On the 140th play of the night Tyler Shough went back to pass in a 31-30 game, trying to drive his team within field goal range, kicker Gino Garcia on the sidelines with a big leg. Forty seconds remained in the game. The Ducks lined up on defense with Brandon Dorlus over the center, 2nd and five on the Red Raider 47.
Dorlus fights through two blocks and bursts through to the quarterback. He hits him around the shoulders just as his throws, and the ball falls weakly into the arms of linebacker Jeffrey Bassa.
Bassa steams 45 yards for a touchdown to ice the game at 38-30.
On the turf behind him Dorlus rises to his knees, his massive arms raised in triumph.
What. A. Night. 🦆. #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/zJRRw6DuVJ
— Geaux Ducks (@GeauxDuck) September 11, 2023
.@brandon_dorlus pressures and @Bassa_21 takes it to the house!!#GoDucks pic.twitter.com/astNRlv9Ac
— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) September 10, 2023
What's exceptional about the play is the effort and the fight. It's the 140th play of the night in the Texas heat. Dorlus, though he's battled and pursued, has had just one tackle all evening, but that was a monster, throwing Shough back on 4th and 2 earlier in the fourth quarter.
The composure and brotherhood the Ducks displayed in Lubbock suggests this team has something only great champions demonstrate: the ability to hang together when everything is going wrong, when the odds seem impossibly long and fatigue makes cowards of nearly everyone else.
They have plenty to work on after giving up too many big plays and misfiring in the third quarter on offense, but this team has heart. A 20-3 comeback in the fourth quarter is an experience they can draw on in every difficult moment. It reflects the connection that Dan Lanning is always talking about.
There's one other thing. It's clear that this team has the capacity for growth. The reporters ask Lanning after the game about Bo Nix and his leadership.
Lanning said, “I thought Bo played really well outside of one play tonight where he put the ball in jeopardy. He knows that, he was critiquing himself on that. And that’s what I love about Bo. He’s like, ‘OK, I know I can get better.’ When your best players know they can get better, what an opportunity for us to grow as a team."
"I love Bo and it’s not about what he is a player. It’s what that guy is as a person. We have an unbelievable quarterback right now on our team that is an unbelievable leader, an unbelievable human and he’s a freaking ballplayer. Go pull up that film on Bo Nix and tell me he can’t win games. Watch what he did with his feet tonight, good decision maker. Just really proud of him and glad he’s leading our team.”
Attitude reflects leadership. And this team has loads of it. Dorlus and Bassa are two of the players that lead with relentless effort.
The Oregon defense gave up some yards and points Saturday night but in the fourth quarter with the game within three points the Ducks D had a 4th down stop for a turnover on downs, sacked Shough to force a field goal (this time it was Popo Aumavae busting through) and forced a Pick Six. On the final play of the game Bryan Addison provided the capper with an interception at the goal line, the 6-5 Addison reaching over everyone and pulling down the ball.
The Ducks gave ground, but they created havoc and disruption, four turnovers and four sacks. They're just coming into their talent as a unit. The ability to destroy a quarterback's rhythm and force mistakes is the hallmark of great defenses. They're not a great defense yet, but their pride, talent and desire could get them there.
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