Oregon Football 2015 – Better, worse or about the same?

The Oregon Offense in 2015

If you asked for my opinion on the Ducks offense coming into this season immediately after the brutal loss to Ohio State in the College Football Championship Game, I would have been concerned. Losing Marcus Mariota made everything seem difficult again – fans were happy for him, but worried about the team. Questions about who the quarterback was going to be formed a thick cloud over what was still a very talented offense to be.

The Spring Game on May 2 helped answer a lot of questions. Long-time Mariota backup Jeff Lockie commanded the offense, throwing for 223 yards and three TD’s. When asked after the game about Lockie’s performance, head coach Mark Heflrich said, “He played well. As far as being ‘the guy,’ he has done everything right. He has had an awesome spring.” While the Ducks still await the arrival of FCS star Vernon Adams Jr. from Eastern Washington, the coaches seem confident with the current situation.

The Ducks get a dynamic scoring threat in Bralon Addison back from an acl injury that caused him to miss the entire 2014 season. Along with Addison, the Ducks have Byron Marshall, Devon Allen (hopeful to return from an acl injury), Darren Carrington (suspended from the Championship game because of a positive marijuana test), Dwayne Stanford, and a slew of freshman talent that are sure to find roles in the offense throughout the season.

Oregon WR Bralon Addison (photo by Gary Breedlove)

The fast-paced, high-flying Oregon Ducks offense is great, but look out for a heavy run based attack this season. Royce Freeman is coming off an incredible freshman campaign that saw him run for 1,365 yards, and 18 TD’s. In a recent interview with FishDuck.com writer Daniel Kantor, Ducks linebacker Rodney Hardrick praised the Pac-12 freshman of the year: “He reminds me of some guys we played last season, not going to name any names. He is such a great athlete; it is exciting to play against him every day.”

Oregon RB Royce Freeman (photo by Gary Breedlove)

To make matters more confusing, running back Thomas Tyner, who was stuck behind Freeman for most of last season, is rumored to have had an incredible Spring. With heavy focus on Freeman, and his future Heisman potential, Tyner has been quietly going about his business.

The amount of talent that this offense has is enough to make coaches in the Pac-12 dizzy.

The Oregon Defense in 2015

Last season, the Ducks gave up close to 430 yards per game, including a total of 2,481 yards on the ground. However, the defense finished at No.31 in the country with 23.6 points per game. With an offense that averaged over 46 points per game, the defense just needed to survive in order to win.

The disparity caused by the actual amount of yards given up, compared to the amount of points allowed, is due to the opportunities that the defense created for itself. Much like Florida State did in the Rose Bowl, teams marched down the field on the Ducks, but made one mistake, leading to a very costly turnover.

This year’s defense will have to deal with replacing massive defensive end Arik Armstead, who was drafted with the No.17 pick by the San Francisco 49ers. Very talented senior DeForest Buckner, along with 5-star recruit Canton Kaumatule look to solidify a defensive line that underachieved on many levels last season.

Oregon DE DeForest Buckner (photo by Craig Strobeck)

Losing All-American defensive back Ifo Ekpre-Olomu will be tough for this team to overcome. Guys have been stepping up from all over, and it’s still unclear who will steal the show. Charles Nelson, who many got to know for his playmaking ability as a freshman wide receiver last year, has made the switch to defensive back to help the depleted unit.

The defensive woes last year came from the inconsistent play of the linebackers. This was made very evident in the thrashing that Buckeyes running Ezekiel Elliott handed out to the tune of 246 yards, and three TD’s. Returning linebackers Joe Walker, Danny Mattingly, Tyson Coleman, Christian French, and the aforementioned Hardrick must work on securing more tackles and giving up less big plays.

Much like the offense, the defense has the players it needs to be successful – it’s all about finding the right combination. In an interview with Chantel Jennings of ESPN.com, defensive coordinator Don Pellum said, “We lost some terrific players, but I think overall in terms of depth and experience, we are far ahead of where we were a year ago.”

Buy or Sell?

I am betting big on the Ducks this year. I expect the Ducks to reel in 11 wins during the regular season, with the most difficult matchup being at Michigan State week 2. A late season matchup against USC comes at the perfect time, as the Ducks will look to cement its top dog status in the Pac-12.

The immense amount of talent that this team has will certainly be exciting to watch. It will be interesting watching the offense operate without Marcus Mariota, but there comes a time where every program must move on. This will be another exciting year for the Oregon Ducks.

Jason Selby of FishDuck.Com provided the information for our Oregon Football 2015 Spring recap. For more great Ducks football information, commentary and analysis, you can follow FishDuck.Com on Twitter @Fishduckdotcom.