Leading up to the Fiesta Bowl, DuckTV will be breaking down every aspect of the game.
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Keys to the Game
Linebackers
Defensive Backs
By Zach Goldstein
The entire Kansas State defensive line is composed of a group of burly seniors, weighing in at an average of just under three hundred pounds. As we saw against Stanford, the Ducks ground game can take a statistical hit when facing a hefty front four. Like Oregon’s own Dion Jordan, Kanas State also possesses a Ted Hendricks Award Candidate in Meshak Williams. Williams is a terror from his defensive end spot, tallying ten sacks in 12 games. Williams also accumulated 14 tackles for a loss and averaged over two solo tackles a game.
Adam Davis, a highly talented pass rusher plays the other defensive end position and is just as dynamic. Not only can Davis sack the quarterback, which he’s done nine times in twelve games, Davis is also a skilled open field tackler. With 38 solo tackles on the year, look for Davis to factor heavily in K-State’s effort to force the Duck running backs inside.
Now for the tackles, Vai Lutui and John Sua. Lutui is a 6’2, 300 pound tackle, with 22 tackles on the year in 12 games to go along with 8 tackles for a loss. Lutui is a big bruising tackle who could create disruption inside for the Ducks o-line.
The last member of the starting Kansas State D-Line is John Sua. Sua who stands at 6’0, weighs in at over 300 hundred pounds and does a good job to clog up holes in the middle of the line. His numbers aren’t anywhere near those of his line mates and look for the Ducks to go at Sua’s direction as he lacks the quickness to laterally keep up with the speedy Oregon offensive weapons.
In terms of the Oregon D-Line, what they lack for in size they more than make up in speed and athleticism. Dion Jordan is the star of the group, make no mistake about it, a healthy #96 means a long day for the Wildcats and their offensive line. Jordan comes off a year in which he was named to the All-Pac 12 First Team as well as finishing as a finalist for the Dick Butkus Award. Jordan’s senior year saw him accumulate 44 tackles, including 10 1/2 for a loss and 5 sacks. Jordan will need to play smart as he will try and contain the once Heisman hopeful Collin Klein.
The other defensive end for the Ducks is junior Taylor Hart, like Jordan, Hart has a rare blend of size (Jordan is 6’7 while Hart is 6’6) and athleticism. Hart tallied eight sacks and 33 total tackles over the course of the twelve games he played. Both ends, Hart and Jordan, must play smart in order to contain the elusive Klein. On the inside part of the line lie two run clogging beasts, Isaac Remington and Wade Keliikipi.
Remington who serves as a valuable asset to the line is a monster of a player at 6’6,300 lbs, his numbers don’t wow you, he averages under two tackles of a game but he’s a force to be reckoned with and sometimes draws double teams which could lead to high sack totals for both Hart and Jordan.
Lastly is Wade Keliikipi who has impressed as a junior in his nine games. Keliikipi had averaged over two tackles a game as he totaled twenty and through in two sacks as well.
Overall the D-line battle seems to be pretty even with the edge at defensive end going to the Ducks while the Wildcats tackles are more imposing than that of the Ducks. The battle of the trenches will be an interesting one to say the least.