Q & A with the Oregon Ducks

September 15, 2012; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) runs the ball against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Olmos-US PRESSWIREDo the Ducks have respect for the Arizona Wildcats? I asked Joe Soriano, writer for the Autzen Zoo, what his thoughts were about tomorrow’s game. Here is what he had to say:

1. What are Oregon’s “keys to victory” over Arizona this weekend?

Oregon needs to be able to stop Arizona’s offensive attack, which is one of the most dangerous in the conference with Matt Scott leading the way. He has two great receivers at his disposal, with Austin Hill being especially dangerous. Losing John Boyett was devastating, and it’s up to the rest of the Ducks DBs to step up. They did by shutting down Da’Rick Rodgers and Tennessee Tech last week, but Arizona presents a new challenge with more weapons, in addition to a running game that must be respected.

The Wildcats 3-3-5 is specifically made to stop spread offenses, but I’m not sold on Arizona’s ability to stop the run. I think the Ducks will capitalize on their lack of depth, and De’Anthony Thomas and Kenjon Barner will become the next Wildcat-killers on the ground, keeping up the work LaMichael James did against Arizona.

2. What concerns you most about this Saturday (or are you not concerned)?

I’m very concerned about the Wildcats’ spread offense with Scott leading the way, and it would be foolish to not be concerned about opening up conference play against a top 25 team. Scott has played at a high level against some tough competition already this season, and his dual-threat ability is something Oregon will need to key in on.

3. How can Arizona have the best chance to upset the Ducks in Autzen?

The Wildcats will have to overcome their lack of talent and depth on defense by playing smarter, which means continuing to tackle well. That’s going to be especially key against explosive players like DAT, and the defense needs to try as best as they can to limit the big play. This is definitely going to be a fast-paced game between both teams, but the Wildcats will need to slow it down as much as they can in order to keep the pace with Oregon; they can’t expect to outgun the Ducks.

4. Other than Thomas, what other players do the Wildcats need to keep their eyes?

Well, our OTHER RB Kenjon Barner…he’s pretty good ya know. I honestly think the player who is going to be the most important one to key in on is defensive end Dion Jordan, who is a pass rusher NFL scouts are taking long looks at. He’s going to be Oregon’s biggest weapon on defense against Matt Scott, and he will need to consistently provide pressure on the star QB in order to disrupt the flow of Arizona’s offense. He is extremely athletic as well, so the Wildcats need to be aware of the tipped passes he creates.

5. Who from Arizona worries you the most?

Matt Scott. Whether or not he is the best player on Arizona is debatable, but he is the most important player on the team in my opinion. The Ducks pass defense is going to be more prone to getting burned without Boyett back there, and a deep hook-up between Hill and Scott can change the complexity of this game. His ability to run will also create some problems for the Ducks, and I would think Oregon will try and spy him with a linebacker.

6. What is the most intriguing thing about this game?

The most intriguing thing is how Oregon’s freshman QB Marcus Mariota will play against his first top 25 team, and he has looked efficient and extremely accurate against weaker competition. Mariota is getting more comfortable with the offense as a whole, and it’s going to be interesting to see what he can do; especially since he will need to help keep Oregon’s high-octane offense at its finest to pull away from Scott and a fine-running Wildcats O.

7. The Ducks are favored by 23 points. Do you think this will be another blowout victory for Oregon?

No, I don’t think it’s fair to call a blowout for Oregon because Arizona is a quality, top 25 opponent. They may be playing on the road, but this is the start of conference play and, as we saw with Stanford’s win over USC, upsets happen. But here’s the thing: the gap in quality between Arizona and Oregon is greater than between USC and Stanford- I don’t think there is much debate on that. 23 points is a little too much in the Ducks favor, but I would be shocked if they lose this game at home. The Wildcats defense isn’t a good unit, but their offense is definitely going to give Oregon some problems and they could make things scary for the Ducks. I hope nobody is underestimating the Wildcats at this point, because a top 15 offense should not be undersold.