The Oregon Ducks went into their Week 7 meeting against the Nebraska Cornhuskers with loads of questions. They'd just dropped to 3-2 and falling out of the AP poll for just the second time under head coach Dan Lanning. The quarterback spot was in as bad of a position as we've seen in Lanning's tenure. Offensive questions were abound.
Yet, the Ducks were resilient enough to mount a fourth-quarter comeback and emerge victorious, keeping their slim chances of making the College Football Playoff alive. But the tests don't stop there, as every week has become a must-win for Oregon moving forward.
In week 8, that'll come against the Illinois Fighting Illini, a 3-3 team coming into the game without their starting quarterback. In his spot, they'll trot out Michael Clayton II, a three-star true freshman. He had a strong showing late in their overtime win over Michigan State, but this is a much different spot against a stout Ducks defense.
The defense has proven it can be relied upon; the offense, not so much. Let's dive into the five questions facing Oregon this week, with a clear offensive lean.
Which version of Dylan Raiola are we getting?
There may be no bigger question, and determinant of Oregon's success, than how Dylan Raiola plays on Saturday. If the Ducks get the version that played against UCLA, it'll be a fight to simply score points and hang onto the ball. But if he plays like he did against USC in relief and Nebraska in relief, Oregon should win comfortably.
There's not much else to say than this: Oregon needs reliable, winning quarterback play, meaning Raiola will have to be turnover-free yet willing to throw the ball down the field. If he can't, they'll be in trouble.
How much can the receiving core help Raiola?
Against UCLA, the only Ducks receiver missing was Jeremiah McClellan — thus, it wasn't a huge issue with the depth at that spot a clear strength. But this week, that's not the case.
The Ducks' leading receiver Evan Stewart is out, whether it be for injury or his DUII arrest. That's two of the top three pass catchers coming into the year, leaving Dakorien Moore to headline a unit alongside tight end Jamari Johnson. Who else emerges as the wide receiver position, and how effective they can be, will be telling in the box score by game's end.
Messiah Hampton is a clear candidate, as he's impressed early on in his true freshman season. Jalen Lott has also seen an increased snap count, while each of Gatlin Bair and Hudson Lewis have also seen some of their first action of the year in the past couple weeks.
Moore and Johnson are talented enough to carry the load, but if the Fighting Illini bracket them and manage to the duo out of the game, which Duck receiver can be a friendly target for Raiola?
Will the running game be able to get off the ground?
Before any other question about the pass catchers, the run game should come first. A backup quarterback's best friend is a strong offensive line and a productive running game, two things that haven't been there for the Ducks this season.
The offensive line had many moving parts and players, with no single group proving to be the one that stuck. That may have changed against UCLA, as the insertion of true freshman Tommy Tofi into the lineup helped spark the comeback. He'll likely start against Illinois, and we'll see if they can continue upon the spark that he brought to the group.
If Dierre Hill Jr. can break off some chunk gains and Jordon Davison can churn out yards on early downs, it'll set up the Raiola-led offense extremely well.
Can the secondary shut down Illinois' passing game?
The Fighting Illini will try to establish the run early, but if Oregon's front four plays like they have over the past two weeks, it'll be a non-starter for Illinois. They'll be forced to open it up in the pass game, testing a rather underwhelming Ducks secondary.
Illinois' top receiver, Collin Dixon, is in the midst of a breakout season and is one of the top pass catchers in the nation — a true game-breaker who can both take the top off of the defense and catch passes on their heads. He's that good. Oregon hasn't faced a truly great wide receiver yet, so this will be a litmus test for a game against Ohio State and Jeremiah Smith in a couple weeks.
If the Ducks prove successful in limiting Dixon's production, Illinois won't have many more options to turn to.
How much of a factor is Gage Hurych?
The hope is that Gage Hurych won't be a huge factor. If he is, that means that the Ducks' offense has stalled in Fighting Illini territory, forcing them to turn to their kicker, who's been automatic through six weeks. While he's reliable, checking the box score at the end of the game and seeing none or one field goals from Hurych could be a very good sign.
If he's at three field goals or more, it's a tip to Hurych's cap, but also a sign that the Oregon offense followed a similar ugly script as they did against UCLA and Nebraska.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Five questions for Oregon to answer against Illinois in Week 8