Heading on the road for the first time in nearly a month, the Oregon Ducks are a much different team than they were the last time they left Eugene. Now led by Dylan Raiola into battle, the Ducks and their slumping offense will head to Champaign for the first time in 33 years to take on an Illinois team facing similar challenges.
Backup quarterbacks will rule the day in this Big Ten matchup, and both teams have circled Saturday's game as a moment their season could turn around. The Ducks could take advantage of one of the worst defenses in the country to right the ship on offense. The Illini could overcome an injury at quarterback and a slow start to the season with a massive victory over the visiting Ducks.
Dan Lanning's program has been through a lot in the past week, and this is a spot to show how much the culture of the team has grown through the adversity this season has brought. It's also a chance for Raiola to command the starting role and prove he can hold the Ducks together while they hold their breath on a potential return for Dante Moore in the future.
This game doesn't have the eyes of the nation upon it, but there is plenty on the line for both the Ducks and Illini. Let's take a look at three keys to help Oregon snag another Big Ten road victory over Illinois.
Fluster The Bagman
Oregon's defense has been tremendous the past two weeks, specifically along the defensive line. Illinois might lean on Aidan Laughery and the run game more often in this one, but eventually the Illini will need Michael Clayton II to make a big play through the air in his first career start. Doing so against Matayo Uiagalelei, Teitum Tuioti and Nasir Wyatt is a tall task, but coming off a bye week, it is one that Bret Bielema believes Clayton is ready for.
The Illini have only allowed six sacks this season, but the Ducks' pressure unit should be able to get after the freshman quarterback. The key will be to hit him early, and hopefully either keep the ball away from star receiver Collin Dixon or make Clayton force the ball to him and make mistakes. Clayton is similar to Raiola in the sense that he isn't much of a runner, but he does have a big arm with some zip.
If Clayton is able to get rid of the ball quickly or sit back and let his arm do the work, the Ducks could be in some trouble. The former is more likely in my opinion, and Oregon's secondary has done a much better job of tackling lately. That also means more passes are probably going behind the line of scrimmage, meaning there is more of a chance to create negative plays. Bottom line, the Ducks need to make Clayton play off his back foot.
Find a Solid Five
The rotation along the offensive line has begun to shrink, as the Ducks only used six players last week, plus Koloi Keli in jumbo packages. Toward the end of the game against Nebraska, once Raiola entered the fold, the Ducks found running room behind freshman Tommy Tofi at left guard and Fox Crader at left tackle. That seemed to be a winning formula, and it should be the first combination this week on the road.
Right tackle is a bit of a revolving door, and it could be Gernorris Wilson, Ziyare Addison or someone else this week, especially since Immanuel Iheanacho has already been ruled out. No matter who it is, this is the week to figure out who the five up front can be moving forward since the schedule gets much tougher from here. The rotation won't work late in the season, and Oregon must find a way to ignite the running game.
There's also a chance for the Ducks to take shots downfield this week against Illinois' weak secondary. The Illini don't get many sacks, but they can generate pressure, so Raiola will need to be conscious of the disguised blitzes. If Oregon's offensive line can hold up, Raiola can truly break out against this defense and push the offense consistently downfield for points.
Welcome Home, Dierre Hill Jr.
Dierre Hill Jr. grew up two hours south of Champaign in Centralia, Illinois. He mentioned this week that he plans to have some family and friends in the stands at Gies Memorial Stadium, so why not give them a show? Hill has been Oregon's most explosive running back this season, and the Ducks need to find different ways to get him the ball in space.
The Ducks did throw the ball to Hill more last week, as he had four catches in the win over the Cornhuskers, and he has been one of the best receiving backs in the country this season. He leads all running backs in FBS with 15 broken tackles after the catch and is third in the nation with 254 yards after the catch. Whether it is screens or swings out of the backfield, Raiola's best friend in the passing game just might be Hill this week.
As mentioned, Oregon does also need to find a way to ignite the rushing attack this week, and the left side with Crader and Tofi could be the area to attack. Hill's burst can be killer against the Illinois secondary if he gets the edge and has the opportunity to run through corners and safeties. There is a golden opportunity this week for Hill's speed to lead the way for the offense and open everything up, and what better time to do it than in Hill's return home.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Keys to victory for the Oregon Ducks vs. Illinois Fighting Illini