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Oregon Ducks wide receiver Charles Nelson (6) TD as the Oregon State Beavers face the Oregon Ducks at Reser Stadium during the Civil War. Bruce Ely / The Oregonian

EUGENE -- By the time the Ducks called their new play for a third time, Oregon freshman Charles Nelson was just happy to get it off.

In Oregon's 47-19 thumping of Oregon State, the Ducks revealed a new-look formation, with Nelson lining up in the Wildcat with Marcus Mariota by his side. Throughout the season, Oregon coaches have talked about creating different ways to get the dynamic Daytona Beach native on the field, and this was, by far, the most creative.

But the first two times, Oregon's Wildcat option play was halted due to false starts.

"It would have been a good play," Nelson said. "After the third time we got it down."

Option plays are nothing new to Oregon's system, but this was a different look entirely. While Mariota still controls the snap count, the play begins with a direct snap to Nelson. With ball in hand, he then immediately reads the strong-side defensive lineman. If the lineman pursues Mariota, Nelson has the option of tucking the ball and running himself (this is also benefitted by lineman Andre Yruretagoyena pulling away from the left to the right side and picking up an oncoming linebacker, which you can see in these graphics on FishDuck.com.)

If that defensive lineman doesn't pursue Mariota and sticks on Nelson, the freshman is instructed to hand the ball off to the Heisman Trophy front-runner. From there, Mariota has the ability to either run with the ball or pass.

The one time the Ducks got the play off, the lineman stayed at home so Nelson handed off to Mariota, who then completed a pass to Byron Marshall for 11 yards -- a ho-hum gain by Nelson's standards.

"It all depends. It's unexpected. It could have went for a long run or pass," he said. "It false started two times. The next time they knew it was going to happen and kind of covered it."

The Beavers covered it, yet they still allowed a first down deep into their own territory. The play has greater potential than that, too, Nelson conceded. It's built to run out of the hurry up, which could catch scrambling defenses off guard.

"You never know what can happen," Nelson said.

While the play has home run potential, it also benefits by getting Nelson on the field for more snaps. Most of the season he's been limited to duties on special teams -- a place that he's thrived -- but Oregon's coaches have talked about his potential and needing to get him on the field. He's flourished in a more traditional manner over the last two weeks with four receiving touchdowns. But his versatility in the backfield adds an extra layer to his explosiveness.

Just as long as it doesn't take two false starts to get the play off.

-- Tyson Alger | @tysonalger