Coan must make quick reads, accurate throws vs. Oregon
LOS ANGELES – Wisconsin quarterback Jack Coan didn’t need to study Oregon’s defensive numbers very hard to understand he must value the football Wednesday in the Rose Bowl.
The Ducks have recorded 41 sacks in 13 games, an average of 3.2 per game. Sixteen players have recorded at least one sack.
The Ducks have intercepted 19 passes. Eleven players have at least one interception, led by nickel back Jevon Holland and free safety Verone McKinley III with four apiece.
“Obviously, we preach a lot about the
ball,” Oregon defensive coordinator Andy Avalos said. “This game is about having the ball and tackling the man that has the ball. So our coaches do a great job of spending time and teaching different ways and studying the positions we've got to put our players in.”
As a result, the Ducks enter the Rose Bowl with a plus-13 turnover margin.
“They've got great athletes all over the field,” Coan said. “They're great players. They're well coached. They cause a lot of turnovers. They get after the quarterback. It's going to be a tough game for us.”
Although the success of tailback Jonathan Taylor likely will determine whether No. 8 UW (10-3) can topple No. 6 Oregon (11-2), Coan's ability to get the ball to his receivers and keep it out of the hands of Oregon defenders cannot be overlooked.
Coan has thrown only four interceptions in 314 attempts, one every 78.5 attempts. Two of the interceptions, however, came during UW's 4-0 streak in November,
Iowa turned Coan's mistake into a field goal. Purdue failed to take advantage of the turnover and punted.
Oregon has the ability to strike quickly and enters the Rose Bowl averaging 9.2 points per game off opponents' turnovers.
“I would say for me the biggest thing is recognizing the defense and making good decisions and putting the ball in the right spot,” Coan said. “I can't really be off on the location with DBs as good as Oregon.”
When Illinois stunned UW, 24-23, the Illini scored 17 points off turnovers.
“Defensively they're very multiple,” UW offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph said of the Ducks. “They create a lot of problems for you, shifting at the snap and pressures and I think they do a good job of game-planning and creating packages for certain opponents.
“And I think player to player they've got outstanding play-making ability.
They're not waiting on a couple of guys to make the plays.
“I think they've got a lot of guys over there that can impact the game in a big way. So it's a big challenge for us.”
During Wisconsin's 4-0 November streak, Can completed 67.8% of his passes for an average of 204.3 yards, with seven touchdowns.
He completed only 17 of 33 passes for 232 yards in the loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten title game but didn't have a turnover and ran effectively. He scrambled to convert two critical third-down situations and rushed for two touchdowns.
Oregon intercepted two passes in its 37-15 victory over Utah in the Pacific-12 title game. The Ducks failed to score after the first takeaway but they secured the victory with a touchdown after senior linebacker Troy Dye gave his team the ball at the Utah 35 with 3:22 left in the game.
“The quarterback puts the ball where it needs to be,” Dye said of Coan. “He can run. He is mobile. He coordinates the offense very well. He does what he needs to do.
“They have a lot of good pieces and we are looking forward to the challenge.”