Oregon defense takes pride in its physicality
DALLAS — While Oregon's offense draws accolades, the Ducks' defense plays with a chip on its shoulder.
The roots of the Ducks' discontent stems from a simple theory, one that sprouted during the early stages of program's current rise and has clung to life despite countless pieces of evidence to the contrary: That a tough and physical defense is incompatible with Oregon's frenetic, fast-paced and up-tempo offense.
"They're always doubting us," linebacker Christian French said. "Our ability to be out there, to have the strength to be physical. We made an effort this season to overcome that."
Time-honored theories, even those based on perception rather than reality, die hard — if they die at all.
But the perception is just that, defensive line coach Ron Aiken said: perception. And it can even play in the Ducks' favor, should opponents fall victim to a line of thought that suggests Oregon can be shoved along the line of scrimmage.
"I think our guys would say, look at the tape," Aiken said. "We played Michigan State. We played Stanford. And we're the same ball club now that we were then. So perception for us can be a plus. The other team can come in thinking that, and all of a sudden it happens on the ball field."
The latest contradiction came in a Rose Bowl win against Florida State, when it was the Ducks' defense, not the offense, that keyed a third-quarter surge past the defending national champions. Defensively, this was Oregon at its best: tough, physical, aggressive and opportunistic.
"I definitely think in the Rose Bowl we showed that just as good as our offense is, the defense is darn near just as good," French said. "They caught us in the act of being ourselves."
In some part, the Rose Bowl victory has helped to put holes in the logic that Oregon's defense can't run with the nation's best. It still wasn't a perfect performance: Florida State gained 528 yards of total offense, the most Oregon had allowed in a single game since defeating California on Oct. 24.
Yet the Seminoles scored just 20 points, thanks primarily to Oregon's ability to fluster Florida State's normally fluster-proof offense. It's part of the mentality instilled by first-year defensive coordinator Don Pellum, who has valued a physical approach above snap-by-snap results.
Since Pellum's ascension to coordinator before the season, in fact, Oregon's defensive coaching staff has made a point not to pay attention to the box score; the only number Pellum cares about is missed tackles — helping to explain a defensive mindset that cares only about the bottom line.
"Total yards is not the main focus," Pellum said. "Is it important? Yes. But it's not the end-all. The end-all against these offenses are points. We've got to keep these guys off the board."
Now, as the Ducks prepare for Ohio State, the defense oozes physicality.
"I am pretty surprised by how everybody only now think we're kind of physical," defensive end DeForest Buckner said. "I am a little surprised but at the same time not, because people always doubted us. I think throughout the whole year we've been proving people wrong.
"People think, just looking at us, 'Oh, they're soft. We're just going to run through them and everything.' But after that first play, they're like, 'Wow.' "
It's seen even in the team's defensive scheme. Ohio State, for example, uses four defensive linemen in its base formation; that asks the Buckeyes' defensive front to attack the football. Oregon's defense, on the other hand, demands that three defensive linemen occupy multiple blockers along the line of scrimmage, freeing up linebackers and defensive backs.
"We ask our guys to line head-up on somebody, smash it and play both gaps," outside linebackers coach Erik Chinander said. "You tell me what's more physical."
After the Rose Bowl, defenders spoke of finding a perfect formula — one that teamed the Ducks' prolific offense with an attacking and aggressive defense. The team's true formula for defensive success might be simpler: Oregon, long pushed forward by a sense of disrespect, has found its physicality.
"A lot of people, they thought we were soft, slow, we weren't going to be able to match up against certain teams," defensive back Dior Mathis said. "They're saying the same thing about us for this game. So we've just get to go out and play hard and just do what we do."