Oregon should expect to see vintage Chip Kelly with UCLA’s offensive attack
It’s been quite a while since Chip Kelly’s offense has been rolling like this. The current UCLA Bruins are 6-0 and are going to put their perfect season on the line when they stroll into Autzen Stadium Saturday to take on the Ducks.
The uniforms have changed, the uniform manufacturer has changed and of course, the players inside the uniforms have changed. But what hasn’t changed is Kelly’s offensive schemes and ability to light up the scoreboard.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson is having a banner senior season as he is completing 75 percent of his passes and is averaging 251 yards through the air as well as 15 touchdowns to go with just two interceptions.
“He’s really familiar with their system. He’s completing the ball at a really high rate right now; he’s operating their offense,” Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said. “Obviously, he’s a weapon with his legs. He understands what they’re trying to accomplish. I think it’s a lot of the same things you see right now with our quarterback. Understanding what’s supposed to be accomplished on the field and executes at a high level and he’s certainly doing that.”
Senior tailback Zach Charbonnet is doing his best LaMichael James impersonation, although he is quite bigger than the former Duck great. At 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, Charbonnet is lumbering down the field at 123-yard-per-game clip. He has found the end zone six times.
Lanning said the Ducks need to keep Charbonnet lumbering down the field and avoid those explosion plays. If he’s going to rack up over 100 yards on the ground, Oregon needs to make sure Charbonnet does it in as many carries as possible.
“Ultimately, it’s about preventing explosive plays. You pull up explosive plays given up this year and created this year, what’s unique is both UCLA and us are, I think a plus 31 ratio right when it comes to explosive plays,” Lanning said. “That’s a really big indicator of wins and losses. But look at the top of our conference, I think maybe Washington is the only team that has more explosive plays created than UCLA and Oregon. When you look at those given up and those created that’s a really big factor in this game. I think the team that walks away with giving up less explosive plays and creating more is gonna have a great advantage.”
DTR can also hurt the opposition with his arm and he has a couple of good receivers to choose from. Jake Bobo is a tough matchup for any corner with his size-speed combo that he possesses. At 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, Bobo leads the Bruins with 64 yards a game and five touchdowns.
Kazmeir Allen has seemingly taken over that possession receiver role from Chase Cota, who moved to Eugene to become a Duck. Allen leads UCLA with 28 catches, but he’s averaging just 33 yards a game.
A lot has been made about Oregon’s experienced offensive line, but UCLA’s big uglies up front have done a good job for the Bruins. Raiquon O’Neal, Atonio Mafi, Duke Clemens, Jon Gaines and Garrett DiGiorgio have started all six games this season.
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