Keys to the Game? You're Kidding, Right? Ducks by 50--Watch the O-Line and Secondary

Oregon hosts Idaho at 4:30 P.M. Saturday in Autzen Stadium in the 2024 season opener for both schools. The Vandals, a Nike school, got new "White Ice" uniforms for the $740,000 away trip.

At FanDuel the Ducks are 44.5-point favorites.

No one inside the Oregon program is thinking about this game in terms of a score or how easy it will be. In a promotional video released today Dan Lanning is in full throttle mode in the locker room.

Asked about Idaho in the midweek media availability he said, "They've been a really competitive team versus, good teams, teams that we played. So they bring their best. They obviously perform up. I think this will be an exciting game for them, but nobody can go to sleep on them. They're talented; they're a good team for a reason."

Talented starts with quarterback Jack Layne, who threw for 44 touchdowns in his senior year at Lake Oswego High, a two-hour drive from Autzen Stadium. He's one of three Oregonians on the Vandal roster, including his twin brother Dylan, a linebacker who may miss the game with a hamstring injury.

Here are some points of emphasis in preparing for this apt to be one-sided game as a fan:

1. Cohesion and communication on the offensive line, Charlie Pickard's first start

Starting guard Matthew Bedford is out, though he dressed for practice Wednesday, an encouraging sign, especially since he was wearing football cleats rather than trainers.

Jesuit High walk-on Charlie Pickard steps into the lineup at center with Iapani "Poncho" Laloulu sliding over to right guard. Pickard's a junior, 6-4, 307, a former three star recruit who had scholarship offers from Dartmouth, Eastern Washington, Air Force and Idaho. He played in 13 games last season as a backup, an intelligent, dogged competitor who's worked tirelessly on his game both in practice and at a park near Hayward Field.

His father was an Oregon grad who used to take him to game when he was a boy, notably the 2010 season opener and the 2011 National Championship game. Pickard's talked this week about the pride he takes in the Oregon tradition and what he learned from Ryan Walk and Alex Forsyth, two veterans who preceded him on the o-line and introduced him to The Oregon Way.

Pickard said, leading up to this first opportunity to start, "There are endless possibilities to get better." As the center it's his job to make the line calls and identify what's going on with the defensive front. The challenge for him and the rest of the offensive line is to execute smoothly even with the shuffling Bedford's injury created.

2. Communication and cohesion in the secondary

The Vandals like to air it out, typically throwing about 30 times a game. It's a good test for Oregon's rebuilt secondary that features new players in new places, including transfers Jabbar Muhammad, Kobe Savage, Kam Alexander and Brandon Johnson, plus highly rated freshman Aaron Flowers and Peyton Woodyard.

It's a nice array of talent, but how quickly can they mesh and execute their assignments as a new defense? The goal is to avoid breakdowns that lead to big plays, particularly because they'll face the high-powered Ohio State Buckeyes in 7 weeks.

3. Will Dillon Gabriel and his array of weapons translate into points and efficiency?

Hype time is over; at game time the only thing that matters are results and consistency. It will be interesting to see how quickly the Duck offense can find a rhythm and how Gabriel distributes the ball with so many talented receivers and running backs. Can Will Stein get players like Kenyon Sadiq and Kyler Kasper meaningful touches?