The College Football Live crew debates whether Oregon needs to re-evaluate its approach on two-point conversions after struggling to convert them so far this season. (1:44)

On Saturday, in Oregon's 35-32 loss to Nebraska on the road, the Ducks were in "attack mode," according to coach Mark Helfrich.

That's the mode that had the Ducks going for two-point conversions after each of their five touchdowns, the mode that saw them convert just one (the first) of their five attempts, and the mode that put them three points behind the Cornhuskers in a game that -- conservatively -- could've, or should've, been tied at the end of regulation.

Following the loss, Helfrich doubled down on the decision to go for the two-point conversions, saying, "We just believe a lot in what we're doing."

The athleticism of holder Charles Nelson helped Oregon convert its only successful two-point conversion in five attempts against Nebraska. AP Photo/Nati Harnik

The issue, he explained, was in the execution, not the philosophy (which, to be fair, could be said by any losing coach in any game situation).

Helfrich explained that there wasn't a predetermined stance to go for two-point conversions after each touchdown. Rather, the Ducks' philosophy -- in which the holder sees what the defense is giving them and then makes the call between kicking PATs versus going for two -- determined that each become a two-point play (the final two attempts involved just the offense staying on the field).

Helfrich stood behind holder Charles Nelson's calls, but on Sunday, Helfrich took fault for "anything that's bad in this program" when asked about the decision process that goes into the attempts.

The two-point conversion isn't inherently bad. In fact, it has proven to be a useful tool for the Ducks as a way to keep special-teams defenses honest and on their toes (as well as padding on some extra points).

Between 2011 and 2015, the Ducks converted 22 of 38 two-point conversions. During that same span, the FBS average was 4.4 conversions and 10.9 attempts, putting Oregon at triple the average -- giving the Ducks an extra 35 points compared to average FBS teams in that span.

This season, the Ducks are 4-of-11 on two-point conversions. Meanwhile, no other team in FBS has attempted more than two. Eleven, however, is surprisingly high, even for the Ducks. Reaching back to 2007 (when Chip Kelly joined Oregon's staff as the offensive coordinator), Oregon has never attempted more than eight two-point conversions in a season.

When asked about why Oregon has put up those kinds of numbers in the nonconference slate, special-teams coordinator Tom Osborne said, "I can't tell you what we do."

Based off sheer personnel, it's a good assumption that some -- maybe a lot -- of it has to do with the fact that Nelson might be the most athletic holder they've had in years.

Over the past decade, the holding position has mostly gone to backup quarterbacks or, in the case of 2008 and 2010-12, to punters. Never has an Oregon player like Nelson -- whom Osborne describes as "a combination of speed and quickness. He's so physically tough and mentally tough, it's amazing. It's a hard combination for guys to have all those things" -- been the holder while the Ducks have had a preference for two-point conversions.

For the past two seasons, backup quarterback Taylor Alie was the team's holder. And though Alie is still on the roster, Nelson said coaches approached him last spring with the proposition of trying the position and when it went well, they just kept using him there. Nelson's ability to run, pitch or pass could be one reason why the Ducks have used the Swinging Gate more this season than in season's past.

"We've done it for many years," Helfrich said of two-point conversions. "A lot of teams do what we do in terms of trying to get an ideal look and if it's there, run it. And if it's not, shift back in and kick it. We need to, I need to, coach that better."

That's fair. Helfrich and his coaches likely can coach it better and give it a renewed emphasis in practice. But, there's also the other side of it, the side that has historically helped several programs (Oregon included), the side that uses the two-point conversion as a changeup of sorts, the side that fields the kicker.

That's a viable attack, too.