The Oregon Ducks got back in the win column with a 34-26 victory over Northwestern, but was the offensive improvement a sign of things to come or just another example of the team's inconsistent play this season?
On this edition of the Autzen Audibles Podcast, Matt Prehm and Erik Skopil take a closer look at Oregon's offensive performance against Northwestern, the emergence of new offensive play-caller Jay Johnson, and what it all means heading into a massive road matchup against Ohio State.
The conversation begins with Oregon's up-and-down offense and what finally clicked against Northwestern after several weeks of frustrating performances. Matt and Erik examine quarterback Dylan Raiola's inconsistent season, what has contributed to his struggles, and what needs to happen for him to become a more reliable quarterback moving forward.
The discussion also turns to the changes Oregon made offensively with Johnson calling plays and whether those adjustments can translate into sustained success against tougher competition.
Looking ahead to Ohio State, Matt and Erik debate how Oregon should approach defending Buckeyes star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and whether the Ducks should have more confidence in their offense or defense entering Saturday's showdown.
With Oregon entering the matchup as a significant underdog, the Ducks have plenty to prove. Can the improvements against Northwestern carry over to Columbus?
Podcast Rundown:
(0:00) - Intro
(3:20) - What do we make of Oregon's bipolar offense, and what settled in against Northwestern?
(14:39) - Dylan Raiola has been inconsistent all season. What will it take for him to play consistently week to week, and what's behind his struggles?
(27:43) - What changes did we see in Oregon's offense with Jay Johnson calling plays?
(34:28) - How would we defend Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith?
(39:34) - More confidence in Oregon's offense or defense vs. Ohio State?