The Oregon Ducks‘ Saturday night win over the UCLA Bruins was an important one. The team moved to 4-0 on the year, they won their first Big Ten game ever, and for the second week in a row, they looked like the Ducks we expected to see from the outset this season — not the shaky team whose biggest kryptonite is the state of Idaho.
Senior wide receiver Tez Johnson is a big reason for the Oregon offense’s newfound cohesion. Johnson is averaging 77.8 yards and a touchdown on a stunning 8.25 catches per game this season. Against UCLA, Johnson had his best performance yet, with 11 catches for 121 yards and 2 TDs.
Johnson’s stellar performance, rightfully, made him the Big Ten’s Offensive Player of the Week. He shares this week’s title with Michigan running back Kalel Mullings, who rushed for 11 yards and 2 TDs on 24 carries this weekend against Minnesota.
The first talking point in conversations around Johnson is his speed. And while certain parts of Johnson’s game like his pass-catching and route-running are perhaps overlooked because of his quickness, his wheels were on full display on the first of his two touchdowns.
“I just outran them,” Johnson said of the play. “When I saw it, I put my hand up.
Johnson’s start to the season hasn’t just been impressive, it has the potential for history. Last season, Johnson’s 86 catches was an Oregon single-season record, and with 33 catches through four games, Johnson is on pace for 99 receptions in the regular season, with the potential for more in the postseason. If Johnson stays on that pace — or even a slightly slower one — he’ll shatter the Ducks’ career receptions record of 178 (set by Jeff Maehl) as well as his own single-season record.
The Oregon offense will have a greater challenge this week against Michigan State. While the Bruins allow the second-most yards per game in the Big Ten, the Spartans are in the top half of the conference. Johnson will likely be matched up with Charles Brantley, a top 10 CB in the Big Ten per PFF, but with Johnson’s skills, we can still expect a big game.
