Ask Texas Tech fans about the Orange Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal against Oregon on January 1st, and they're apt to say the Texas Tech defense is most like Indiana, the team that shut down the Ducks in October.
They're largely right, although the Red Raiders don't rely as much on the blitz. TTU's defensive front of David Bailey, Romelo Height, A.J. Holmes and Lee Hunter generates so much pressure that linebackers Ben Roberts and Jake Rodriguez typically drop into coverage, where they've combined to intercept seven passes and break up 12.
Pressure and havoc are two more of the keys to this close matchup between No. 5 Oregon and No. 4 Texas Tech, the closest of the quarterfinal playoff games with the Ducks a 2.5-point favorite.
In a battle of strength versus strength, pressure and havoc are the levers
After racking up 39 sacks in their 12-1 season, Tech stands No. 12 in the country in pressure rate at 39%, while Oregon has the best pass blocking grade in the FBS according to PFF. Max Chadwick of the PFF College Football Podcast points out that in November, Dante Moore sped up his processing efficiency to average 2.03 seconds to throw, while still being a devastating deep passer.
Think of the scoring shots Moore hit against Minnesota, USC, Washington and James Madison while reading the defense quickly and making big plays.
On the other side, TTU quarterback Behren Morton is a magician in a clean pocket, with 20 big-time throws and an 88.7 passing grade, which ranks 26th in the nation. Under pressure, his PFF grade drops to 43.9.
Teitum Tuioti, Matayo Uiagalelei, Bear Alexander and A'Mauri Washington have to produce their most effective pass rush of the season, creating some pressure and havoc against a potent Red Raider offense. Their o-line is very good, however, allowing a pressure rate of 24.4 percent.
The Ducks need their defensive front to find another gear for this playoff game. They need pressure to slow this offense, limit big plays and force a couple of mistakes, though Morton rarely makes them.
He's not particularly mobile or effective creating out of the pocket, though he's been sacked just 17 times.
The Red Raiders thrive on turnovers. This season they've had 41 short-field scoring drives, the most in college football. Indiana is second with 40. Oregon has to take care of the football and not allow big plays in the return game.
"I can't wait for this game. It's gonna be a war in the trenches," Chadwick said. "This is an outstanding football game between two teams that are elite on both sides of the ball."