Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt voiced serious concerns about Oregon football on Wednesday, suggesting that the team’s ongoing struggles could persist into 2024. After watching Oregon’s narrow wins over Idaho and Boise State, Klatt attributed their issues to fundamental problems within the team’s DNA rather than poor execution. He warned Oregon fans that these challenges aren’t just random.
“If I’m an Oregon fan, I’m worried,” Klatt said. “These aren’t fluky issues.” One of the key concerns, according to Klatt, is Oregon’s pass protection. “The offensive line hasn’t gelled with two new starters,” Klatt pointed out. “They’re giving up sacks at an alarming rate compared to last year. In just two games, against Idaho and Boise State, they’ve allowed more sacks than they did all last season, and they haven’t even faced Big Ten opponents yet.”
Klatt also highlighted Oregon’s tough upcoming schedule, noting that they’ll soon face Ohio State, which could expose further issues with their offensive line. “They’ll have to deal with Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau, and they already have protection problems,” Klatt said. He added that fixing such problems mid-season is difficult, as effective pass protection is something that should be established before the season starts.
Klatt warned that Oregon fans should be particularly concerned heading into their rivalry game with Oregon State. “It’s borderline panic considering the high preseason expectations in Eugene,” he said. “Oregon, along with Michigan, is underperforming, and they need to address these problems before hitting the Big Ten schedule, or it won’t be the season everyone expected.”
Oregon will face Oregon State on Saturday, with kickoff at 12:30 p.m. PST.
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