7 major questions for Ducks in Week 5 rivalry game vs. Stanford
If the Oregon Ducks can take care of business in the first half on Saturday, then they might get the added benefit of an extended bye week before the biggest game of their young season.
Dan Lanning and his team will go down to Palo Alto and take on the Stanford Cardinal in what is likely to be the final game in this great rivalry that has formed over the past two decades. While the Ducks and Cardinal have had some incredible matchups over the years, this isn’t expected to be one of them. Currently, Oregon is ranked No. 9 in the nation, while Stanford is considered among the worst teams in all of college football.
Of course, that didn’t stop Stanford from pulling off the upset over No. 3 Oregon in an overtime thriller back in 2021.
You get a sense that things will be different under Lanning and his staff, though, with the knowledge that the team can get an extra bit of rest before Washington prep begins during the Ducks’ bye in Week 6.
With all of that being said, Oregon still needs to take care of business, and it needs to answer a few outstanding questions about the team and personnel.
Here are our biggest questions going into the weekend:
Will New Ducks Make Debut?
(Photo Courtesy of Zachary Neel | USA TODAY)
There’s a chance that we get to see a pair of the high-profile transfer portal players that Oregon picked up over the offseason for the first time this weekend.
Both LB Jestin Jacobs and OL Nishad Strother appear to be close to making their debut for the Ducks, and it could potentially come this weekend. Strother has been practicing for two weeks after dealing with a shoulder injury at the start of the year, and Jacobs was a full participant in practice this last week for the first time since fall camp.
Oregon could choose to get both players a bit of low-stakes action on Saturday and prepare them for the big Week 7 game vs. Washington after the bye week, or they could see the value in resting both players another two weeks and make sure they are closer to full health when Husky Week rolls around.
We will see on Saturday, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a big of run for both debut Ducks.
How Deep is RB Rotation?
The Ducks have as good of a running back room as there is in the Pac-12 Conference, and quite possibly in the nation. With Bucky Irving, Noah Whittington, and Jordan James splitting time, Oregon has been able to run roughshod so far this season.
However, we now have to remove Whittington from the conversation for the time being after he sustained a lower-leg injury vs. Colorado. Does that mean that the Ducks will bring up either of the true freshmen, Jayden Limar or Dante Dowdell, to fill his place? Or will they instead split the role between James and Irving?
“It takes what it takes, right? We’re gonna play as many guys that can play winning football for us and play at a high level,” Lanning said. “I know we can get it done with the guys in that room. We’ll see how people’s role will grow in the next few weeks as we adapt and adjust based on that.”
While Saturday is expected to be a day where the Ducks get a lot of younger players into the game after it is put out of hand, I will be looking closely in the first half to see how deep the rotation is.
Will the Stanford Voodoo Come Into Play?
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Weird things tend to happen when Oregon plays Stanford. This is a rivalry that has been incredibly destructive when it comes to national championship opportunities for Pac-12 teams over the past couple of decades, with countless upsets of top-5 teams taking place.
The last time Oregon went down to Palo Alto, they were ranked No. 3 in the nation, coming off a major win over Ohio State. They ended up losing to Stanford in overtime after some bewildering calls from the officiating crew. It was a day that had bad vibes from the beginning, with OC Joe Moorhead missing the game with a serious medical condition, and safety Bennett Williams suffering a freak-accident broken leg the day before.
All I’m saying is that Oregon fans should be on their toes this weekend. Weird Stanford voodoo comes into play when the Ducks go down to The Farm.
Do Ducks Get Rest?
(Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images)
The Ducks get the potential benefit of an extended bye week, should they take care of business early on vs. the Cardinal. If this game goes as we expect it to, with Oregon blowing out a poor Stanford team, then there’s a great chance that the Ducks can get their starters out of the game early in the third quarter and get a jump on the bye week.
With the No. 7 Washington Huskies waiting on the other end of the bye, that could be a huge deal, offering players a chance to rest up and get as healthy as possible before the top-10 matchup.
You’ve got to take care of business first, though.
What Can Ty Thompson Show?
Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
Credit to Oregon, we’ve been able to see a lot more of Ty Thompson than I expected us to at this point of the season. We owe a thanks to Duck blowouts for that. In Thompson’s time on the field, he has been incredibly impressive thus far. His stats won’t jump off of the page, but his command of the offense, comfortability in the pocket, and ability to get out and run has been encouraging.
Again, should this game go as we expect, there will be a handful of drives earmarked for Thompson in the second half. I will be watching closely, seeing if he can continue to build confidence and create a groundwork for the 2024 season.
Can Oregon's DL Dominate Again?
Photo Courtesy of Ethan Landa
A week ago, it was the Oregon defensive line that shined the most, racking up 7 total sacks against Colorado, a team that had the No. 128 offensive line in the nation when it came to giving up sacks.
This week, the Ducks face a Stanford offensive line that ranks No. 118 in the nation in sacks allowed, giving up 3.25 per game.
Can Oregon’s defensive front have a similar impact in this game? If they do, it will go a long way to proving that they have an elite defensive front that could potentially sway games down the road.
Which Young Guys Have Major Impact?
Photo Courtesy of Ethan Landa
This one goes along with the theme of the week — taking advantage of an expected blowout. If Oregon can clear the benches in the second half and get some young guys in the game, I want to see which true freshmen or redshirt freshmen impress the most.
We’ve seen guys like Matayo Uiagalelei, Blake Purchase, Teitum Tuioti, and Cole Martin look really good so far this year. Will we see that trend continue with players like Devon Jackson, Jerry Mixon, and Rodrick Pleasant? What about Kyler Kasper and Jurrion Dickey, can they have an impact?
If the answer is yes, then the confidence in Oregon’s future will continue to grow exponentially.
