Oregon scored 84 points and crushed Portland State in its last tune-up game before facing USC this coming Saturday. However, Ducks Wire isn't convinced the Oregon defensive line is on schedule this season.
"There were a lot of things I saw on Friday night that were improved for the Ducks, but I don't think the defensive line was one of them," Zachary Neel wrote. "Yet again, Oregon's front four of Matayo Uiagalelei, Teitum Tuioti, Bear Alexander, and A'Mauri Washington struggled to get home on pass rushes and failed to record a sack. Between the four of them, only Alexander had 0.5 tackles for loss. I understand that the Vikings were running a quick passing game and were getting the ball out with pace before a rush could get home, but this was still
a game where I wanted to see the defensive front have more of an impact.
"Maybe upon rewatching the game and breaking down the tape, we see some positives from this group, but my instant reaction to what I saw on Friday night was that I still want to see more. There's a lot of season left, and plenty of time to improve, but thus far, it doesn't feel as if this group is living up to the high expectations we had before the year."
USC's offensive line, coached by Zach Hanson, needs to put the hammer down against Oregon's defensive front. USC is missing Kilian O'Connor, but if Oregon's defensive line continues to underachieve, it might not matter in this crucial position-group matchup.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Despite blowout win, Oregon defensive line still doesn't look right
