The Nick Alliotti Debate

(photo at left: Oregon's defense gets criticism for being too soft, but don't tell that to Arizona State's Cameron Marshall, who took a big hit from Kenny Rowe in the Arizona State game. Associated Press photo by Paul Connors.)

Things are different in Oregon. We let people merge and give courtesy waves. We don't mind the rain and exult in a precious days of great fall weather. And in our watering holes and fan blogs, we rarely criticize the team or the coaching staff.

Except Nick Alliotti. There is a hard-core cadre of Oregon fans who save all their ire and contempt for Oregon's defensive coach. Every opponent drive past the 50 and every point above 20 is seized upon as new ammunition in the "fire Allow-alotti" debate, a debate that rages and resurges every time the Oregon defense allows more than a couple of touchdowns.

At times the chorus of Alliotti critics grows vehement. The Ducks didn't have an answer for Terrelle Pryor in the Rose Bowl, and he had a career day in Oregon's 28-17 loss. Toby Gerhart and the Stanford Cardinal shredded Alliotti's scheme for 51 points and 505 yards last season, and this year without his unstoppable running back Andrew Luck and the Cardinal struck back for 518 yards and 31 points. In their three conference games this season the defense has given up 85 points, 597 yards to Arizona State.

But the yards and points don't tell the whole story. In the ASU game, for example, Tenacious D produced two touchdowns of their own, and beat back the Sun Devils on fourth down inside the ten. They give, but they take away also, 22 turnovers this season, three turned around the other way for touchdowns, and another to the three yard line after a 51-yard fumble return by Eddie Pleasant.

In truth, Oregon's gambling, aggressive, big-play defense is the perfect complement to the Oregon offense, and far more effective than the raw numbers suggest. They make plays and create turnovers. In the last three and a half years Oregon is 35-10, regularly in the top 25, and now a fixture in the top ten. The UO coaches are doing something right, and that includes the defense.

Through six games, the Duck defense has 16 sacks and 45 tackles for loss. They're opportunistic and they fly to the ball. They are second in the country in 4th down efficiency, holding opponents to 3 conversions in 14 tries, and several of those stops came in scoring territory. Oregon's 11 fourth down stops are the most in the country, and each one is like an extra turnover, a huge momentum boost for a team with a target on its back in a dream season.

One of the most frequent and unjustified criticisms of the defense is that they play too soft, particularly on third downs. Yet in the first half of the season Oregon ranks 15th in the country on third down defense, allowing 29 conversions in 96 attempts. 30.2%. They've turned away more third down plays than any team in the country.

In all Alliotti's unit is 20th in scoring defense at 16.33 points per game, and 45th overall in total defense, allowing 338.5 yards per game. They're particularly tough against the run, holding opponent to 3.5 yards a rush, and the pass defense has allowed 6 tds while snaring 12 interceptions. Perhaps the most telling number is yards-per-play. Oregon excels in this category, 4.55 yards. That's especially significant because the fast-paced, high-scoring offense puts the Ducks D on the field more than almost any team in the FBS. Alliotti has developed a deep rotation that allows his squad to play hard and hustle, and that's paid huge dividends as the Webfoots have outscored opponents 128-13 in the second half.

The second half. The true measure of Nick Alliotti's defense will be the second half of the season. If they improve, grow, and assert themselves in games 7-12, show the will and character and pride they've shown glimpses of in the first half, they have the potential to be a truly great defense, and vindicate their often-criticized coach. Let's see how they respond to the challenge, if they have an emphatic answer to Johnathan Franklin, Matt Barkley, Jake Locker, Shane Vereen, Nick Foles, and Ryan Katz. Great defenses assert their will. Great defenses deny their opponents in what they want to do, and make plays that win championships. So far the Ducks have displayed talent, heart and effort. In the second half of the 2010 season, we'll find out if Nick Alliotti is a great defensive coach, or merely a good one.