Breaking Down WSU Matchup: The Offense

This week Oregon faces Pac-12 North opponent Washington State. The Cougars are coming off of a humiliating defeat to the Oregon State Beavers. Having been an improved team much of the season, the Cougars seem to have regressed Saturday. Oregon, playing with back-ups Bryan Bennett and Kenjon Barner in starting roles, seemed to keep rolling along with a 45-2 victory. The Ducks are now 6-1 overall and 4-0 in the Pac-12 Conference while Washington State's loss dropped them to 3-4 on the season with a 1-3 conference record. In this continuing series from Duck Sports Authority we bring you the head-to-head match-ups of the Oregon Ducks and Washington State Cougars. Today the focus is on offense.

QUARTERBACKS

Washington State: The Cougars have been a two-headed quarterback monster by necessity. In their season opener, starter Jeff Tuel broke his clavicle on his first series of a 64-21 win against Idaho State. Tuel, a 6'3" 223 pound junior was playing well before the injury. Senior Marshall Lobbestael stepped in for Tuel and guided the offense very well. Lobbestael has a completion rate of 64.0% going 135-211 for 1739 with 15 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Last season Jeff Tuel was very adept at running the ball, but Lobbestael is not quite as mobile. The Cougars quarterbacks have been susceptible to sacks this season with 22 total sacks on the quarterbacks (Lobbestael, 14; Tuel 8). Six of those sacks came at the hands of the Stanford defense. Tuel is completing just over 64% of his passes on 29-45 for 276 yards with one touchdown.

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