-year starter and preseason All-American. He is an excellent one-on-one cover corner.

At the other corner is Walter Thurmond, the fastest player on the team. He currently leads the Ducks with two interceptions this season in spite of a groin injury that kept him out of the Boise State game.

Special Teams

Senior placekicker Matt Evensen was 4-of-4 on FG attempts and converted 2 PATs in the Ducks’ dramatic 32-26 overtime win at Purdue. He is 6-9 on the season, with a long of 41 yards, and has converted 24 of 26 PATs.

Senior punter Josh Syria averages 39.4 yards per punt. Patrick Chung and Walter Thurmond share kick returning duties, Chung averages 33.8 yards a return and Thurmond 27.6. Jarius Byrd is the punt returner, averaging over 16 yards per return. He also had an 87-yard return for a touchdown against Purdue.

Despite their loss last week, the Trojans are 16.5 point home favorites.