The Comeback’s college football preview coverage continues with the next team in our Top 50 countdown, the Oregon Ducks of the Pac-12. We’ll move up the list each day, leading up to the beginning of the regular season.

The fall of the Oregon Ducks happened quickly, which is probably appropriate given how the Ducks like to run their offense. Since having a Heisman Trophy winner in Marcus Mariota and a run to the national championship game in the inaugural season using the College Football Playoff model, the Ducks have fallen on hard times.

A constant struggle to find a quarterback and a lack of the big play capabilities Oregon had become known for have resulted in a coaching change this past offseason. Mark Helfrich was cut loose just two years after coaching the Ducks to a Pac-12 title and playoff championship game appearance after going just 4-8 in 2016, Oregon’s worst season since 2004.

With Willie Taggart making his way to the west coast, can the Ducks begin a rebuilding project in quick fashion? Things look to be a bit different moving forward with Coach T driving the bus in Eugene.

No. 32 Oregon Ducks

2016 Record: 4-8

Coach: Willie Taggart (40-45; First season with Oregon)

Last year in a nutshell

Safe to say, the 2016 season was a forgettable one for the Oregon Ducks. After ending the previous season with a monumental collapse in a bowl game against TCU, Oregon started the season with a 2-0 record but dropped to .500 with narrow losses to Nebraska and Colorado. Washington State and Washington then outscored the Ducks by a combined score of 121-54 in the next two games, and a 52-49 loss to Cal two weeks later after a bye put Oregon’s bowl chances on the egde.

Oregon managed to play the unfamiliar role of underdog in an upset of Utah that played a vital role in the Pac-12 South race, but the Ducks lost by wide margins against USC and Stanford and ended a disaster of a season with a loss in the Civil War against Oregon State.

Further complicating the situation for Helfrich and Oregon was what was happening elsewhere in the conference. Washington emerged as the Pac-12’s best. USC surged to a Rose Bowl victory. Colorado – COLORADO! – played for the Pac-12 championship, and Washington State was in a position to do the same right up until the final game of the regular season. The Pac-12 had clearly seen a power shift that left Oregon lagging behind the competition, and the pressure to make a move was mounting.

Recruiting Roundup

247 Sports Composite Ranking: 19th

Despite a rough 2016 season, there is still a draw to playing for Oregon. You can probably thank Nike for that, although Nike continues to spread its wings to other partners to provide some of the same amenities Oregon has had exclusive access to. Regardless, Willie Taggart managed to put together a top 20 class in his first recruiting period in Eugene.

Included in the haul was a pair of four-star cornerbacks – Deommodore Lenoir of Los Angeles and Jaylon Redd of Rancho Cucamonga, CA) – that could become the cornerstone of the Oregon secondary in the next few years. Dual-threat quarterback Braxton Burmeister may not get a chance to play much this season although the QB position is young for Oregon (Justin Herbert is the likely starter for 2016 unless he falters).

3 Key Stats

108 – Oregon’s defense allowed opponents to bust open runs of 10+ yards an astounding 108 times last season, at least 18 more than any other team in the conference allowed. Forget about stopping the run. Oregon just needs to cut down on how many yards are being picked up on the ground at a time. Only Nevada allowed more runs of 10+ yards (117).

6 – Oregon may have had a negative turnover margin last season, but the Ducks had just six passes picked off last fall. No team in the Pac-12 had fewer than eight, other than Oregon. Herbert threw four of those interceptions in the nine games he appeared.

8.3 – Oregon was called for a Pac-12 worst 8.3 penalties per game last season. Part of this is because Oregon was a fairly young team, and those penalties are to be expected, but discipline will have to be addressed with Taggart and his staff if the Ducks are going to stop giving away free yards. There is one slight problem. Taggart’s USF Bulls were called for the second-most penalties per game in the AAC last season (6.4 penalties per game).

Make-Or-Break Games of 2017

Sept. 9 vs. Nebraska

Record in last five meetings: 3-2

Last year’s result: L 35-32

Why it matters: This is all about setting the tone for the program and establishing Autzen Stadium as a place that should be feared once again for Willie Taggart. After coming up just short against the Big Ten’s Cornhuskers in Lincoln last year, this is a redemption game, and scoring a win here for Taggart will help get things back on the right track early on.

Oct. 7 vs. Washington State

Record in last five meetings: 4-1

Last year’s result: L 51-33

Oregon has lost to Washington State in two consecutive seasons. It’s one thing to come up short against Stanford and Washington, but losing three games in a row to Washington State really harms the Oregon program’s outlook moving forward.

Three Key Players

Justin Herbert, QB – Oregon had hoped to thrive for the second year in a row with an FCS transfer (Dakota Prukop) taking snaps with the offense, but it was Justin Herbert who would end the season showing what he can do with the offense in his hands. And it wasn’t too shabby.

Royce Freeman, RB – Incredibly, Royce Freeman is back in Eugene this season, and he’s probably looking for some redemption. After failing to net 1,000 rushing yards, Freeman should be a key player for Taggart and the Ducks this season. His return was a tad surprising but plays a huge role in what happens with the Oregon offense this fall.

Scott Pagano, DT – Joining the Oregon program this fall will be Scott Pagano, a graduate transfer from Clemson. He will jump right into the mix up front, and he could help anchor the defensive effort after coming over from a national championship program. As a graduate transfer, Pagano is good to go this season for the Ducks.

Bold Predictions

Oregon will be back in a bowl game, although third place looks to be the ceiling for the team this fall in a division that still features a well-stocked Washington and the always-tough Stanford. Royce Freeman gets his groove back on the ground with a 1,400-yard season and double-digit touchdowns.

Oregon manages to get into October without a loss, but any hype about Oregon being back will be tempered on the road against Stanford and later at home against Utah before a road trip to Washington.

The Ducks play a more physical style than they are typically known for as Taggart looks to change the culture of the program.

Follow the rest of The Comeback’s Top 50 College Football Countdown leading up to the regular season.