5 Things Oregon Football Needs To Improve In 2015 Season

By Alex Drude

5 Things Oregon Football Needs To Improve In 2015 Season

Oregon Ducks head coach Mark Helfrich on the field during warm-ups prior to the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2015 CFP National Championship at AT&T Stadium. — With the departure of Marcus Mariota to the NFL, head coach Mark Helfrich and the Ducks are about as close to rebuilding mode as Oregon gets nowadays. Here are five things the Ducks need to improve in 2015.

5. The Offensive Line

Oregon Ducks offensive lineman Tyrell Crosby (73) and offensive lineman Cameron Hunt (78) and offensive lineman Hroniss Grasu (55) line up against the Washington Huskies at Autzen Stadium.

5. The Offensive Line

Oregon Ducks offensive lineman Tyrell Crosby (73) and offensive lineman Cameron Hunt (78) and offensive lineman Hroniss Grasu (55) line up against the Washington Huskies at Autzen Stadium. — A quarterback is only as good as his O-Line allows him to be, and Mariota’s was fantastic, anchored by center Hroniss Grasu, Jake Fisher and Hamani Stevens. All seniors that need to be replaced.

4. Defensive Backs

Oregon Ducks defensive back Erick Dargan (4) intercepts the ball and runs in the first quarter while Oregon Ducks defensive back Dior Mathis (3) and linebacker Rodney Hardrick (48) block against the Michigan State Spartans at Autzen Stadium.

4. Defensive Backs

Oregon Ducks defensive back Erick Dargan (4) intercepts the ball and runs in the first quarter while Oregon Ducks defensive back Dior Mathis (3) and linebacker Rodney Hardrick (48) block against the Michigan State Spartans at Autzen Stadium. — Senior Ifo Ekpre-Olomu had a season -- and college -- career-ending injury in November. But the Ducks still had seniors Erick Dargan (after interception, with ball), Dior Mathis (right of Dargan) and Troy Hill in the backfield. Those are four really big holes for defensive coordinator Don Pellum to fill.

3. Offensive Play-Calling Adjustments

Oregon Ducks running back Royce Freeman (21) is tackled by Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Raekwon McMillan (2) and linebacker Darron Lee (43) during the second quarter in the 2015 CFP National Championship Game at AT&T Stadium.

3. Offensive Play-Calling Adjustments

Oregon Ducks running back Royce Freeman (21) is tackled by Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Raekwon McMillan (2) and linebacker Darron Lee (43) during the second quarter in the 2015 CFP National Championship Game at AT&T Stadium. — It’s one thing to grind a team into dust with speed. It’s another when that team can’t be ground into dust, like Ohio State in the CFB Championship and Stanford in recent years. Yet, it often seems the Oregon ground game in particular doesn’t change when it appears rather obvious that inside running doesn’t work.

2. Wide Receivers

Oregon Ducks wide receiver Darren Carrington (87) runs with the ball during the first half of the 2015 Rose Bowl college football game against the Florida State Seminoles at Rose Bowl.

2. Wide Receivers

Oregon Ducks wide receiver Darren Carrington (87) runs with the ball during the first half of the 2015 Rose Bowl college football game against the Florida State Seminoles at Rose Bowl. — Oregon puts a premium on blocking receivers over elite receivers who don’t block. I’m not saying Oregon needs to get away from that philosophy entirely, but a game-breaking receiver would stretch Oregon’s offense even further down the field than it already goes. It might make the difference in the CFB Playoff. If Darren Carrington was the answer, he sure took himself out of the equation.

1. Backup Quarterbacks

Oregon Ducks quarterback Taylor Alie (12) and quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) and quarterback Jeff Lockie (17) before the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium.

1. Backup Quarterbacks

Oregon Ducks quarterback Taylor Alie (12) and quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) and quarterback Jeff Lockie (17) before the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. — What if the Ohio State Saga played out in Eugene instead? If Mariota had gone down before the season like Braxton Miller, I doubt that Jeff Lockie (No. 17) would have played like J.T. Barrett. And if Lockie had gone down, Taylor Alie (No. 12) is a walk-on. Cardale Jones was nobody’s idea of a walk-on. QBs at Oregon tend to get hurt. A stack of premium backups have already proven to make all the difference, and the Ducks saw that first-hand.

Alex Drude is a Pac-12 writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Alex_Drude. “Like” him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google+.

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