EUGENE -- After dominating opponents at the line of scrimmage and pounding the ball on the ground for much of the first six weeks of the season, Oregon has paid the price in back-to-back losses for attempting to fix what wasn't broken with its offense: Its running game.
The Ducks lost their identity over the last two weeks, abandoning a rushing attack that led the Pac-12 prior to the Washington game in favor of more pass-heavy play-calling, even early in losses to Washington State and Arizona. The former was palatable given the second-half comeback, the defensive scheme of the Cougars and how they are perceived.