Report: Mario Cristobal Oregon Contract Offer Rivals Lincoln Riley, Brian Kelly Money
Dec 3, 2021
EUGENE, OR - NOVEMBER 27: Oregon Ducks head coach Mario Cristobal oversees pre-game drills during a PAC-12 conference football game between the Oregon State Beavers and Oregon Ducks on November 27, 2021 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Oregon Ducks reportedly have put a contract extension on the table for head coach Mario Cristobal, according to John Canzano of The Oregonian, who reported it's "aggressive and in line" with what Lincoln Riley and Brian Kelly received earlier this week.
Riley, who left Oklahoma to become head coach of the USC Trojans, reportedly will make more than $110 million over the course of his contract. Kelly, who left Notre Dame to take the LSU head coaching job, is being paid $95 million plus bonuses over 10 years, Canzano notes.
Canzano's report also included news that the University of Miami plans to "make a run" at Cristobal as a possible replacement for head coach Manny Diaz. It's unclear if Cristobal, a Miami native, would be interested in becoming head coach of the Hurricanes after all he's done to progress the program at Oregon.
However, Cristobal, who was born and raised in Miami, was also an offensive lineman for the Hurricanes during his playing days and also served as a graduate assistant to start his coaching career. In addition, he was a tight end and offensive line coach for Miami, so he's very familiar with the program. Canzano also noted Cristobal's mother still lives in the area.
Even if Miami pursues Cristobal, it certainly sounds like the school will need to offer him a deal similar to what Oregon is reportedly offering. Would he leave the Ducks for a deal worth less money to return home? It doesn't seem likely, though nothing is impossible.
Cristobal was named head coach of the Ducks in December 2017, taking over for Willie Taggart, who, at the time, left to become head coach at Florida State before joining Florida Atlantic in 2020.
At the time, Cristobal agreed to a five-year contract through January 2023 that paid him $2.5 million annually. A new six-year, $27.3 million contract for the head coach was announced in December 2020. It runs through 2026.
Cristobal owns a 35-12 record as Oregon's head coach, including appearances in four bowl games (wins in the 2018 Redbox Bowl and 2019 Rose Bowl). The Ducks have had a winning record in each of the 51-year-old's full seasons at the helm, so it should come as no surprise that the school is willing to back up the Brinks truck in an attempt to get him to stay.
Oregon OC Joe Moorhead Reportedly Expected to Be Named Akron Head Coach
Dec 1, 2021
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 02: Offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead of the Oregon Ducks talks with quarterbacks Tyler Shough #12 and Bradley Yaffe #16 before the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl against the Iowa State Cyclones at State Farm Stadium on January 02, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Akron is expected to finalize the hiring of Oregon offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead following the Pac-12 championship game, according to The Athletic's Bruce Feldman.
Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports first reported the Zips identified Moorhead as their top target in their head coaching search.
Bringing the 48-year-old back to Northeast Ohio—he worked on Akron's staff from 2004 to 2008—will be a signal of intent from the school.
The Zips made a pair of bowl games under Terry Bowden in 2015 and 2017 but were unable to establish themselves as an upper-tier Group of Five program. They proceeded to take a big step backward under Tom Arth, posting a 3-27 record over the past three seasons.
Moorhead has served as an offensive coordinator for two schools routinely in the College Football Playoff discussion (Oregon and Penn State), and the former Fordham quarterback spent two years as Mississippi State's head coach with a 14-12 record and two bowl games (both losses).
The 48-year-old's hiring would be a major coup for Akron and a surprise given his profile.
Seriously Moorhead seemed like a guy with pretty decent prospects and he steered straight into the most thankless one.
Perhaps Moorhead is looking to rebuild his reputation as a head coach to put himself in the frame for a Power Five gig in a few years. Winning 10 games with the Zips would almost certainly help him achieve that aim.
The Pittsburgh native may instead be looking to emulate Frank Solich.
Solich was fired by Nebraska in 2003 despite a 58-19 record and landed on his feet at Ohio in 2005. He remained with the Mid-American Conference program for 16 years as the Bobcats became a fixture in bowl season.
While every coach wants to win championships, having long-term job security and becoming a school legend at a program outside the blue bloods can provide a different type of fulfillment.
Considering the state of Akron, Moorhead probably won't yield immediate returns even if he targets reinforcements through the transfer portal. But he should have plenty of time to get the Zips back to relevancy.
No. 3 Oregon Upset by Tavion Thomas, No. 23 Utah in 38-7 Blowout Loss
Nov 21, 2021
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - NOVEMBER 20: Tavion Thomas #9 of the Utah Utes rushes for a touchdown against the Oregon Ducks during their game November 20, 2021 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City , Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
The No. 23 Utah Utes upset the No. 3 Oregon Ducks 38-7 on Saturday for their fourth straight win. Kyle Whittingham's squad improved to 8-3 and is on pace to win the Pac-12 South.
While Utah and Oregon are still on course to meet in the Pac-12 Championship Game, the Ducks' second loss significantly hurts their College Football Playoff chances.
Notable Stats
Cameron Rising, QB, UTAH: 10/18, 178 YDS and 5 CAR for 8 YDS and 1 TD
Anthony Brown, QB, ORE: 17/35, 231 YDS, 1 TD and 9 CAR for 8 YDS
Tavion Thomas, RB, UTAH: 21 CAR for 94 YDS and 3 TD
Kris Hutson, WR, ORE: 4 REC for 96 YDS
Utah Dominates in Every Facet
From defense to special teams, the Utes dominated in every facet in Sunday's win over the Ducks. Running back Tavion Thomas kicked things off with his 15th rushing touchdown of the year to tie the school record for most rushing scores in a single season.
TAVION THE TANK! @thiagoothomas9 ties the school record for single-season rushing TDs (15)! #GoUtes
On Oregon's second drive of the game, the Utes held the Ducks to a field goal attempt, which safety Cole Bishop blocked to force a turnover. Utah then punted on its next possession before quarterback Cameron Rising rushed in for a score to put the Utes up 14-0.
Thomas then punched in his second rushing touchdown, his 16th of the season, to take over Utah's record for most rushing scores in a single season.
Not too long after that, Britain Covey returned a punt 78 yards for a touchdown to give the Utes a 28-0 lead before halftime.
Utah's dominance continued in the second half as Rising orchestrated two more scoring drives to put the game out of reach for Oregon.
Specific players that stood out on defense include Bishop, who finished with seven tackles and one tackle for a loss; linebacker Devin Lloyd, who finished with six tackles and one tackle for a loss; and safety Vonte Davis, who finished with seven tackles.
Oregon QB Anthony Brown, Offense Struggle in Loss
Brown was subpar in Saturday's loss to the Utes, to say the least. The senior quarterback struggled mightily in the first half, completing just 5-of-13 passes for 74 yards as Oregon was held scoreless.
Brown also rushed for 14 yards on five carries through the first two quarters. While he was better in the second half, his struggles continued as he completed just 12-of-22 passes for 157 yards and one touchdown.
Oregon's slow start on offense made it extremely difficult for the team to attempt a comeback down 28-0, especially with the Utah defense playing well.
Brown entered Saturday's game ranked fourth in Pac-12 with 2,030 passing yards. He also had 12 passing touchdowns, in addition to 551 rushing yards and eight rushing scores on the season entering Saturday's game.
Oregon's rushing attack was also pitiful as Travis Dye, Byron Cardwell and Brown combined for 72 yards on 22 carries. It was an uncharacteristic performance from the Ducks on the ground as they entered the game averaging 227.4 rushing yards per contest, which ranked second in Pac-12.
Oregon's offensive performance against Utah had people questioning whether or not the Ducks are a true playoff contender. Some also mentioned that the Ducks' passing attack needs to get better to be able to contend with other teams.
If there's one thing we learned on Saturday night, it's that Oregon would probably struggle mightily against teams like Georgia and Alabama.
What's Next?
The Utes are set to host unranked Colorado on Friday, while the Ducks will host unranked Oregon State next Saturday.
SEATTLE, WA - NOVEMBER 06: Oregon Ducks running back Travis Dye (26) runs the ball during a college football game between the Oregon Ducks and the Washington Huskies on November 06, 2021, at Husky Stadium in Seattle, WA. (Photo by Jacob Snow/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The No. 4 Oregon Ducks football team defeated the host Washington Huskies 26-16 on Saturday at Husky Stadium in Seattle.
Oregon running back Travis Dye rushed 28 times for 211 rushing yards and one touchdown to lead the Ducks, who scored 21 consecutive points to take a 24-9 lead with 14:53 remaining in regulation.
Washington responded with an 11-play, 75-yard drive capped by a Sean McGrew touchdown. However, Oregon then milked 8:59 off the clock on a 15-play, 43-yard drive that ended with a punt that pinned Washington at its 10-yard line with 2:09 remaining.
The Huskies could not take advantage and decided to punt the ball on 4th-and-10 with 1:57 left and two timeouts remaining. That strategy backfired when the ball was snapped out of the end zone, leading to a safety that effectively ended the game.
Oregon improved to 8-1 overall (5-1 Pac-12). Washington fell to 4-5 (3-3 Pac-12).
He gashed the Washington defense for 7.5 yards per carry on a night where Oregon could not muster 100 passing yards. The weather had something to do with that, but the Ducks couldn't do much through their air regardless (4.9 yards per pass attempt).
That didn't matter with Dye and the Ducks' offensive line dominating the Huskies' front seven. His 19-yard touchdown run in the fourth gave Oregon a 23-9 edge.
As James Crepea of the Oregonian noted, Dye had 21.25 touches for 136.5 total yards with eight touchdowns during four October matchups. Head coach Mario Cristobal told reporters that Dye "is as valuable of a player as there is in the entire country for us."
Jordan Kent of Talkin' Ducks' believed Dye to be the team's offensive MVP thus far.
Travis Dye has been the offensive MVP of the season IMO. #GoDucks
It's hard to argue otherwise, especially after the junior out of Norco, California, recorded 45 more rushing yards than Washington had scrimmage yards (166).
He's stepped up as the Ducks' RB1 when CJ Verdell suffered a season-ending leg injury against Stanford on Oct. 2. Verdell is a talented back, and this team would be even more dominant with him and Dye sharing backfield duties.
However, Dye is doing work after answering the call, and the Ducks will now likely move into the top three of the College Football Playoff picture after No. 3 Michigan State's loss to Purdue.
Washington Has No Answer for Ducks' Defense
It was a nightmarish evening for the Washington offense, which couldn't get much of anything going outside one fourth-quarter drive.
Quarterback Dylan Morris completed just 15-of-27 passes for 111 yards (4.1 yards per attempt) and one interception against a fierce Oregon defense. The Huskies didn't have a play go for 20 or more yards all night.
Washington only had 2.3 yards rushing on the night, with McGrew getting just 3.2 yards per carry as the RB1.
The Huskies scored two touchdowns, but one of them was largely thanks to a Carson Bruener interception of Brown that let the Huskies start their drive at the Oregon six-yard line. Two plays later, McGrew scored on a one-yard run.
Only one of Washington's drives went for over 22 yards, and that was the 75-yarder ending with McGrew's second score. Washington had a couple of nice chunk plays (a 15-yarder to tight end Cade Otton, a 19-yarder to McGrew) in addition to a defensive pass interference that kept the drive going.
But Washington had no answers for the Ducks' defense otherwise. Nine straight drives (not counting a first half-ending kneeldown) resulted in zero points during one stretch. After their first touchdown, the subsequent four drives consisted of 12 total plays for 43 yards, three punts and an interception.
Oregon linebacker Noah Sewell was Washington's biggest problem. He finished with 10 tackles and two pass breakups as he did work in run and pass defense. Jeffrey Bassa added a sack, and Jordan Happle got an interception.
Credit to Washington for keeping this a one-score game late into the fourth quarter, but the Ducks' defense and Dye's running proved to be too much.
What's Next?
Both teams play at home on Saturday.
Oregon will host Washington State at 10:30 p.m ET at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. Washington will welcome Arizona State on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Oregon RB CJ Verdell Will Miss Rest of Season with Leg Injury, Per HC Mario Cristobal
Oct 7, 2021
Oregons' CJ Verdell runs against Stanford during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Stanford, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
No. 8 Oregon suffered a disappointing loss Saturday against unranked Stanford, but the Ducks lost more than just the game.
Leading running back CJ Verdell was carted off with an injury in the third quarter against the Cardinal, and after Thursday's practice, Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal told reporters Verdell is out for the remainder of the season.
Verdell leads the Ducks with 78 carries for 406 yards and six rushing touchdowns. He also recorded a receiving touchdown this year.
Verdell is a redshirt junior after sitting out his freshman year. The California native burst onto the scene with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2018 and 2019. He played in five of Oregon's seven games during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, finishing with 285 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Without Verdell in the lineup, junior running back Travis Dye will be relied on to step into the lead role. Dye is a speedster who can get to the edge and works best in space. The 5'10", 190-pound back has 382 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 60 carries while adding eight receptions for 80 yards.
Besides Dye, Oregon will be working with an inexperienced group, as the other three running backs on the roster are freshmen.
With CJ Verdell out for the rest of the season due to injury, Oregon will now lean on speedy Travis Dye and a trio of freshmen RBs their staff is very high on: Seven McGee, Byron Cardwell and Trey Benson, the biggest of the backs.
Oregon has relied on the running game throughout the season. Starting quarterback Anthony Brown has a 56.1 completion percentage on 123 pass attempts through five games. Meanwhile, the Ducks have rushed the ball 212 times. Brown has thrown for 950 yards, six touchdowns and an interception and has added 198 rushing yards with four scores.
With a bye this week, the Ducks backfield will have extra time to prepare. Oregon will look to bounce back at home against Cal on Oct. 15.
No. 3 Oregon Upset By Stanford in OT; Kayvon Thibodeaux Ejected for Targeting
Oct 2, 2021
STANFORD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 02: Mykael Wright #2 of the Oregon Ducks breaks up a pass intended for Brycen Tremayne #81 of the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium on October 02, 2021 in Stanford, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
No. 3 Oregon was upset on Saturday in a 31-24 overtime loss to unranked Stanford.
Oregon star defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, a preseason all-American, was penalized for targeting and ejected during the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. He'll miss the first half of the Ducks' next game against Cal on October 15.
Cardinal quarterback Tanner McKee was outstanding with 230 yards and three touchdowns, including the two biggest scores of the game. After a defensive holding penalty gave Stanford the ball on Oregon's two-yard line with no time left on the clock, McKee found Elijah Higgins in the end zone to force overtime.
In the extra period, McKee orchestrated a six-play drive that ended with a touchdown pass to John Humphreys to take the lead. Stanford's defense stopped Oregon in four downs on the very next possession to seal the win.
Oregon trailed by 10 at halftime before rallying in the second half to take the lead. Oregon quarterback Anthony Brown was held to 186 yards and threw an interception but added two rushing touchdowns.
However, the Ducks committed three penalties on Stanford's game-tying 87-yard drive in the final 1:59 of regulation. Thibodeaux had six tackles with one for a loss before being ejected from the game. A roughing the passer penalty followed by the defensive holding call gifted Stanford the extra chances it needed to tie the game.
Oregon was without offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead, who was being evaluated for a non-COVID-related illness. The Ducks also lost running back CJ Verdell to injury as he was taken to the locker room on a cart in the third quarter. Verdell ran for 63 yards and a touchdown prior to his exit.
Oregon was the third team ranked in the Top 10 to lose on Saturday.
Oregon's CJ Verdell Carted off vs. Stanford After Suffering Apparent Leg Injury
Oct 2, 2021
Oregons' CJ Verdell runs against Stanford during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Stanford, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Oregon running back CJ Verdell was carted off the field in his team's game against Stanford on Saturday with an apparent left leg injury.
As noted by Jared Mack of Duck Territory, a trainer helped Verdell off the field during the third quarter after the running back could not put any weight on his left leg.
James Crepea of the Oregonian added that Ducks running back Seven McGee helped Verdell to the sideline injury tent. He was soon carted to the locker room.
Verdell had 404 yards (334 rushing, 70 receiving) and six touchdowns entering Saturday, and he added 76 more yards (63 rushing, 13 receiving) and one more score versus Stanford.
The junior notably dominated at Ohio State with a 195-yard, three-touchdown performance in a 35-28 victory for the No. 3 Ducks earlier this season.
The injury occurred after Verdell converted a 3rd-and-3 from the Stanford eight-yard line with a four-yard run for a first down. The drive ended with a Camden Lewis 22-yard field goal to tie the game at 17.
Losing Verdell for any amount of time is a difficult blow for the Ducks. The junior led the team in all-purpose yards and was a significant reason why the Ducks have found themselves in the top three of the Associated Press poll.
If Verdell must miss time, then Travis Dye becomes the team's No. 1 back. Dye entered Saturday with 41 rushes for 286 yards (7.0 yards per carry) and three touchdowns in addition to four catches for 41 yards.
Quarterback Anthony Brown is the team's other notable rushing threat with 163 rushing yards entering the weekend. The rest of the running back group includes McGee, Trey Benson and Byron Cardwell.
EUGENE, OREGON - MAY 01: Kayvon Thibodeaux #5 of the Oregon Ducks looks on in the third quarter during the Oregon spring game at Autzen Stadium on May 01, 2021 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
Oregon star defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux continues to benefit off of the NCAA's new name, image and likeness rules.
On Thursday, Thibodeaux launched his own cryptocurrency called $JREAM. The coin will be exclusively traded on a platform called Rally.
"I feel like crypto is such a new space and having an athlete involve in it kind of changes the dynamic of how athletes are viewed," Thibodeaux told ESPN. "I started looking at crypto in high school and seeing the future in crypto and how far it can go, this was the next step in starting my future."
Thibodeaux, a 2021 preseason All-American, announced a deal with United Airlines last month. He also has marketing deals with a plant-based protein company PlantFuel and a skincare company Starface.
Thibodeaux missed Oregon's last two games with an ankle injury, and he is considered a game-time decision for Saturday's Pac-12 opener vs Arizona.
Mario Cristobal: Oregon Taking 'Massive Steps' After Upset over No. 3 Ohio State
Sep 12, 2021
COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 11: Running back CJ Verdell #7 of the Oregon Ducks runs with the ball during the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Oregon Ducks at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on September 11, 2021. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Fresh off his program's first-ever victory against No. 3 Ohio State, No. 12 Oregon coach Mario Cristobal isn't ready to declare his school is back yet. However, he did acknowledge the Ducks are closing in on becoming a national powerhouse again.
Defeating the Buckeyes 35-28 on the road only helped to prove as much.
"We've been building toward this for a while now, but we're not there yet," Cristobal said. "I don't want to in any way shape or form give that impression. We're not, and our guys know that too, but we've taken massive steps, and I think even more importantly, we've taken massive psychological steps, understanding how important that is going to be on Saturdays. ... All those things, they just come into play and they just further strengthen the culture and the direction of the program."
Now 2-0 on the year, Oregon is likely to find itself ranked in the top 10 next week ahead of a home matchup against Stony Brook.
The coach had to rebuild a bit following a Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin to cap the 2019 season. The Ducks went 4-3 in 2020 and are looking to become bowl eligible for the fifth consecutive year under Cristobal this season.
It's off to a solid start thanks in large part to the duo of quarterback Anthony Brown and tailback CJ Verdell. Brown recorded 301 yards of total offense and threw for two touchdowns, while Verdell scored three times and added 195 yards from scrimmage. That offensive outburst was necessary with elite defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux—the anchor of the Ducks' defense—out with an ankle injury.
"I think identity showed up," Cristobal said. "I think resilience showed up. All the things that you hammer home—why we practice like we practice—it's validated when you come out here and you do something like this. That locker room right now is spent, they're exhausted, but they're also realizing that we can be a really good football team, and we've just got to continue along the lines of that practice-preparation to make it a real thing on game day."
With an early, season-defining victory now on their resume, the Ducks will spend the next few weeks proving they can live up to their ranking.
As of Saturday, Oregon won't play another ranked opponent until Oct. 23 when they visit No. 16 UCLA and head coach Chip Kelly—the former Ducks' boss who last brought the program to national prominence.
No. 12 Oregon Upsets No. 3 Ohio State Behind CJ Verdell's 3-TD Performance
Sep 11, 2021
COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 11: Running back CJ Verdell #7 of the Oregon Ducks runs with the ball during the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Oregon Ducks at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on September 11, 2021. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
For the first time since 2015, Oregon won a road game against an opponent ranked in the Associated Press Top 10.
The Ducks defeated No. 3 Ohio State 35-28at the Horseshoe on Saturday. Making the victory even more impressive is that it came without arguably their two best defensive players.
Defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux (ankle) and linebacker Justin Flowe (foot) did not play. Their absence was certainly felt, as Oregon gave up 612 yards.
Running back CJ Verdell carried the Ducks with 161 yards and two touchdowns on 20 attempts, though. He also caught three passes for 34 yards and a score.
Ohio State's receiving trio of Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba went off. They each had more than 115 yards and combined for 27 catches and three touchdowns.
Head coach Mario Cristobal's Ducks got a scare in last week's season opener against Fresno State. Oregon scored 10 points in the fourth quarter in a 31-24 comeback victory.
This week, the Ducks did most of their damage in the middle portion of the game with 14 points each in the second and third quarters to steal a win over Ohio State for the first time in 10 meetings between the programs.
The numbers suggest Oregon didn't win the game so much as Ohio State lost it.
For example, the Buckeyes had three drivesend in turnovers on downs and another that ended when they ran out of time before halftime. The offense was moving the ball up and down the field, averaging 7.2yards per play.
But the Ducks deserve far more credit for what they did in a hostile environment. Their first touchdown came on a 99-yard drive that Verdell capped with a 14-yard scamper into the end zone.
After Oregon took a 14-7 lead in the second quarter, the defense made a huge play when Noah Sewell—brother of Detroit Lions rookie Penei Sewell—stopped running back Miyan Williams on 4th-and-2 in Ducks territory:
Early in the second half, it looked as if Oregon was about to take control of the game. Verdell's 77-yard touchdown run on the third play from scrimmage helped give the team a 21-7 lead.
At that point, Verdell had 126 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries. He had also scored from 14 yards out on a 4th-and-1 toss play late in the second quarter.
While Verdell was the biggest story of the game, the entire offense had tremendous success generating big plays against the Buckeyes defense.
The Ducks had 10plays go for at least 15 yards. This was a vast improvement over last week against Fresno State, when the offense had 358 yards and averaged 3.8 yards per rush on 49 attempts.
Oregon needed that production, because its defense wasn't much better than Ohio State's. But it did make three key stops on five fourth downs.
If the Ducks want to remain in the College Football Playoff picture for the rest of the season, they will likely need Anthony Brown to do more in the passing game. The senior quarterback completed only 17 of his 35 attempts.
There will be time for Brown, Cristobal and offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson to get the passing game back on track.
For now, though, the Ducks are in prime position to challenge for a playoff spot after a huge win in arguably the highest-profile game of the weekend.
Leaky Defense Continues to Haunt Buckeyes
Lost in the thrill of last week's 35-point second half against Minnesota was the performance by the Buckeyes defense. It gave up 408 yards in that game, including 203 on the ground.
It's certainly much easier to overlook a flaw after a win, but now head coach Ryan Day and defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs have a big problem.
Run defense, in particular, remains a significant issue for Ohio State. Oregon had over 200 rushing yards by the third quarter.
Joey Kaufman of the Columbus Dispatch noted that last week the Buckeyes used a number of defenders:
"The Buckeyes used a deep rotation on defense Minnesota, putting 24 players in the game. It gave the coaching staff an opportunity to size up a lot of inexperienced position groups — more than half of Ohio State’s scholarship players on defense are first- and second-year freshmen."
Regardless of Coombs' adjustments and rotation against Oregon, nothing worked.
Oregon is doing literally WHATEVER they want on offense, and the OSU defense is so passive, that it looks like they are comfortable just giving it to them.
All five touchdown drives by Oregon were at least 65 yards, but none of them took four minutes off the clock.
Ohio State certainly had execution issues on the offensive side of the ball too, especially on its three failed fourth-down attempts, but C.J. Stroud did everything in his power to keep his team in the game.
CJ Stroud has hit 27 of 39 for 367 with two TDs. Yeah, he's missed some throws. He's also made some THROOOWS.
The defense did make two critical stands late in the fourth quarter when Oregon was clinging to a 35-28 lead.
It was the offense that failed to execute with opportunities to tie the game. The first drive stalled after Stroud's 12-yard run on 3rd-and-10 was negated by a holding penalty.
After getting the ball back with 4:37 remaining, the Buckeyes picked up two first downs in three plays. But facing a 3rd-and-18 on the sixth play of the drive, Stroud was picked off by Verone McKinley III.
It would be a surprise if they don't challenge for the conference title yet again, but their path to the playoff looks much different now with one loss on their resume and a porous defense that has yet to find any answers.
What's Next?
Oregon will return home to play FCS program Stony Brook next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET. Ohio State will host Tulsa on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
