Dante and Ted's excellent adventure: Podcast host dials in to Oregon's success

Be excellent to each other. The secret to Oregon's success as an offense is their ability to go back in time and employ one of football's most proven strategies: the play-action pass.

"That Show Out West" host Ted Leroux broke it down in a recent social media post. Quarterback Dante Moore has been superb operating the Oregon offense, but he hits his biggest plays and achieves his highest rate of accuracy when the Ducks use play-action.

It makes sense. The Ducks have established one of the country's most potent running games, much of it utilizing "heavy" sets, two backs or multiple tight ends. Noah Whittington, Dierre Hill and Jordon Davison rank No. 4, No. 7 and No. 19 in the country in yards per carry.

How the play-action pass stresses a defense

Play-action freezes the linebackers and safeties for a precious step. It slows down a pass rush and improves offensive efficiency. It creates hesitation and discourages blitzing. When a team runs for 233.6 yards a game and a No. 2 in the nation 6.33 yards a carry, the threat of another run is always real.

After the loss to Indiana, the Oregon offense needed a stronger and more focused identity. They found it in a reliance on the running game and its twin terror, the play-action pass.

The numbers prove Dante Moore is more effective when the Ducks exploit their defense-killing vise. In Kenyon Sadiq, Jamari Johnson, Malik Benson and Jeremiah McClellan they have athletes that can strike for chunk plays on seam routes and back shoulder throws, which Moore delivers with accuracy and increasing confidence.

Oregon's dangerous running game forces more defenders into the box and forces them to be more run conscious. By showing the fake to Davison, it makes it harder for the safety to reach the sideline and get to this beautifully executed hole shot.