80
All eyes are on
Justin Herbert,
the projected No. 1
pick in 2020, but
if Oregon is going
to make a run at
the playoff, the
defense must
make huge strides.
The Ducks ranked
55th in total D
in ’18 and were
most susceptible
to big plays.
Tony Avalos—the
team’s third
coordinator in four
years—will run the
same 3-4 scheme
but plans on using
multiple fronts
to apply pressure
in hopes of limiting
the long strikes.
The key to his
success is senior
inside linebacker
TROY DYE, who has
led the team in
tackles in each
of his first three
seasons. The 6' 4",
226-pound Dye is
a freak athlete who
excels at getting
to the quarterback.
Under Avalos, he’ll
have to help his
teammates do
the same.X-FACTOR
THE BIG STORY The Ducks have
their swagger back. Since
losing to Ohio State in the national
championship game five years
ago, they have averaged less than
eight wins. But with quarterback
JUSTIN HERBERT back for his senior
year, an offensive line among
the best in the country and
the program’s best-ever
recruiting class ready to
contribute, Oregon is the
favorite to win its first Pac-12
title since 2014.CAN’T MISS A lock to be a
top 10 pick after throwing
for 3,151 yards and 29 TDs in
2018, the 6' 6", 237-pound Herbert
came back for a reason: He needs
to improve his accuracy on deep
throws, which was evident in
back-to-back losses to Washington
State and Arizona. Still, with his
big right arm and surprisingly
quick feet, Herbert is the most
polished QB in the country.KE Y QUESTION Will Marcus
Arroyo open up the
playbook? The offensive
coordinator infuriated fans in
Eugene with conservative play-
calling in big games. This year’s
Ducks are loaded at wide receiver,
including graduate transfer Juwan
Johnson from Penn State and true
freshman Mycah Pittman. ThoseKEY MATCHUP
BIGGEST GAME
SI RANKING
AUG. 31
AUBURN (17)
SEPT. 7
NEVADA
SEPT. 14
MONTANA
SEPT. 21
@ STANFORD (25)
OCT. 5
CALIFORNIA
OCT. 11
COLORADO
OCT. 19
@ WASHINGTON (12)
OCT. 26
@ WASHINGTON STATE
NOV. 2
USC
NOV. 16
NOV. 30
@ OREGON STATE
THE RUNDOWN
3
6
9
12
15
9 –
4
4 –
8
7 –
6
9 –
4
9 –
3
WINS
After the ups and downs of
the four-year Mark Helfrich
era, Mario Cristobal will
build on his 9–4 rookie
season with Herbert, and
return Oregon to Pac-12
supremacy it enjoyed from
YEAR 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019* 2009 to ’14.
*SI PROJECTION5 -YEAR TREND
9. 5
A road win in the opener
against a quality Auburn
team will boost Oregon’s national
profile, plus help offset an upset
during conference play. The Ducks
will be favored in every game
except possibly their midseason
matchup at Washington.FRO
M (^) L
EFT
: (^) TH
EA
RO
N (^) W
. (^) HE
ND
ERS
ON
/GE
TTY
(^) IM
AGE
S; (^) O
TT
O (^) G
REU
LE
JR/
GET
TY
IMA
GES