Ducks attack puts a strain on defenses

PULLMAN – Another week, another high-powered opponent. Such is the trial called the Pac-10 football schedule. And right now the Washington State Cougars are on the witness stand.

After playing well against Arizona State’s vertically oriented stretch offense – holding the Sun Devils to two offensive touchdowns – the Cougars will be eyewitnesses to Oregon’s spread, which attacks horizontally across the line of scrimmage, stretching a defense until it breaks.

So throw out last week’s successful game plan – built around a blitz scheme that confused and shredded ASU’s offensive line – and come up with something new.

“With the things they run, you really have to be assignment-perfect,” WSU coach Bill Doba said Monday at his weekly press conference. “A blitz might get you a minus-2 or -3 yards one play, and give them 67 yards the next play.”

The Ducks have broken off long runs – and passes – against just about everyone this season, to which their statistics bear witness.

Oregon has the No. 1 scoring offense, rushing attack and total offense in the Pac-10. And in most cases it isn’t even close.

The Ducks average 528.8 yards a game, almost 50 more than second-place USC. They average 276.6 on the ground, 66 more than the Trojans. And they have scored 43.6 points a game, four more than Cal.

Of course, Oregon brought a potent offense led by Dennis Dixon and Jonathan Stewart into Pullman last year as well and scored only three points in the first three quarters. But this isn’t 2006.

“They were different last year than they are so far this year anyway,” Doba said. “They’ve changed their offense a little bit, at least the emphasis of their offense.”

How so?

“(They do) more Statue of Liberty, reverse, throwing the ball more with Dixon, running different routes,” Doba explained. “They seem to pick out five routes and run them over and over again. The next game they’ll run maybe one of those five and run four new ones.”

In Dixon, the Pac-10’s highest-rated passer, and Stewart, the conference’s leading rusher, the Ducks have enough weapons they don’t have to get cute. But they like to anyway.

“They like their trickery stuff,” Doba said. “They’ve always had something. I look for fake field goals, those have worked against us, they’ve run reverses and reverse passes, (Oregon coach Mike) Bellotti likes to dig into that hat and pull out a trick or two.”

Notes

The Cougars injury list is getting longer. Though Doba hopes to have safety Alfonso Jackson (concussion) back, it doesn’t look like linebacker Kendrick Dunn (hamstring strain) will be available. Also doubtful for Saturday are wide receivers Charles Dillon (shoulder) and Brandon Gibson (heel), both of whom were hurt against Arizona State.

The Stanford upset proved a point Doba has made before and he reiterated Monday. “Anything can happen in most of the BCS conferences. … Injuries play a big part of it, emotions play a big part of it, that’s what’s great about college football.” … When asked last week the toughest place to play he’s ever experienced, Doba didin’t hesitate. “Oregon is the worst, by far. … It changes a game plan; you can’t use audibles, you’ve got to signal. I think when we were there the last time we had a couple delay of games.” … The Cougars are fourth in the Pac-10 in kickoff returns, averaging 22.6 yards an attempt. They were last in 2006. Oregon is No. 1 in the conference.