By Rob Moseley

Editor, GoDucks.com

Venue: Autzen Stadium

Format: Scrimmage

For the second straight scrimmage, Oregon’s offense got the best of things right off the bat this morning. But, also for the second straight scrimmage, the UO defense tilted the scales, and today that was done in even more emphatic fashion.

On one of the first possessions of the morning, the offense sliced through the defense with three straight carries by Royce Freeman, the last an 8-yard touchdown run. As the units left the field, one player shouted, “Hey, wake up, defense! Wake up, D!”

The message was received. The offense scored a couple more times right after that, as Jeff Lockie and Taylor Alie directed extended drives in a clutch scenario. But the defense went on to dominate the middle portion of the scrimmage, before the offense scored in some late red-zone work.

The defense’s strong stretch included four forced turnovers, after they didn’t come up with any in the first scrimmage of this spring. “Coach Pellum really stressed it this morning,” said Arrion Springs, who had a diving interception of a deflected pass. “He had a whole PowerPoint about us not taking the ball away, and being more aggressive. I think we all came out with the attitude today of making something happen, and it was good to get things going.”

The day was also notable for some penalties at inopportune times. Aidan Schneider made an early field goal of 47 yards, but a flag moved the ball back five yards and the ensuing 52-yard kick was no good. During the clutch drive directed by Alie that ended with a “game-winning” field goal of 39 yards by Matt Wogan, a defensive penalty on third-and-long kept the possession alive.

Most notably, in a red-zone period with possessions starting at the 20-yard line, two offensive penalties and a bad snap moved the ball back all the way across the 50. The offense was facing third-and-50 from its own 40-yard line – and converted, thanks to a defensive penalty. “I thought we moved the ball good,” Lockie said of the day overall. “(But there were) too many backwards plays, whether it be penalties or a snap or something. We can’t move backwards that much.”

Lockie had a productive day overall. In clutch, when the offense just needed a field goal, he was facing fourth down from the 37-yard line after a couple dropped passes, and from there threw a touchdown pass to Dwayne Stanford. Lockie had a 29-yard TD pass to Jalen Brown in an overtime drill to end the day – after another untimely penalty moved the ball backwards – and the junior QB also ran for a touchdown.

In the first scrimmage, Lockie ran for two scores, but didn’t throw for any. Today he accounted for three total touchdowns, two through the air. “Honestly I just want to get in,” he said. “So either way works for me.”

Lockie “won” the overtime drill with his unit, after Henry Mondeaux flushed Alie from the pocket on fourth down to end the possession for the twos. In the middle of the morning, the defense made a series of stops that included Charles Nelson breaking up a pass on third-and-long, a fumble recovery by a player I couldn’t identify, an interception by Rodney Hardrick, an incompletion on fourth down in the red zone, Springs’ diving interception, and later a fumble recovery by De’Quan McDowell.

“We’ve got some room to get better,” Springs said. “We’re not as good as we were last year off the bat. But it took some time to get going last year, too, and I think we’re headed in the right direction.”

Other highlights: Stanford had a second touchdown grab, a sweet snag in the back of the end zone from Morgan Mahalak in a red-zone drill. That was a nice bounce-back for Mahalak after earlier he had time expire on his unit during a clutch scenario. … Travis Jonsen had a 1-yard TD run on his possession during clutch, after moving the ball with completions to Alex Ofodile and Bralon Addison. Jonsen showed good situational awareness by running up to spike the ball after Addison’s catch, saving just enough time for the final play. … Lockie’s TD run in the red zone and one on the following possession by Alie both were situations in which the defense lost contain of the pocket.

Other observations: The coaching staff worked a few more veterans into the rotation today, after holding some guys back in the first scrimmage. … Ty Griffin continues to work in a bunch of special teams roles, including punt and kick coverage, and fielding kickoffs. He said he’s helping out in part due to some guys being banged up. … Along with his overtime touchdown grab, Jalen Brown had a really nice rep on kickoff coverage, containing the edge to force the runner back inside and then getting in on the tackle.