Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson is a stand-up guy. After the Broncos tough 37-24 loss to Oregon at Autzen Stadium Saturday night he met the media, and a couple of the things he said tell us a lot about the Oregon Ducks and football in general.
In his opening statement he said, "Momentum is created through execution. Even when we’re down late in the third quarter or early in the fourth quarter, our guys kept swinging. That’s a test to their heart and who they are. We’re going to learn and grow from this. Our best football is in front of us. I think we showed ourselves tonight. Even for those people who didn’t believe, we have a good football team."
To anyone who watched Saturday's game that was evident about the Broncos. At the end of back-to-back road trips they played hard. Giving up size and talent and roster depth to a team with a bigger reputation and far more resources they played hard.
Ashton Jeanty and the Boise State defense gave the Ducks all they wanted. The hosts needed a couple of officiating breaks and a handful of big plays to win the game, and it came down to the last snap. Oregon was an 18.5-point favorite and the preseason number three in the country. The Broncos took the fight to them, outrushing their highly touted opponent 221-110 in a similar number of attempts, 33 to 35.
The Broncos doubled them up on the ground, an objective measure of toughness and physicality. Boise State held the Ducks to 4-12 on third downs.
By Monday morning of game week, a team seeks to review the film one last time and flush last Saturday from memory. You take away the lessons and the correctables and move on.
But there was a lot of wisdom in Danielson's immediate reaction to coming up short in Autzen, wisdom that will take his team further this season. It wouldn't be a surprise to see these teams meet again in the playoffs. BSU strengthened their case to be the representative from the Group of Five, the smaller schools in FBS football.
Take a minute to consider what Danielson said facing the media, remembering that answering questions after a brutal loss is the hardest thing a coach has to do. To answer them honestly without evasiveness takes a lot of class, an assignment many coaches don't handle all that well. Looking at you, Deion Sanders.
1. Momentum is created through execution.
Danielson was talking about his team, but this observation goes to the root of what's plaguing the Ducks after two weeks. Oregon is a team that keeps shooting itself in the foot with lapses in execution: penalties, sacks, fumbles and missed assignments. The self-inflicted wounds have stymied their momentum and suppressed their scores. They've left three touchdowns off the board in both their too-close wins.
2. Even when we’re down late in the third quarter or early in the fourth quarter, our guys kept swinging. That’s a test to their heart and who they are.
While that's true of Boise State and Danielson has a right to be proud of his group, it's also true of the Ducks. A team of transfers, pro prospects, NIL millionaires and one-and-done seniors, the new Webfoots had every opportunity to mail it in and check out in this game but didn't. They trailed at halftime. They fumbled twice in the fourth quarter, giving up a hard-earned lead. Instead, the used two big plays in special teams and a drive on the last possession of the game to win a tough one. The experience of hanging together under pressure will make the Ducks a better football team down the road.
We’re going to learn and grow from this. Our best football is in front of us. I think we showed ourselves tonight. Even for those people who didn’t believe, we have a good football team.
Oregon dropped from #7 to #9 in the AP Poll after this weekend's win, and many in the national media are questioning whether they are overrated, even a fraud as they prepare for their first road game at Oregon State.
It wouldn't be a surprise to see the Broncos dominate the Mountain West again, but Dan Lanning and the Ducks have shown resolve and fight as they struggle to gel. Their best football is in front of them, provided they choose to define themselves not by the hype, but by the determination to keep getting better. It's crucial to learn and grow from your wins.
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