For Oregon’s defense to show significant progress against Cal it will have to contain Jaydn Ott.
The former Ducks commit leads the Golden Bears in all-purpose yards, with 618 rushing yards and five touchdowns and 133 receiving yards and two scores entering today’s game (12:30 p.m., FS1).
“We have to be able to take away what they do best,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “We’re going to have to play to some of the tendencies and try to evaluate that as we go through the game. But they certainly have proven that they can. So that’s something we’re going to have to prepare for. … He does a good job running the ball. He runs with great physicality and effort and that shows up.”
Ott, a true freshman, had 19 carries for 274 yards and three touchdowns against Arizona but has just 155 yards on 47 carries combined over the last three games.
He’s still the exact kind of dual-threat skill player Oregon’s defense has had trouble with, particularly among linebackers in coverage.
“He’s a really good running back, can do it all,” safety Bennett Williams said. “Especially for a freshman pretty impressive. Hard runner. He’s going to give us a lot of different looks; a lot of empty looks where we can’t just treat him as a back that you don’t really pay attention to. Him as a receiver and as their primary back in the backfield, he’s a big weapon for them against us that we’re going to have to stop not just the pass game, not just the run game but everything all together.”
Oregon (6-1, 4-0 Pac-12) has been challenged by running backs in the passing game this season. Georgia’s Kenny McIntosh, Washington State’s Nakia Watson and Stanford’s Casey Filkins each led their teams in receiving yards against the Ducks.
Preventing Ott from joining that group would be a significant sign of progress for a pass defense that has struggled all season.
