After just 10 minutes, the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl had all the signs of a bloodbath. With new offensive coordinator Matt Lubick calling the plays, the Ducks shredded the TCU defense for four touchdowns in the first half and entered halftime up 31-0.
Defensive coordinator Don Pellum received a non-vote of confidence regarding his job security from head coach Mark Helfrich Friday, but the Oregon defense stepped up and forced five punts, an interception and a turnover on downs. Granted, TCU starting quarterback Trevone Boykin was suspended due to his arrest early Thursday morning, so back-up Bram Kohlhausen started in his absence.
Vernon Adams Jr., who passed for 197 yards and one touchdown, did leave for locker room early. He suffered a helmet-to-helmet hit in the second quarter.
Key Plays
Darren Carrington, repping No. 22 in honor of his late best friend Markel Byrd, catches the first touchdown of the game, a 37-yard strike from Vernon Adams Jr.
Royce Freeman bursts in the end zone for a four-yard score to put the Ducks up 14-0 after the PAT.
Adams shakes a defender, rolls left and throws a deep bomb to Carrington, who comes up with the 44-yard reception. Freeman finishes off the drive with a rushing touchdown from five yards out. Ducks go up 21-0 before the end of the first quarter.
Tony Brooks-James rushes up the middle for 42 yards, then punches it in from five yards out. Ducks up 28-0 with 13:30 left in the second quarter.
TCU appeared to finally stop Oregon, but DeForest Buckner had other plans. TCU blocked Ian Wheeler’s punt and Buckner snatched it out of the air and ran it 10 yards for a first down.
Kicker Aidan Schneider booted a 47-yard field goal before halftime, putting the Ducks up 31-0.
Three things to watch
How will Oregon’s offense fair without Adams?
Adams said he was approaching this game as one last job audition for NFL scouts. He’s clearly playing that way. By the end of the first quarter, Oregon had already totaled 244 yards of offense and a 21-0 lead. But, Adams took a vicious hit in the second quarter and took an early exit to the locker room. Jeff Lockie came in to replace him and the Ducks offense initially lacked the rhythm it possessed during their first quarter offensive explosion. But, Lockie did help guide the Ducks to a field goal on their last drive of the half.
Oregon’s pass rush
While Oregon’s offense has been unstoppable, TCU looked out of sorts for the majority of the first 30 minutes. Even when the Horned Frogs did move forward, it seemed to always come back due to penalty. Bram Kohlhausen started at quarterback and faced consistent pressure from the Ducks’ line. Buckner sacked him once and the constant bodies in the pocket appeared to rattle him. He went 9-for-19 for 96 yards and one interception.
Does TCU have any sort of chance left?
Well, if Oregon’s offense plays like it did when Adams was injured, yes. The Ducks looked like a shell of itself in games in which Adams wasn’t healthy. The team lost by 42 to Utah and in double overtime to Washington State. In those games, Lockie never found much comfort and it will be interesting to see if the TCU defense can find ways to rattle him like certain Pac-12 opponents did. However, TCU is still trying to just reach the end zone once. And down by 31, it appears like a nearly impossible feat.
Stats:
Oregon Passing
Vernon Adams Jr. – 13-for-19 197 yards, one touchdown
Jeff Lockie — 3-for-4, 16 yards
TCU Passing
Bram Kohlhausen – 9-for-19 96 yards, one interception
Oregon rushing
Royce Freeman – 13 rushes, 72 yards, two touchdowns
Tony Brooks-James – 3 rushes, 50 yards, one touchdown
TCU rushing
Aaron Green – five rushes, 24 yards
KaVontae Turpin – five rushes, 16 yards
Oregon receiving
Darren Carrington – seven catches, 107 yards, one touchdown
Bralon Addison – three catches, 32 yards
TCU receiving
KaVontae Turpin – three catches, 62 yards
Shaun Nixon – three catches, 12 yards
Oregon total offense – 376 yards
TCU total offense – 142 yards
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