Geoff Schwartz reveals how to get the Oregon offense back on track

Geoff Schwartz knows ball.

The former Duck right tackle played eight years in the NFL. He's the all-time PAC-10 leader in rushing yards by an offensive lineman. He studies football full-time as an analyst for Sirius XM radio and Fox Sports.

In the "Ducks Rising" film room he proposes a three-headed solution for an Oregon offense that floundered in the 30-20 loss to Indiana:

1. Run the gol' dang ball.

2. Focus on two running backs.

3. Set up the play-action pass.

At Oregon Schwartz blocked for Jonathan Stewart and Dennis Dixon, so he knows the running game as well as anyone. In a game against Washington in 2007 in Seattle they pounded the Dawgs for 465 yards and six rushing touchdowns, one of the most dominant performances in program history.

Dictating the game to an opponent on the ground sets up the entire offense. It changes the box count and sucks the defense in, setting up the most explosive weapon in the game, the play-action pass.

With his accurate arm and beautiful touch on the deep ball, Dante Moore was born to throw the play-action pass for big plays.

Make the opponents respect the run:

Davison is 6-0, 235 with a good burst. Run it until they stop it. Create favorable down and distances. Then go over the top for explosive yards to the Ducks' fast wide receivers, Dakorien Moore and Malik Benson.

An effective running game slows the pass rush and discourages the blitz like nothing else. It allows a team to hit the opponent quick and wears them down physically. It extends possessions and gives the Ducks defense time to rest and reset.

Deception and variety are important, but there's a degree to which Oregon has gotten what poker players call Fancy-Play Syndrome. Sometimes it's better to hit them in the mouth, use your best weapons and run straight ahead, capitalizing on your advantages in strength and size.

When Jordon Davison is getting seven yards a crack, keep giving him the ball. Play-action pass plays take the complicated reads out of it, allow Dante Moore to trust his big arm and let it rip, striking quickly.

Another move Oregon should consider is moving Alex Harkey to right guard and installing Gernorris Wilson at right tackle. Harkey's a bullying run blocker who sometimes gets lost against a quick pass rusher. That'd give them a potent inside running combo of Harkey, center Iapani Laloulu and Emmanuel Pregnon.

It's something to watch for as they prepare for Rutgers on Saturday. The Scarlet Kings rank 17th in the conference in rushing defense, giving up 4.87 yards a carry and 12 TDs.

Will Stein has a prime chance to make the game simpler for his young quarterback, while establishing a deadly effective identity for his offense. The staff recruited all those four- and five-star players. It's time to put them to work.

The Ducks have to get back on the attack on offense. Indiana had them on their heels.