GLENDALE, Ariz. -- LaMichael James enjoyed a
rare moment of unimpeded progress as he
walked through the tunnels of University of
Phoenix Stadium toward the Oregon team bus
late Monday night.
"It's so quiet," he said with a wistful smile.
Like a funeral.
The lasting image from Auburn's 22-19 victory
over Oregon in the BCS Championship Game
was freshman running back Michael Dyer's 37-
yard run after everyone in the building thought
he had been tackled, setting up Auburn's winning
field goal.
But the lasting image for James, coach Chip Kelly
and Ducks quarterback Darron Thomas was of
an offense that never materialized.
Oregon led the nation in points per game (49.1)
and plays per minute this season.
But a combination of Auburn's defensive front
and Oregon's critical mistakes produced the
second-lowest scoring game of Kelly's Oregon
tenure and the lowest rushing total of James'
season (49 yards).
"The matchup with our offensive line against their
defensive line was really the changing point in
that football game," Kelly said. "I will give Auburn
credit. They've got a great front four. Nick Fairley
proved he was the best defensive lineman in the
country. It was a tough matchup for us."
It was also a familiar feeling.
With extra time to prepare for the Ducks' high-
flying offense, Ohio State shut Oregon down in a
26-17 Rose Bowl victory last season.
The Tigers did the same, holding Oregon to a
field goal on one red-zone trip, stuffing them on
fourth-and-goal on another, burying James in the
end zone for a safety and turning a presumed
offensive battle into a showcase for their defense.
There were times when Auburn's defense
appeared gassed by Oregon's pace of play, so
Tigers coach Gene Chizik used his timeouts as
breathers.
After scoring their first touchdown at the 10:58
mark of the second quarter, the Ducks went the
better part of three quarters without another
before breaking through with a touchdown drive
and 2-point conversion to tie the score 19-19 with
2:33 left, threatening to erase a game's worth of
trends and render Heisman Trophy winner Cam
Newton a goat after his costly fumble.
The comeback was short-lived, as the Tigers
quickly responded with the help of Dyer's bizarre
big gain to drive down for Wes Byrum's game-
winning 19-yard field goal. But the outcome was
determined just as much by Auburn's ability to
manhandle the Ducks up front, leaving the
nation's No. 4 rusher with no clear lanes to create
the big plays he had all season.
"It is really tough to get around those guys,"
James said. "They just have great defenders."
Thomas tried to pick up the slack by throwing for
career highs in yards (363), completions (27) and
attempts (40). But he also equaled his season
high with two interceptions.
"They didn't stop us, we stopped ourselves,"
Thomas insisted. "Those two plays (the
interceptions) stick in my head. We still could
have won the game."
But the Ducks did not.
There was much discussion of Oregon's speed
advantage in the weeks leading up to the game. It
was never in evidence Monday.
There was much attention paid to Kelly's
offensive creativity – the razzle-dazzle plays, the
gambles and the pace. It didn't produce results.
When it really mattered, Oregon couldn't do the
good, old-fashioned things it needed to do to
crown this season with a most meaningful win.
It couldn't match Auburn's physical, fundamental
brand of football.
As a result, Kelly is 0-2 in BCS bowl games and
the Ducks are still a program hovering outside
college football's upper echelon.
"I said in my first game when I was the head
coach, one game doesn't define you as a person
or as a football player," Kelly said. "The same
thing still holds true."
Source: Http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/01/10/11/High-powered-Ducks-run-out-of-gas-/landing.html?blockID=388799&feedID=3698
rare moment of unimpeded progress as he
walked through the tunnels of University of
Phoenix Stadium toward the Oregon team bus
late Monday night.
"It's so quiet," he said with a wistful smile.
Like a funeral.
The lasting image from Auburn's 22-19 victory
over Oregon in the BCS Championship Game
was freshman running back Michael Dyer's 37-
yard run after everyone in the building thought
he had been tackled, setting up Auburn's winning
field goal.
But the lasting image for James, coach Chip Kelly
and Ducks quarterback Darron Thomas was of
an offense that never materialized.
Oregon led the nation in points per game (49.1)
and plays per minute this season.
But a combination of Auburn's defensive front
and Oregon's critical mistakes produced the
second-lowest scoring game of Kelly's Oregon
tenure and the lowest rushing total of James'
season (49 yards).
"The matchup with our offensive line against their
defensive line was really the changing point in
that football game," Kelly said. "I will give Auburn
credit. They've got a great front four. Nick Fairley
proved he was the best defensive lineman in the
country. It was a tough matchup for us."
It was also a familiar feeling.
With extra time to prepare for the Ducks' high-
flying offense, Ohio State shut Oregon down in a
26-17 Rose Bowl victory last season.
The Tigers did the same, holding Oregon to a
field goal on one red-zone trip, stuffing them on
fourth-and-goal on another, burying James in the
end zone for a safety and turning a presumed
offensive battle into a showcase for their defense.
There were times when Auburn's defense
appeared gassed by Oregon's pace of play, so
Tigers coach Gene Chizik used his timeouts as
breathers.
After scoring their first touchdown at the 10:58
mark of the second quarter, the Ducks went the
better part of three quarters without another
before breaking through with a touchdown drive
and 2-point conversion to tie the score 19-19 with
2:33 left, threatening to erase a game's worth of
trends and render Heisman Trophy winner Cam
Newton a goat after his costly fumble.
The comeback was short-lived, as the Tigers
quickly responded with the help of Dyer's bizarre
big gain to drive down for Wes Byrum's game-
winning 19-yard field goal. But the outcome was
determined just as much by Auburn's ability to
manhandle the Ducks up front, leaving the
nation's No. 4 rusher with no clear lanes to create
the big plays he had all season.
"It is really tough to get around those guys,"
James said. "They just have great defenders."
Thomas tried to pick up the slack by throwing for
career highs in yards (363), completions (27) and
attempts (40). But he also equaled his season
high with two interceptions.
"They didn't stop us, we stopped ourselves,"
Thomas insisted. "Those two plays (the
interceptions) stick in my head. We still could
have won the game."
But the Ducks did not.
There was much discussion of Oregon's speed
advantage in the weeks leading up to the game. It
was never in evidence Monday.
There was much attention paid to Kelly's
offensive creativity – the razzle-dazzle plays, the
gambles and the pace. It didn't produce results.
When it really mattered, Oregon couldn't do the
good, old-fashioned things it needed to do to
crown this season with a most meaningful win.
It couldn't match Auburn's physical, fundamental
brand of football.
As a result, Kelly is 0-2 in BCS bowl games and
the Ducks are still a program hovering outside
college football's upper echelon.
"I said in my first game when I was the head
coach, one game doesn't define you as a person
or as a football player," Kelly said. "The same
thing still holds true."
Source: Http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/01/10/11/High-powered-Ducks-run-out-of-gas-/landing.html?blockID=388799&feedID=3698
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