CSD Mag Teaser: Year One for Willie Taggart at Oregon

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Willie Taggart’s tenure at Oregon got off to a rough start, and after Mark Helfrich got fired just two years after a national title game appearance, it seems Phil Knight and the athletic department at Oregon are keeping the football program on a very short leash.
The Offense
Dakota Prukop was expected to take over for Vernon Adams in 2016, but after Prukop struggled early in the season, he was replaced by true freshman Justin Herbert. Herbert was a bright spot in what was a bad year for Oregon fans. He threw for 19 touchdowns and just four interceptions in his first year. Herbert will have some help in the backfield though, as Royce Freeman opted to return for his senior season. Freeman struggled with injuries last season, but if he is healthy, he is a legitimate all-american contender. If he’s not, the Ducks have a solid backup in Tony Brooks-James, an explosive sophmore who ran for over 7.5 yards per carry last year as a freshman.
The Defense
Jim Leavitt was the best thing that has happened during Willie Taggart’s time in Eugene. Leavitt brought Colorado’s defense from 119th in scoring defense in 2014 to 20th in 2016. In his two years in Boulder, the defense improved almost 100 spots. Oregon needs that kind of transformation. In 2016, the Ducks ranked 126th in scoring defense, one of the three worst in the country. The Ducks struggled under Brady Hoke’s 4-3 approach, and Leavitt will switch it back to a 3-4. The defense wasn’t all bad last year, Troy Dye proved as a sign of hope for the defense. Dye had 13.5 tackles for loss last year, and Jim Leavitt is moving him over to Will linebacker, which will give him even more room to roam free.
The Verdict
The offense was top-25 caliber last year, the defense was the problem, if Jim Leavitt can work his magic on the defensive side of the ball, you might see those eight losses in 2016 turn into eight wins this upcoming year, and a top 25 finish isn’t out of the question.