What a wild ride the Oregon Ducks endured on Saturday night against the USC Trojans in Los Angeles.
In a defensive battle to begin the game, Dante Moore was knocked out of the game on a dirty hit that resulted in the Ducks' star signal-caller being taken off the field in an ambulance. In came backup Dylan Raiola, who threw a touchdown on his first pass of the game. Once the second half was kicked off, the onslaught of scoring began — on both sides.
Raiola, with the help of Oregon's star-studded backfield, led the Ducks up and down the field while USC quarterback Jayden Maiava did the same with the Trojans. The teams went back and forth before a crucial fourth-down stop by the Ducks in the fourth quarter and an ensuing touchdown effectively ended
the game, putting USC down once and for all.
It was a complete team effort for the Ducks, with a number of different players having career days. Without the widespread contributions, Oregon may not have won the most pivotal early-season game for the program in recent memory.
Let's dive into this week's report card, starting with the duo of Moore and Raiola at the quarterback spot.
Quarterbacks
Grade: A
Early on, Moore appeared to be back to his usual self, completing 8-of-10 passes for 77 yards and marching the Ducks down the field before leaving with injury. Raiola picked up right where Moore left off, throwing a touchdown on his first pass and finishing the night with 19 completions on 25 attempts for 289 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Nebraska transfer looked as cool as can be even when pressured, completing multiple passes off his back foot. Raiola was also excellent on third down, showing off his clutch gene and saving the Ducks' season in his first real relief performance of his career.
Running Backs
Grade: B+
On the stat sheet, Oregon's rushing attack wasn't as effective as they may have hoped, amassing 138 yards on 33 carries for a subpar 4.2 yards per carry. And there were certainly times when it seemed like the run game was on the verge of being abandoned, but Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. just kept on knocking, offering up body blows to the Trojans defense that showed up in the red zone with Hill running in two scores. He also had the best day of his career as a receiver, catching four passes for 105 yards including a crucial 62-yard reception at the beginning of the third quarter to get the Ducks' offense going in the second half.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Grade: A
There weren't many opportunities to fault Oregon's receiving core, as they made tough, clutch catches all night long. Tight end Jamari Johnson led the way with seven receptions for 119 yards, quickly becoming Raiola's favorite target. Evan Stewart was key in catching seven passes and a touchdown, as was Messiah Hampton with five grabs for 40 yards. But it was Dakorien Moore's leaping go-ahead touchdown grab in the fourth quarter on an under-thrown pass that was the biggest of them all, putting the cherry on top for this group to earn an "A" grade.
Offensive Line
Grade: B
Sufficient feels right for this group, which struggled to open up holes in the run game for much of the night — especially at times in the second half, when the pass game had to power the Ducks down the field — but the pass protection led the way. Sure, both Moore and Raiola had some moments of escaping would-be sacks and getting the ball out, but there were plenty of times in which Raiola had plenty of time to survey the field and deliver the ball to open receivers.
Defensive Line
Grade: B+
Though USC running back King Miller got going a bit in the second half, finishing with 13 carries for 74 yards, the defensive line ultimately did their job in surrendering just 3.6 yards per carry throughout the entirety of the night. Just like the Ducks, the Trojans had moments of success and moments of struggles on the ground, but Oregon's front four ultimately came out on top. Add in sacks from Matayo Uiagalelei and Bear Alexander, and this group earns a "B+".
Linebackers
Grade: B
The Devon Jackson breakout continued, as he totaled a game-high 11 tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass deflection. He was all over the field, taking down both of USC's running backs and patrolling the middle of the field in the pass game with his elite speed. Dylan Williams and Jerry Mixon each add three tackles apiece as well. Jackson coming into his own is a very welcome sign for the Ducks; they just need to get either Williams or Mixon to separate from the other and join him.
Secondary
Grade: B
Expectations had to be tempered considering Maiava is one of the more elite passers in college football, but there were simply too many open guys across the middle of the field that led to Maiava throwing for over 300 yards. But on the outside, the Ducks' cornerbacks seemed to win more often than not, batting the ball down in tight coverage. Continuing the positives, safety Koi Perich had his best game as a Duck, totaling seven tackles and securing a game-ending interception in the end zone.
Special Teams
Grade: B
There were no major gaffes from this group, which included a pair of field goals that kicker Gage Hurych knocked in plus punter Bailey Ettridge showing off his leg again in averaging 47 yards on two punts. There weren't any splashy special teams plays, leading to a "B" grade.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Week 4 Report Card: Ducks surge to beat Trojans, receive high grades
