So we come to the last of our three part series of looking back at the defensive units from the season.  If you haven't read the first two please do so here and here.

In the last part of this series we are going to be looking at a unit that I think has surpassed most fans expectations this year.  If I were to tell you at the beginning of the season that Ward would miss 6 games, Thurmond would miss 8 games, Thurmond's number one replacement and the team's nickel back Glasper would miss 7 games, 2 freshman would play significant minutes against USC, Arizona, and Oregon State in our secondary... you would most likely expect Oregon to finish at or near the bottom in pass defense.  Well, you would be wrong.

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You Blitz All Night!!!

This clip makes me think about Don Pellum talking to the linebackers at the beginning of the season after meeting with Chip Kelly, Aliotti and Azzinaro, to discuss what scheme they were going to play... "YOU BLITZ ALL NIGHT!  If they cross the line of scrimmage I'm going to take every last one of ya out!  You make sure they remember the night they played the DUCKS!!"

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As we eagerly await the New Year, and the Rose Bowl, I thought it would be a good time to take a look back both individually and statistically at each of the defensive players contributions this season.  This will allow us to talk about memories from the season of different units, players or individual plays that stuck out to each of us and made this season special.  This will be a three part series starting with the defensive line, next the line backers and lastly the secondary... I may just add one specifically about Cliff Harris, I haven't decided yet.  He's not returning my phone calls and he won't except my friend request on Facebook.  

Now, on to the unsung heroes of the defense this year.  The defensive line.

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I figured most of us are still trying to recover from our late Thursday drinking fests... But, I wanted somewhere to talk about Saturday Championship games, so I"ll create my own.   Before we talk about the games, I'll relay 2 funny stories from Friday.

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Ok, so now that we know some of the stars that play for OSU (if you don't, please read here), let's look at how this offense works and what Oregon can try and do to slow them down.

My main feeling with Oregon's defense is that if they play their game, stay disciplined and make good reads, our defense should be fine.  It would take a perfect game plan by Aliotti and the defense to shut out OSU, which I don't think will happen, but I do believe Oregon has the athletes to make enough plays to give OSU trouble and get off the field and give the offense a chance to win the game.

My initial read on OSU's offense is that it is built on plays, and counters to those plays.  Much like a lot of pro style offenses, this one is going to try and get the defense moving or looking in one direction while the real threat escapes or gets open on the other side. 

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So over the last week, I have watched a bunch of video of OSU highlights from this season (can be seen here).  I am going to try and highlight a number of the sets and plays they run and how I think our defense can match up.

Before I do, let's look at some of the key players for OSU and how Oregon needs to match up with them.  This OSU offense is unlike any OSU we have seen in a while.  They are healthy, their stars have been playing well lately, and they know the system they are running very well.  Everybody on this team is well coached.  They don't have a lot of physical "wow" factor on the team, but they make sure to make the most of every aspect of the players they have.

The key to this game defensively is going to be to make them one dimensional and then play fundamentally sound and disciplined football.  If Oregon tries to over pursue, or take too many angles on OSU, they will burn them for big plays.

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So the big game, the monster rivalry of all time, the love, the hate, with the biggest prize in Pac-10 football on the line is now in front of us.  Everything this team has fought for, worked hard in practices for, and has sacrificed so much for is one opposition away.

We as fans find ourselves in a problematic situation.  Not one of us will have a single carry or reception or tackle in this clash of the titans.  But I believe we can still effect the outcome.  Now normally I am not a superstitious individual, but this game is too big to leave anything to chance.  So we must make our sacrifices this coming 10 days as well.

Here is a starting list of things that MUST or MUST NOT happen this coming week and a half:

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