Totally out of line.

[One thing that was obvious about the Boise State game, the offensive line was terrible. If Blount should've been punching anyone, it was them. Basic Knute Rockne philosophy teaches us that if you get the linemen squared away, everything else seems to improve as if by magic. Oregon is aware of it according to this article from the Oregonian.]

Oregon-Purdue: Ducks offensive linemen know they must improve if team is to succeed
Posted by Jeff Smith, The Oregonian September 09, 2009 17:21PM

EUGENE -- When the votes were tallied last month, one of the four Oregon players named season captain was genuinely shocked.
After being known most by outsiders as that other guy on the Sports Illustrated cover, junior center Jordan Holmes was humbled to receive such a prominent responsibility on his team.
"It was a great honor to be elected by my teammates," Holmes said, "and one that I really can't even put into words. No way did I expect this."
Nor could Holmes -- or anybody, for that matter -- have expected the Ducks' woeful offensive performance in their 19-8 loss at Boise State last Thursday.
Front and center for the ineptitude was an inexperienced offensive line, which entered the game as the offensive unit's biggest question mark and failed to do much on the field to change that perception.
Purdue at Oregon
When: 7:15 p.m. Sept. 12Where: EugeneTV: FSNNow that senior running back LeGarrette Blount has been suspended for the season for his postgame punch, even more responsibility falls on the offensive line to help Oregon's new backfield find success.
So much for Holmes getting a chance to ease into his new leadership role.
"We definitely have to focus on keeping the team morale up," said Holmes, referring to fellow captains Jeremiah Masoli, Walter Thurmond and Will Tukuafu. "We've been talking to the guys, making sure that we're avoiding distractions. Last week we didn't get the job done, but we know we're capable. We just have to stay poised and composed."
Easier said than done for an offensive line group that is without six seniors from last year's team and Hamani Stevens (church mission). Oregon's five starters on the line entered the season with a combined 20 starts -- 31 fewer than last year's center, Max Unger, had in his Ducks' career.
In that respect, getting off to a slow start in the first game was understandable. But getting zero first downs and 14 total yards of offense and surrendering a safety in the first half?
"The lack of plays executed in the first half limited our ability to adjust to what they were doing," sophomore right guard Mark Asper said. "We went off last year's Boise State footage and they didn't run any packages like they did last year. It was hard to get adjusted. That whole first half, we were kind of running blind. It felt like you were fighting an uphill battle." [Ya it looked like it too, if by uphill you mean trying to climb out of the open grave you were digging for yourselves.]
Oregon offensive line coach Steve Greatwood took the brunt of the responsibility for his unit's inconsistent performance. Greatwood, voted last season as the nation's top offensive line coach, called the first half one of the strangest he's been a part of in his 25 years of coaching at Oregon.
"I've got to take some accountability for not putting my guys in the best situation schematically or changing things up to give us better success," Greatwood said. "It was a tough place for their first game together. It was loud. We had several guys late off the ball and that allowed some penetration so I've got to look at myself first for that.
"But having said that, it wasn't as dominating when you look at the film as the statistics showed."
In particular, Greatwood was encouraged with the play in the second half, when Oregon's seven first downs allowed the offensive line to get into more of a rhythm.
"It's never as bad as it seems or as good as it seems and we're somewhere right in the middle," Greatwood said. "I was pleased to see them compete and not quit out there. We can build on that."
Injuries haven't helped the offensive line's maturation process over the past five months.
Junior right tackle C.E. Kaiser missed spring workouts with an ankle injury and junior left tackle Bo Thran also missed spring and some of fall camp with a knee injury.
But with Thran getting closer to full strength and redshirt freshman left guard Carson York surviving his first start, the offensive linemen are excited to see their improvement Saturday against Purdue.
"We're not expecting to come out and do that again that's for sure," Thran said. "It was just a first game with a fresh unit. We're still frustrated with how it turned out, but we're looking forward to getting better." [We all are.]
In Oregon's 32-26 double-overtime victory over Purdue last year, the Ducks rushed for 306 yards, led by Blount's 131 yards.
Even though Blount will be watching from the sideline Saturday, the Ducks still plan on following the lead of their young offensive linemen and establishing the ground game.
As the leader of the unit, Holmes can't wait to help open holes for running backs LaMichael James, Kenjon Barner and Andre Crenshaw.
"Our offense is built to cater to all sorts of backs," [Don't overwhelm yourself. Start with just catering to one back. ] Holmes said. "As soon as we get into a groove with them, we'll be fine. Last week was frustrating for everybody, but we're definitely going to move the football this week."
Oregon, which averaged a Pacific-10 Conference-best 277.8 rushing yards per game last season, finished with 31 yards rushing against Boise State.
"We never got going," Asper said. "We're ready to put the run back in our run-and-gun offense." [And put the 'fun' back into blocking fundamentals.]