FW: Promising Signs From the Duck Victory: Excellence They Can Take Forward

Really like the fact Darron Thomas chased down the defender on the pick. He makes a mistake, but he doesn’t hang his head, he goes after the guy and makes a one-on-one tackle. Comes back to make several good reads and plays. On the touchdown pass Paulsen was his third option. Chip Kelly said he made the right read in the zone read time after time, a fact evidenced by Barner’s big day.

Casey Matthews, as advertised in fall camp, shows increased agility and improved anticipation in the middle. Ranged deep from his middle linebacker spot to intercept a pass, then recovers a fumble on the next series. Heady with great football instincts, Matthews trimmed down this fall and increased his speed and vertical, and it was great to see him play some assertive, playmaking middle linebacker in the opening game. Look for him to have a big senior season in which he takes his game to the next level.

David Paulsen is getting open down the seam, and Darron Thomas found him for a 30-yard touchdown. Just overshot him on another end zone pass (that’s correctable, a teachable moment) If Paulsen becomes a target that Thomas trusts down the middle, and he can get deep like this, it really adds a lot to the Ducks’ passing game. Thomas finding Paulsen early in the year like this helps develop that connection, increasing the chances that Paulsen can replace the production of Ed Dickson, who’ll be working for the Baltimore Ravens this year.

Defensive linemen had four batted-down passes in the game, and that is huge. It’s demoralizing to the offense, like a big block at the net in volleyball, or a blocked shot into the sixth row in basketball, and all kinds of good things can happen on the batted balls, caroms into the waiting arms of Kenny Rowe or Dion Jordan, athletic guys who can head north with the ball. Batted balls not only prevent completions, they create turnovers and get in the quarterback’s head, mess up the throwing lanes and disrupt his timing. They double the effectiveness of the pass rush. It would tickle me to see them bat down Jake Locker and Matt Barkley four times a game.

Special teams touchdowns are infectious. They increase the pride of the unit, get them thinking about the contribution they can make to the game. Virginia Tech and Frank Beamer have made a living off special teams plays, and having the punt team strike so early in the year with two big returns just increases the expectation for those guys going forward. They’ll enter games thinking, if everybody does their job, we can break another one, which only increases the likelihood that they will. Barner and Harris are two dazzling, explosive returners, and the Ducks will get a lot of game-changing moments in the return game. A big return can be a huge lift when a game is stagnant or not going well. Best example: Barner’s 102-yard dash versus UCLA.

The Ducks have a lot of ways to win, and a lot of players who are showing good signs and pushing their teammates. If you go inside the replay and watch some individual performances, there are many reasons to be encouraged by the growth, potential and improvement of this team. It’s more than the final score. It’s a quality of effort, and a commitment to fundamental football. These guys are well-coached, and they play smart. They’ll be resilient. They won’t beat themselves. Look for more evidence against the Volunteers.