Week 3 Report Card: Ducks' blowout win leads to high grades
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As far as FBS versus FCS matchups go, the Oregon Ducks' 84-0 romp of the Portland State Vikings was as good as it gets, as the Ducks had there way in every single aspect of the game. They stopped the Vikings on every possession while scoring on all but one possession of their own, completely running Portland State off the field by the end of the night with reserves lining the field.
While the win doesn't completely wash away the stink of losing to the unranked Oklahoma State Cowboys in Week 2 as three-touchdown favorites, it proved nice for Oregon to get back on the field on a short week and show what Ducks football is all about at Autzen Stadium.
Now, the Ducks' coaching staff and players will set their sights on the USC Trojans, as Oregon will travel to Los Angeles to take on one of their biggest rivals.
But first, they'll dive into the film on what turned into an absolute onslaught by the Ducks inflicted upon the Vikings. In this week's report card, it was difficult to find many blemishes on the performance that Oregon put together on Friday night, leading to positive grades all around.
Quarterbacks
Grade: A
How about a rebound performance for Dante Moore? After putting forth his worst game as a Duck in Week 2, Moore responded with 19-of-23 completions for 280 yards and four touchdowns. Were his receivers wide open for the most part? Sure. Did he still look as sharp as could be? Yes. We knew the opponent coming into this week was going to be subpar, but Moore getting back on track can still occur in that circumstance. When Moore was taken out of the game, Dylan Raiola (11-for-11, 124 yards, three touchdowns) excelled in his first Ducks appearance, with both Brock Thomas and Akili Smith Jr. having positive moments as well.
Running Backs
Grade: B+
It's hard to fault a ground game that ate up 273 yards at a 5.4 yard clip with a number of contributors stepping up and showing off their talents. Jordon Davison led the way with 13 carries for 81 yards and two touchdowns, while Brandon Smith (16 carries, 71 yards, touchdown) and Da'Jaun Riggs (nine carries, 68 yards) saw extended run in the second half and revealed themselves as potential reserve options in competitive games. What was missing was a big explosive run, as the long was just 22 yards by Davison.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Grade: A
The receiving core certainly had a strong game, but I'm not sure much can be taken away when the receivers could quite literally run past any Portland State defensive back if they wanted. The positives were that several youngsters got involved, namely Messiah Hampton with six receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown and tight end Kendre Harrison with four catches for 53 yards and a score. Both look like they could impact the team in Big Ten play, not just in blowouts.
Offensive Line
Grade: B
Honestly, I expected more from this group. The long run of 22 yards is surprising, although the Ducks did carry the ball at a high yards per carry clip — though there's an argument that it should've been higher against a porous rushing defense. There were a number of players that shifted in and out of the game so I don't want to fault the starters, but two sacks given out is just too much in this game.
Defensive Line
Grade: B+
When a Division-I team rushes for just two yards in an entire game, that's a signal that the opposing defensive line did their job. The Ducks consistently reset the line of scrimmage two yards into the Vikings' backfield, not allowing them any breathing room in the run game. Bear Alexander had some dominant moments, as did reserve Matthew Johnson. Only having one sack is disappointing, but they did force Portland State quarterback Gabe Downing to escape the pocket and throw the ball away or into harms way numerous times.
Linebackers
Grade: B+
With the defensive line pushing the Portland State offensive line back so far, the linebackers' job was rather simple. There weren't a ton of tackles to go around in those instances either, but it was nice to see Dylan Williams and Gavin Nix see extended time. The former has seen his rep count heighten early in the year and he projects to be a valuable piece of this year's defense.
Secondary
Grade: A
The coverage was as sticky as could be early in the game, forcing Downing to throw the ball away or into heavy coverage. While it didn't result in any turnovers early on, they came in bunches in the second half with true freshmen as the recipients. Safety Jett Washington got a pair of interceptions on back-to-back defensive plays, while cornerback Devon Benjamin also recorded the first pick of his college career.
Special Teams
Grade: A
Hard to fault this group much either, as the kickoff team repeatedly did its job in limiting the opposing return and even created an eventual Ducks touchdown with a forced fumble. Kickers Gage Hurych and Rocco Graziano both went 6-fot-6 on extra points and punter Bailey Ettridge downed his only punt inside of the 20-yard line.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Week 3 Report Card: Ducks' blowout win leads to high grades
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