Oregon football has a much-needed bye this week following Saturday’s convincing Pac-12 road win over Stanford. With a 3-1 record and a No. 13 national ranking, the Ducks have several key players returning from injury for their next game, which happens to be at home against a surprisingly good Cal team.
With a little extra time on our hands, this week we scoured the season numbers, from obvious to obscure, to bring you a bye week edition of By the Numbers.
Doc Throck got blocks
Four games into the season, it is easy to make a case that the Ducks have the best pair of offensive tackles in the country. Sophomore left tackle Penei Sewell has been honored by Pro Football Focus on their National Team of the Week for the past two games.
On the other side is senior Calvin Throckmorton, a consensus second team All-American last season as a junior, who is playing even better this year.
Throckmorton has been solid in the run game, but his pass blocking has been unsurpassable.
Throckmorton: 100% pass blocking efficiency. 116 pass blocking snaps: 0 sacks, 0 hits, 0 hurries. One of three offensive tackles in the nation with a perfect rating after four games.
For his part, Sewell has a paltry 99.0% efficiency rating, 2 total pressures in 143 snaps. The No. 12 OT in the nation in that category. Overall, Sewell is the top graded offensive lineman in the country after four games.
DB standouts
The play of the backfield is one of the big reasons for the overall success of the defense this season. They are one of the top graded pass defenses in the nation, although their biggest air tests are yet to come. Some improvements have been undeniable.
Sophomore Jevon Holland has been very good in pass coverage, but the biggest improvement in his game is run support. When the opponent has run the ball this season, he has made the tackle 6.6% of the time, No. 4 in the nation among all flex safeties.
On one side, junior Thomas Graham has been very good in pass coverage, giving up nine receptions in four games.
Opposite him, Deommodore Lenoir has been excellent in coverage. In the 129 passing plays he has been involved in this season, opponents have completed five receptions. That cover snaps/reception rate of 25.8 is good for is No. 9 in the nation among defensive backs.
Top 5 QB ratings
Oregon’s offense has been good, at times great so far this year. When they have executed they have poured points onto the scoreboard, but when they haven’t, they have gone for stretches with nothing.
While like all fans Oregon fans can be critical of play calling, the play of Justin Herbert has not been a question mark. Through four games he is 96-129 for 1127 yards, 14 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.
