Five Questions Ahead of No. 13 Oregon Ducks vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders

The Ducks weren't tested last week against Portland State and will face a tougher task in Lubbock.

It's gameday for Dan Lanning and the No. 13 Oregon Ducks in the Lone Star State. They certainly aren't reading their press clippings after dismantling the Portland State Vikings 81-7 at home a week ago.

The Ducks are locked in ahead of the biggest game on their non-conference schedule, but I still have five questions heading into this Saturday showdown with the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

1. How does quarterback Tyler Shough fare against his former team?

We all know the Ducks will face their former quarterback on Saturday when these two teams square off. He had some good games at Oregon and even led Ducks to a Pac-12 title in 2020, but lately he's looked like a completely different player in Lubbock. He operates the offense well, has nice touch on his passes and throws with anticipation. 

It shouldn't be easy for him against Dan Lanning and Tosh Lupoi's defense, who will throw plenty of challenges at him. Will he be able to move the ball efficiently and effectively? Or will the Ducks rattle him and make it a long day for him and the Red Raider offense?

The answer to that question will start at the line of scrimmage.

2. Can Oregon's defensive front generate consistent pressure?

We didn't get to see much from Oregon's defense last week in the 81-7 win against Portland State. The Vikings threw a lot of quick, short passes, which meant the players in the front seven didn't have much time to get after the quarterback and the Ducks finished the game without a sack.

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If I'm Dan Lanning, I want to unleash Jordan Burch as often as possible and hope players like him and Brandon Dorlus can get a lot of hits on Shough early, making it tough for him to settle in. The pass rush was one of the biggest weaknesses on this team a year ago and fans are hoping that won't be the case this season. With a loaded defensive line, there's certainly no shortage of talent.

3. How does RB Noah Whittington look after bulking up?

Whittington only appeared for one play in the week 1 win over Portland State, taking a hit on the opening kickoff and then remaining on the sideline.

He was reportedly at practice all week and the expectation is that he'll be a full go on Saturday against Texas Tech. I expect Will Stein to try and establish the run early in this one, and Whittington will work in tandem with Bucky Irving like we saw last year.

He's the fastest running back on the team and bulked up to 208 pounds this off-season. I'm interested to see if he's moving any differently than last year and how Stein wants to use his talents in this game. Irving is the more creative runner of the two, but the gap between them isn't all that big. 

That said, they're both special talents and should have big days.

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4. How much of an impact will losing Jacob Rodriguez have on the Texas Tech defense?

Tim DeRuyter and the Red Raiders will be without their top linebacker for 4-6 weeks after losing him to an injury against Wyoming. 

They only gave up 320 yards of total offense to the Cowboys, but the Oregon offense presents a far tougher challenge. With no Rodriguez, you would think Texas Tech should be more vulnerable in the middle of the field and at the second level. 

Maybe that opens things up for veteran tight end Terrance Ferguson after the tight ends were used sparingly last week--registering just five combined catches. Either way, you never want to lose one of your best players before a big game.

5. Can Oregon's secondary answer the call against the air raid?

This group wasn't tested against the Vikings, so we really don't know what they look like. The Red Raiders love to throw the ball and they have a talented wide receiver corps, headlined by sophomore Jerand Bradley and senior Myles Price--who both scored touchdowns to start the season. 

Demetrice Martin and the Ducks are looking for a new alpha at cornerback after Christian Gonzalez was selected in the first round. Is it Khyree Jackson? Or maybe veteran Dontae Manning? How about sophomore Jahlil Florence? Your guess is as god as mine.

The secondary had its struggles last year and is looking to establish themselves with a strong start to 2023. We didn't see Evan Williams last week, but he should help bolster the safeties in this one along with Tysheem Johnson, who came over from Ole Miss and was flying all over the field against Portland State.