Three Things to Look for as the Ducks Host Nevada in Home Opener

Oregon will look to improve in a number of ways and continue to play well in others as they strive to bounce back against Nevada in their home opener on Saturday.

Oregon will look to rebound from their loss to Auburn this Saturday in their home opener at Autzen Stadium against Nevada. As the heavy favorite to win the game, the Ducks have a great chance to get some things cleaned up and notch their first win of the young season.

There were also things the Ducks did well Week 1 that they’ll try to continue. Fans of the green and yellow should be excited and hopeful to see their team clean some things up and execute more efficiently. Here’s what to look for from Oregon on gameday:

Offensive Excellence

It’s safe to say we can expect the Duck offense to generate far more production this Saturday than they did against Auburn. With only one touchdown in the second half against the Tigers, we can assume that it was a focal point in practice all week to put more points on the board.

Nevada finished last season with the 63rd ranked defense in all FBS, which isn’t terrible, but just not quite as challenging as a defense such as Auburn’s, who finished 14th. The Wolfpack is no cupcake, but expect the Ducks to play sharper on offense, and Justin Herbert to handle business.

The Special Teams Will be Special

I foresee the Ducks picking up right where they left off this Saturday on special teams, specifically in the return game. Javon Holland had quite the coming-out party last week returning punts — he averaged 43-yards per return — so keep an eye out for him to pick up where he left off.

What will certainly be of much interest is to see how Oregon's kicking game fares. The Ducks missed their only attempt last week on a kick from extra-point distance, so the only way to go is up for the kicking unit. 

Capitalizing on Opportunities

Will they be ceased? It’s no secret that Oregon missed out on a lot of opportunities last week. Something Duck fans will anxiously look for this Saturday will be for the Ducks to capitalize on all scoring opportunities and leave nothing to dwell on in the future.

The best teams in college football year-by-year are the ones that pounce on all opportunities to get ahead. They’re precious, and to be cherished; because we all know that once they vanish — they’re impossible to forget.

You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, yet you can always try to appreciate it. Look for the Ducks to have a better appreciation of their opportunities at Autzen this Saturday.