Ducks Digest

Oregon Ducks Defensive Players of the Game vs. Stanford

The Ducks' defense bounced back from last week's matchup by shutting down the Stanford offense.

Josh Parker

In this story:

Oregon vs. Stanford is a matchup that always brings a lot of uncertainty and on Saturday it was the Ducks who came out on top in dominant fashion. It was an overall excellent performance from both sides of the ball even with the abundance of penalties against the Ducks.

The defense came to play from start to finish against the Cardinal allowing only 332 yards and three touchdowns with one turnover. With the offensive struggles in the beginning of the game, it was the defense who came to bail them out of tough situations most of the night.Here are the top three defensive performers against the Stanford Cardinal:

Here are my top three defensive performers against the Stanford Cardinal.

1. Brandon Dorlus - Defensive lineman

Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus (3) reacts after a big play against the Stanford Cardinal.
Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus (3) reacts after a big play against the Stanford Cardinal :: Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest

The interior lineman for the Ducks had already made his name known at Autzen when the Ducks hosted BYU--leading the defense in tackles with seven, an assisted sack and one tackle for loss. This week he finished with five tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss.

VIDEO: Dan Lanning Stanford postgame press conference

This may have been Dorlus’ best game this year, as he seemed to be everywhere the ball was all night. The Ducks had a mix of plays thrown at them from the Cardinal, but it was their run defense that helped shut down Stanford quickly.

Dorlus plays relentlessly with a knack for getting after the ball carrier while ripping through linemen. One thing that this defense has improved is putting pressure on the quarterback, which made McKee’s night in Autzen a difficult one.

2. #1 Noah Sewell - Linebacker

Oregon Ducks linebacker Noah Sewell celebrates a fumble recovery against the Stanford Cardinal at Autzen Stadium.
Oregon Ducks linebacker Noah Sewell celebrates a fumble recovery against the Stanford Cardinal at Autzen Stadium :: Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest

So far this season, Sewell has been quiet, yet reliable for the Ducks compared to around this time in previous years. Entering the game he 16 total tackles and a sack which, a mark good for number five on the Ducks' defense.

In this game he finished with five tackles and a fumble recovery. The third-year linebacker came and played with a lot of grit and determination to get some sweet revenge on the Cardinal.

In the second quarter of the game with four minutes left, Stanford quarterback Tanner McKnee hit his tight end Benjamin Yurosek on a check-down route that was swallowed up by Bennett Williams, who knocked the ball loose right in front of Sewell to pick up and take all the way to the four-yard line. Sewell was asked to rush the passer a lot in the first half with DJ Johnson forced to sit out and he showed flashes of his playmaking ability when he almost scored on the Stanford fumble.

3. #4 Bennett Williams- Defensive back

Oregon Ducks safety Bennett Williams (4) during the Stanford game in Autzen Stadium.
Oregon Ducks safety Bennett Williams (4) during the Stanford game in Autzen Stadium :: Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest

Williams has been one of the most reliable players for the Ducks. His ability to fly to the ball while making huge open-field tackles makes him a key defender and overall player for the Ducks.

The defensive back finished the game with seven tackles, a forced fumble and two pass breakups. One trait that Williams has shown throughout the year is his physicality when making a tackle in space. His ability to play the field and defend against the pass adds to his impressive resume.

Williams has shown his leadership skills as a three-year starter to keep this secondary unit composed but hungry to get the job done. With the team traveling to Arizona next week, an environment that has not been kind to the Ducks for some time, this defense will have to bring the same energy as the previous weeks to keep the momentum going into the bye week.

READ MORE: Oregon offensive players of the game vs. Stanford

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Josh Parker
JOSH PARKER

Josh Parker is a student at the University of North Florida who will be graduating in the winter of 2022 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management. He has spent the last six years building vast sports experience as a Division 1 football player at Stetson University, varsity football coach at Nease and Bishop Kenny High Schools. He primarily covers football and recruiting at Ducks Digest.

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