Last time Oregon lost to Utah, the Ducks changed their offense
Oregon's 62-20 loss to Utah on Saturday will go down as one of the worst losses in Duck history. However, the last time the Ducks lost to Utah, the loss led to an offensive revolution.
In 2003, Oregon traveled to Utah to take on an Urban Meyer-led Utes squad that took down the Ducks 17-13. In that game, Meyers Utah team ran a spread offense manned by QB Alex Smith. That loss was transformative because it pushed former head coach Mike Bellotti to consider using the read-option spread offense.
"It was that game that initially pushed me in that direction," former head coach Mike Bellotti said, according to Andrew Greif of The Oregonian. "Going in, our defensive coaches were saying, 'This is tough to defend.' As I watched it develop on the field, it does put the defense in a tremendous bind in terms of run-pass opportunities."
The results were magnificent as the Ducks rattled off a decade that saw them go 106-26 and reach two national championship games.
Oregon went on to finish 8-5 in 2003 and started the 2004 season 5-6. However, during that 2004 season Bellotti watched Northwestern's read-option rush for 235 yards against Arizona State. Bellotti had seen the future and wanted to be part of it.
"Northwestern ran the ball better against Arizona State than we did, and I know Northwestern didn't have the same talent level that we did but they were running the zone read out of the shotgun," Bellotti said. "Finally after the 2004 season I said we're going to that. This is what we'll do."
While the Ducks are unlikely to change their offense based on its latest loss to Utah, it does serve as a reminder that their is something to be gained by losing. Sometimes losses make you rethinking your strategy. It could be time for the Ducks to make some slight changes.
(h/t The Oregonian)
