The way to beat a spread team is with disruption.
Oregon’s offense has been prolific over the last eight seasons, but their handful of losses reveals a common pattern. It’s a tempo offense, designed to move the chains with quick positive gains and then strike quickly.
With its wide splits and the ball tossed and pitched from sideline to sideline, the attack is potent, but particularly vulnerable to negative plays.
Chip Kelly called them the self-inflicted wounds. False start penalties. Missed blocks. Dropped center snaps. Dropped passes. Miscommunications. Wrong routes. Tackles for loss. Sacks. Turnovers. Drive killers all.