Nick Saban Identifies Biggest Problem For Oregon Ducks Following Slow Start To Season

On Friday's airing of " The Pat McAfee Show ," Nick Saban joined the show and identified the biggest issue for Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks to address so far this season.

After receiving plenty of preseason hype as potential national championship contenders, the Ducks have dropped from the No. 3-ranked team in the country to No. 9 as they enter Week 3.

The cause for the sudden plummet is two rather unconvincing wins to open the campaign. In Week 1, the program only defeated the FCS-level Idaho Vandals by a score of 24-14. The following week, the Ducks had to rely upon a last-second field goal to secure a 38-35 victory over the Boise State Broncos.

Saban identified the offensive line as the biggest flaw in the Ducks' performance so far by stating the subpar pass protection has hindered the program's ability to truly showcase their skill.

“I think they’ll continue to get better, but I do think they have some issues on their team,” Saban said. “Their offensive line is not that great and that’s a problem. It’s a problem for the quarterback, who is a really good player, and they have really good skill guys. They made enough good plays in games to be a dominant team, they just have too many bad plays.”

In their first two games, the Ducks allowed a combined seven quarterback sacks, which surpasses the program's total allowed through the entire 2023 season.

Saban continued by stating the poor offensive line performance has forced the Ducks to not play within their style and caused undue strain on their defense to keep the team in the game.

“I’m talking about tackle for loss, penalty, get behind the sticks on offense, now you’re playing not the way you want to play, but the way the other team wants you to play," Saban added. "And I think that’s been their issue, and they haven’t been able to play the kind of defense I think you need to play."

The Ducks will attempt to get back on track and prove they’re one of the best teams in the nation when they visit Corvallis, Oregon, on Sept. 14 for the 128th edition of the Civil War rivalry with the Oregon State Beavers. The start time for the rivalry clash is set for 3:30 p.m. ET and will air on Fox.

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