We played poorly is several areas, but no detection of quitting or backing down.   Coach Taggart keeping his team together and working with effort may be the most rational hope for this young team for now.      

I'm tempted to say 'throw the ball, how it could it be worse!", but it could have been worse.     Mr Burmeister is a just out of HS and has lots to learn on running the option, it may not be reasonable to throw more split second decision on him for the passing game.
Either way I trust coach Taggart and his staff, (all with incredible records in winning programs), are far smarter about preparing young men for a very high stress game, mentally, physically and emotional than anybody I know.    

It's fun to speculate, it is sports after all, but I support this Ducks football team, every last one of them, win or lose.