The Oregon Ducks came into Saturday as massive favorites over Boise State, but the team always has to show up regardless of the opponent. What should've been a great day for the Ducks has turned into a battle as Boise State will head into the locker room leading Oregon 17-14 in the most shocking score of the day thus far.
The good news for Dan Lanning and the Ducks is that Oregon started to put it together to end the first half with a great stop before the half, setting Dante Moore up to find Jamari Johnson to cut the deficit to 3. The Ducks will get the ball at halftime, which should give Oregon a chance to build on the momentum.
While Boise State has played a solid game, Oregon has shot itself in the foot plenty with awful penalties and poor play. It's still very early into the season, and there's plenty of game left to be played, but there's instantly 3 things you can take away from the early struggles.
The 3 instant reactions you can have after Oregon's sluggish start
Evan Stewart shouldn't be the punt returner
It's still early, and Evan Stewart is such a valuable piece for the Ducks, but there should be a change at punt returner. Evan Stewart called for a fair catch on the 3-yard line in the 1st quarter, leading to the Ducks failing to score on a drive where they picked up 54 yards. Stewart then muffed a punt with a Bronco bearing down on him, and it instantly led to a Boise touchdown.
Stewart is coming off a serious injury, and the Ducks should have him focus on getting back to being himself at receiver.
Carl Williams IV should be a reserve moving forward
Despite a strong offseason from freshman Davon Benjamin, Baylor transfer Carl Williams IV started for the Ducks in the STAR role. That instantly proved to be a mistake on the first drive of the game, with Boise State beating Williams to move the chains on a 3rd and long before beating him for a touchdown on a slot fade. Following the first drive, Williams has played less, and the unit has been far better in coverage, which should make it clear there are better options for the role.
The play calling on 4th downs has been awful
Part of the reason that the Ducks have struggled on offense has been the play calling on 4th downs. The Ducks have gone for a 4th and 1 as well as a 4th and 2, and both play calls were absurd, with a pair of passes behind the line of scrimmage, allowing Boise State to rally and make a tackle. The Ducks should be able to run the ball effectively, with the talent advantage in the trenches making it crazy they haven't tried to power forward for short gains.
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