Grading Oregon's 41-19 win over Arizona

Oregon opened up conference play with a 41-19 victory over the Arizona Wildcats. While Oregon won by 22, this game was a lot closer than the final score indicates. It was a weird game for both sides of the ball as they both struggled at times. Let’s take a look at how each position grouped fared in this one.

Quarterback: C+

Anthony Brown left a lot on the table against the Wildcats but he did make enough plays to get the job done. It wasn’t Brown’s best performance to date but he was a constant threat with his legs and helped Oregon move the ball just efficiently enough.

Running Back: B+

The running backs combined for just 18 carries but they gained 144 yards and 1 touchdown on those carries. Travis Dye was the most efficient running back with 92 yards on just 5 carries and his performance was highlighted by a 53-yard run. It was a weird game overall for the offense but the backs had an overall solid day.

Wide Receivers: B-

Brown only had 10 completions and the receivers combined for just 6 of those catches but they made the most of their opportunities. Jaylon Redd led the way with a 63-yard touchdown on the 3rd play of the game. After that, it was a quiet night for the group but Johnny Johnson made a couple of big catches when the offense needed a big play. This group was tough to grade as they didn’t do a lot, but they also made the most of their opportunities.

Tight Ends: B

The tight ends caught just 2 passes but they both went for touchdowns. Spencer Webb and Terrance Ferguson each got involved in the action. Similar to the receivers it was a quiet night for this group, but they made the most of their opportunities. They also had some decent blocks on a handful of running plays.

Offensive Line: B- 

This unit was solid all day but it wasn’t too special. They did a good job at creating some run plays especially on Dye’s carries. In pass protection, they gave up 2 sacks and a handful of pressures, but some of those were pressures that Brown invited by extending plays. It wasn’t this group’s best performance to date, but it certainly wasn’t the worst.

Defensive line: D

This group struggled mightily all game and they weren’t really able to create many pressures. They finished the game with just 1 sack, but for the most part, McCloud had all day in the pocket to dice up the Oregon secondary. In the run game, they allowed over 200 yards as well and it seemed that the Wildcats were moving the ball with ease on the ground. This group desperately needs Kayvon Thibodeaux back to 100 percent for this unit to generate any sort of pressure. They also really need a player or two to step up and come into form as the season goes on.

Linebackers: C

This group filled the stat sheet in regards to tackles and they even had an interception, but this group really struggled against the run and the pass. In the run game, they struggled to fill lanes at the 2nd level and got gashed consistently. In coverage, this unit also struggled, but that’s to be expected when the defensive line can’t generate any pressure. This unit desperately needs the defensive line to be more consistent so they don’t have to try and play coverage for as long as they did in this game.

Cornerbacks: C

This group struggled outside of Mykael Wrights’s interception. The coverage was pretty soft during the game, and Arizona was able to move the ball pretty consistently in the air when targeting the Oregon cornerbacks. This unit really needs a strong 2nd option outside of Mykael Wright if this Oregon defense wants to reach its full potential.

Safeties: A

This group was the saving grace for the Oregon defense. Bennett Williams had 2 interceptions including a pick-six and Verone Mckinley also got involved with his 4th interception of the year. I realize these guys line up at different positions at times but for the sake of grades, I’ve decided to lump them into the safeties. If it wasn’t for the Oregon safeties generating 3 interceptions this game could’ve been a lot closer.

Coaching: C+

Coaching grades can be tricky at times as there’s a ton of factors that go into this. Overall I thought the coaches called a fine game, but there definitely were a handful of questionable decisions. I thought that the defense could’ve done a better job at scheming up some pressures to help the defensive line a bit but overall it was a fine job by the coaching staff.