Prospect Matchup Deep Dive Week 2

Recap of Texas RB Bijan Robinson vs. Alabama’s Defensive Front

Last week we dove into Bijan Robinson and his matchup against the Alabama defensive front. It was a dominant defensive performance, but the main reason for that was Robinson lost his starting quarterback Quinn Ewers at the end of the first quarter. This changed the game's trajectory as Alabama could put more bodies in the box and commit themselves to shutting down the run and making Texas throw the ball. Robinson struggled to manifest much on the ground as he ended up with 57 yards on 21 carries. Only one of his carries totaled more than 10 yards, and thirteen of them went for 3 yards or less. The one big play he had was when he was able to sneak in behind the zone coverage for a 42-yard reception. All three Alabama players we highlighted last week were great against the run. Byron Young stuffed the middle of the line, Henry To’oTo’o constantly met Robinson at the line of scrimmage and filled gaps on his way to six tackles, and Will Anderson was immovable and wouldn’t let the Texas offensive line get any push. It would have been interesting to see Texas with Ewers the whole game and how that could have opened things up for Robinson. But Alabama showed from a run-stopping perspective how dominant they can be by holding arguably the best running back in the country in check. This week we head to Eugene, where we will see #25 Oregon host #12 BYU, who is fresh off their big win over Baylor.

This Week's Matchup to Watch

Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez vs. BYU WRs Puka Nacua, Gunner Romney, and Chase Roberts

BYU really struggled to run the ball in their win over Baylor, and they are still trying to find their offensive identity this year after losing now NFL running back Tyson Allgeier from last season. They haven’t had any trouble airing it out, which comes as a surprise as they have been without their two best wide receivers who also happen to be NFL prospects in Puka Nacua and Gunner Romney. As of now, both are game-time decisions for Saturday afternoon. BYU receivers coach Fesi Sitake has said, “both look a lot better than last week; it really is a game-time deal. They look really good, and it is literally day by day”. If both receivers are unable to go, BYU will rely again on redshirt freshman Chase Roberts who had his coming-out party against Baylor. He had 8 catches on 15 targets for 122 yards and a touchdown. He also threw a 22-yard touchdown as well. On the other side of the ball will be Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez. He was dominant last year at Colorado, leading them in pass breakups and touchdowns saved. He then transferred to Oregon for the 2022 season. Gonzalez checks off all the things NFL scouts are looking for. He is long, fast, and has jaw-dropping athleticism. His 6’2 200-pound frame gives him the ability to guard bigger receivers and even allows him to hang with tight ends due to his long arms. As of right now, he is a top-five defensive back on draft boards. Playing for a premier program like Oregon should only increase his stock.

Gonzalez was hard to evaluate in their opening game against Georgia, where they were crushed 49-3. It was hard to get a legit pulse check on where the Oregon defense stood because the Georgia offense jumped on them quickly and was dominant at the line of scrimmage. Then last week, Oregon didn’t get much of a test against Eastern Washington, a matchup where they were heavily favored. This week should give us a true litmus test on where Gonzalez stands against great competition. Our hope is to see all three BYU wide receivers in action and Gonzalez gets a chance to match up with all of them throughout the game. All three of BYU’s receivers possess size and length, which is something Gonzalez should be able to handle with his own athleticism and length. BYU receiver Chase Roberts, who is 6-foot-4 will be a great test for Gonzalez in 1-on-1 coverage on an island. Another big part of BYU’s passing game is yards after the catch. Gonzalez is a sound and solid tackler and will be expected to come up and make plays when these BYU receivers already have the ball in their hands. A massive part of Gonzalez’s test will depend on the health of the BYU receivers. But, regardless, BYU’s passing game gave Baylor issues last week, and their quarterback Jaren Hall is a dual threat who will add his own dynamic ability to enhance whatever talent he has around him at receiver. This will be a primetime matchup for two programs desperately needing this win. BYU could catapult themselves into the playoff discussion and be headed for their best season in decades. Oregon needs a victory at home before heading into conference play, especially after Georgia manhandled them in the season opener. Christian Gonzalez vs. the BYU wide receivers will play a massive role in deciding which program will feel better about their 2022 season on Saturday night.