Cougars get prepared for speedy Ducks

PULLMAN – As the insurance company notes, life comes at you fast. Especially when Pac-12 play begins. Particularly when Oregon is the first team on the docket.

The Ducks are renowned for their tempo, and even though Olympic hurdler Devon Allen is out for the season with an injury, the UO has plenty of fleet-footed replacements to bring into Saturday’s matchup at Washington State.

The way the Cougars figure it, every team will be fast from here on out. Might as well get the fastest out of the way first.

“Pac-12 is a great conference, it’s time to strap it on now,” Colton Teglovic said. “We’re about to go into Pac-12 and it’s physical, competitive, everybody’s good. There are no re-dos, that’s what we’ve been talking about in practice.”

Because Oregon scores so quickly – UO ranks No. 6 nationally with 7.1 yards per play – the Ducks only average 76 plays per game, which ranks 54th among FBS teams.

Pac-12 teams other than Oregon will turn the defense into a track team, though, so it is good to be prepared. California leads the country with 91.8 offensive snaps per game, and Arizona State is No. 11 at 84.7.

The Cougars are no slouches themselves, ranking No. 8 by averaging 86.5 offensive plays per game.