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GAMEDAY 10.28.21

FLIPPING LIFE’S TESTS INTO OPPORTUNITIES Life has always challenged Oregon defensive end Bradyn Swinson. From those battles, he has learned to maximize every opportunity that presents itself.

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NEWSROOM

Editor in Chief Sarah-Mae McCullough Managing Editor Jael Calloway Copy Chief Amanda Lurey Sports Editor Shane Hoffmann Reporters John Rustik Eric Berniker Daniel Vigil Charles Gearing Aaron Heisen Photo Editor Ian Enger Design Editor Kira Chan

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ON THE COVER

(Courtesy of Scott Boldt and Ducks Digest)

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OREGON

COLORADO

OREGON OFFENSE

COLORADO OFFENSE

Daniel Arias No. 6 WR-X JR

Kris Hutson No.14 WR-Z FR

Brenden Rice No. 2 WR-Z FR

Mycah Pittman No. 4 WR-H SO

Dimitri Stanley

George Moore

Jake Wiley No. 60 LT RS FR

Johnny Johnson III

No. 3

No. 77

WR-X

RS SR/TR

No. 14

WR-F

RS SO

T.J. Bass No. 56 LG JR/TR

Kary Kutsch No. 58 LG SR/TR

Alex Forsyth

RS JR

Colby Pursell

No. 65

RS JR

Ryan Walk No. 53 RG RS JR

Casey Roddick

No. 70

RS SO

Steven Jones

No. 74

RS SO

Frank Fillip

No. 76

RS SO

Terrance Ferguson

No. 19

TE-F

Brady Russell

No. 38

RS JR

No. 78

Moliki Matavao No. 8 TE-Y FR

Brendon Lewis No. 12 QB FR

Anthony Brown No. 13 QB GR/TR

Jarek Broussard

No. 23

RS SO

Travis Dye No. 26 RB JR

COLORADO DEFENSE

OREGON DEFENSE Brandon Dorlus No. 3 DE SO Popo Aumavae

No. 50

RS JR

Keyon Ware-Hudson

No. 59

RS FR

Kayvon Thibodeaux No. 5 JOKER SO Keith Brown No. 21 WILL FR Noah Sewell No. 1 MIKE FR Mase Funa No. 47 OLB SO DJ James No. 00 BCB SO Steve Stephens IV

No. 7

RS SO

Verone McKinley III

No. 23

RS SO

Mykael Wright No. 2 FCB SO Jamal Hill No. 19 STAR SO

Terrance Lang

No. 54

RS JR

Mustafa Johnson

No. 34

SR/TR

Jalen Sami

No. 99

RS SO

Carson Wells No. 26 DE RS JR Jack Lamb No. 15 SAM GR/TR Nate Landman No. 53 MIKE SR Quinn Perry

No. 12

WILL

RS JR/TR

Mekhi Blackmon

No. 6

LCB

RS JR

Mark Perry No. 5 FS SO Isaiah Lewis

No. 23

RS JR

Christian Gonzalez

No. 3

RCB

COLORADO SPECIAL TEAMS

OREGON SPECIAL TEAMS Josh Watts No. 89 PT/H SO Tom Snee

No. 38

PT/H

RS SO

Camden Lewis No. 49 PK/KO SO Karsten Battles No. 63 LS JR Mycah Pittman No. 4 PR SO Mykael Wright No. 2 KR SO PA G E 4

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Cole Becker No. 36 PK/KO RS SO Derek Bedell

No. 87

RJ SO

Dimitri Stanley No. 14 PR JR Brenden Rice No. 2 KR RS FR/TR

GAMEDAY

STRUGGLING

COLORADO COMES TO

EUGENE

Ducks look to play a more complete game in favorable matchup. BY: Eric Berniker The Colorado Buffaloes will come sputtering into Eugene this weekend with a 2-5 record in tow. Oregon and Colorado did not meet last year. The scheduled matchup was canceled when the Ducks replaced the Washington Huskies in the Pac-12 championship game, defeating USC. The Ducks (6-1) will look to win their third in a row Saturday and keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

the Colorado defense. Two years ago he had 14 tackles against the Ducks. This year he leads the third best scoring defense in the Pac-12, giving up 20.7 points per game. “He’s a special player,” Cristobal said. “It’s hard to find guys who diagnose plays that quickly… when he gets there you feel it too.” When Colorado has the ball

When Oregon has the ball The Ducks are coming off of a week in which they produced 419 yards of offense, going 7 of 9 on third down. In the absence of tailback CJ Verdell, Travis Dye shouldered the running load for the Ducks. Last week he set an NCAA record with four touchdowns on four consecutive touches. Polarizing quarterback Anthony Brown has seen an increase in production, throwing the ball a season-high 39 times last week. Brown lacks the downfield throwing arm head coach Mario Cristobal once had in Justin Herbert, but he’s shown the ability to drive the field, making sound decisions in offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead’s run pass option offense. The defensive side of the ball is not the reason Colorado is second to last in the Pac-12. AllAmerican senior linebacker Nate Landman anchors

Colorado has the second-lowest scoring offense in the Pac-12. Averaging 15.1 points per game and 13.7 first downs per game, the Buffaloes have struggled to move the field and put points on the board. Freshman quarterback Brendon Lewis leads the only Pac-12 offense yet to amass 1,000 yards through the air this season. In lieu of a passing offense, the Buffaloes rely heavily on their backfield to run the ball. Oregon’s defense in coordinator Tim DeRuyter’s unit has been beat up all year, but has been constantly improving. Last week, after giving up 14 first-quarter points to UCLA, DeRuyter’s “bend don’t break” defense held the Bruins to 3 points in the second and third quarters before costly turnovers gave the Bruins field position to add 14 points in the fourth. Each week, the Ducks slowly turn up pressure

The Ducks swarm to the ball. Oregon Ducks Football takes on the Colorado Buffaloes at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. on Oct. 11, 2019. (Kimberly Harris/Emerald

throughout the game. This week, given Colorado’s offensive pitfalls in the passing game, Oregon’s defense, led by hard hitters Kayvon Thibodeaux and Noah Sewell, can afford to be more aggressive as they hope to shut down Colorado’s running attack. Special teams The Ducks have much to clean up after an erroneous performance on special teams last week. Oregon suffered two unforced errors: junior kicker Camden Lewis missed a PAT, his first unsuccessful attempt of the season. Oregon special teams also suffered its first turnover of the season, as Tom Snee’s punt was blocked. Other stories In an ongoing controversy, many Oregon fans have called for the starting of freshman phenom quarterback Ty Thompson over the sometimes sporadic Brown. Two weeks ago at Autzen Stadium, cheers of “We want Ty” echoed after multiple unsuccessful Oregon drives. This week, pay attention to the demeanor of the home crowd in reaction to their quarterback against a seemingly inferior opponent.

Students in the stands cheer on the Ducks. The Oregon Ducks take on the California Golden Bears at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Oct. 15, 2021. (Serei Hendrie/Emerald)

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The Oregon Ducks take on the California Golden Bears at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on October 15, 2021. (Serei Hendrie/Emerald)

A FIERCE FRONT:

OREGON RUN DEFENSE REINVENTS ITSELF IN 2021 BY: Charles Gearing @GearingCharlie

The Ducks’ all-important road win at UCLA provides proof of defensive improvements, especially against the run. First it was UCLA’s Demetric Felton, then Oregon State’s Jermar Jefferson and Iowa State’s Breece Hall. By the end of 2020’s abbreviated season, they made it all too clear that Oregon football had a glaring problem — its run defense. In three of seven matchups in the shortened 2020 season, the Ducks allowed over 200 yards rushing. Oregon finished 4-3 with a Fiesta Bowl loss to Iowa State, and its inability to get off the field in critical situations was a leading reason. “I think our overall performance was just kind of flat,” former Duck and current Minnesota Viking

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defensive tackle Jordon Scott said following the 3417 loss to Iowa State, where they allowed 228 total yards on the ground. He added: “I just think that next season and this offseason for Oregon — I know those guys will be working hard and next season they’ll come out improved.” Scott was right. This year, the Ducks (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12) have made significant improvements against the run, and last week’s 34-31 road victory at UCLA serves as ample proof.

The Ducks, despite their 10th overall ranking, entered the Rose Bowl last Saturday a narrow underdog, due in major part to the UCLA running game — an explosive, complex system that few teams around the Pac-12 have had an answer to. Leading up to Saturday’s matchup with the Ducks, UCLA running back Zach Charbonnet averaged 6.4 yards per attempt, rushed for seven touchdowns and reached over 100 yards in five of the Bruins’ seven matchups. But the Oregon defense — a fierce conglomerate of brute strength, speed and athleticism — stalled

GAMEDAY

Charbonnet, limiting him to 35 yards on 15 rushing attempts and cutting his average yards per play to 2.3. Bruins quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who also poses a legitimate running threat, was held to 35 rushing yards and was sacked four times on Saturday. “Sky is the limit for these guys, this team and this defense,” Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal said after the Ducks’ victory at UCLA. “Those guys just rose to the occasion. They knew they were going to have to strike blockers, get off blocks and make plays. And our guys did it again, again and again.” It was Kayvon Thibodeaux’s first full game in action, and he made his presence felt. The future NFL first-rounder had nine tackles, including four and a half for a loss, as well as two sacks and a forced fumble against the Bruins. “He’s a monster,” Ducks safety Verone McKinley III said. “Like I’ve said before, you have to account for him at all costs, no matter where he’s at. Leaving him one on one, it’s very hard to win your one on

one against him.” He was unguardable and helped apply an exhausting pressure on Thompson-Robinson that rendered a UCLA offense unable to protect its early two-score lead. “He changed the game, and I think what’s evident is he has worked himself — he hasn’t inherited — into being the most impactful defensive player in college football,” Cristobal said. It wasn’t the Ducks’ first time standing tall against the run, and it likely won’t be the last. Battered as it is, the Oregon defense has thrived in stopping the run. Missing linebackers Justin Flowe and Mase Funa, as well as facing stints without Thibodeaux, the defensive front has, for the most part, remained stout. Through seven weeks, the Oregon defense has recorded 42 total tackles for loss and 16 sacks. It also ranks second in the Pac-12 in yards per attempt, limiting its opponents to 3.4 per carry. Even in games where they’ve allowed higher-

than-normal total rushing yardage, the Ducks have been opportunistic, making a difference in the game in key situations and moments. In the week six bout with the Cal Bears, the Ducks allowed 155 yards on the ground — their secondhighest allowed rushing tally of the season. But, in the red zone, the story was different. The Oregon defense held Cal without a rushing touchdown all night, most notably in the game’s final moments where the Ducks avoided overtime and solidified the win with several stops on the goal line. The No. 7 Ducks are favorites in each of their remaining matchups, but it won’t be easy. They’ll face huge tests against Oregon State and Utah, who rank first and fifth in the conference respectively, in average rushing yards per game. If the Ducks are to win out and find themselves in the playoff picture come December, emphasis needs to be placed on the defense’s ability to address complex running schemes and make teams pay with its physicality.

The Oregon Ducks take on the California Golden Bears at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Oct. 15, 2021. (Serei Hendrie/Emerald)

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A DEDICATED PASS-RUSHER Oregon defensive end Bradyn Swinson’s future grew murky time and time again, yet he continued to pursue the sport he loves. BY: Aaron Heisen @aaron_heisen (Courtesy of Scott Boldt and Ducks Digest)

For Oregon defensive end Bradyn Swinson, fighting through blindside blocks and filling gaps has not always come easy. Swinson tore his right meniscus against Ohio State, but returned to action against Cal to make a gamesaving tackle. On third-and-goal from the three-yard line, the Golden Bears attempted a disguised quarterback sneak, but Swinson sniffed out the trickery and broke up the play. “Bradyn made a big-time play coming underneath the block and getting the quarterback down,” Oregon defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter said. The stop’s difficulty was heightened by its timing, and soon PA G E 8

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after Swinson’s injury. But Swinson has never let life’s unforeseen circumstances come between him and the sport he loves. Years before Oregon recruited the 6-foot-4 defensive end from Douglasville, Georgia, Swinson was a scrawny kid unsure where the future of his football career was headed—only to see that career nearly derailed by a car accident and lingering injury. Since coming to Oregon, he’s maximized every opportunity. After a quiet first season in a Ducks uniform, the second-year freshman was entrusted with a starting role after Kayvon Thibodeaux sustained a leg injury against Fresno State. Swinson stepped into that role

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and immediately produced. He had five tackles, including one sack, in Oregon’s upset victory at Ohio State. Just as it seemed Swinson was establishing himself as a core piece of the Ducks’ defensive line rotation, life stunted his success. He slightly tore his meniscus and was forced to miss the next three games. At first, he was discouraged by the news. It marked the first time in Swinson’s football career where he was forced to miss game action. For someone who prides himself on consistently showing up for his teammates, Swinson was lost— unaware of how he could contribute to the Ducks while he was forced to sit out.

His mother Kelli reminded him that going to physical therapy every day and staying focused on getting back to the best version of himself was a huge contribution to the team. Swinson dedicated himself to the recovery process. He worked diligently with the Ducks’ training staff and returned within the threeweek timeline they set. “I feel even better than before I hurt my knee,” Swinson said. Swinson showed up in crunch time against Cal and contributed another sack this past week in the Ducks’ 3431 victory over the UCLA Bruins. His ability to maximize a recovery process and stay level-headed while watching his teammates from the sidelines dates back to eighth grade

GAMEDAY

“AFTER GOING THROUGH THAT THERAPY, HE EXPLODED AS A FOOTBALL PLAYER.” PLAYER.” KELLI SWINSON

(Courtesy of Scott Boldt and Ducks Digest)

when he and Kelli were in a car accident. Headed home from school on Georgia’s Interstate-20, a vehicle was stopped in the middle of the highway. In a maneuver to avoid oncoming traffic and protect her son, Kelli swerved right, ensuring the left side of the car would collide with the stopped vehicle. Directly following the accident, it seemed they had escaped without any significant injuries. Months later, Swinson, who was a two-sport athlete in high school, began to feel discomfort in his back and lower body during baseball season. He and his mom decided to see a physical therapist who diagnosed Swinson with a spinal tilt.

Swinson began a recovery process that would help realign his spinal cord. It resulted in a significant growth spurt. Within two weeks of exercises, he shot up two inches, Kelli said, and eventually grew to 6-foot-4. Swinson recalled needing time to feel comfortable in his new body type. But once he made that adjustment, he began to establish himself as one of the elite high school football stars in Georgia. “After going through that therapy, he exploded as a football player,” Kelli said. Excelling at high school football in Georgia is a direct ticket to playing in the SEC. During his junior season, Swinson began to receive recruiting

attention from Missouri, Georgia and Alabama, along with numerous schools in the ACC. Swinson was on track to achieve the dream that many young football players aspire to. But he quickly grew unsure if the SEC was the right move. Alabama and Georgia build their defensive lines with size, so they viewed Swinson as a “tweener” — too small to play defensive end, but too big for line-backer. Then Oregon called. “Oregon always had a plan for Bradyn,” Kelli said. “I’ve never seen my son as happy as he was while he was talking to the Oregon coaches and visiting the school.” Playing on a star-studded defensive line that includes

Thibodeaux, Brandon Dorlus, Keyon Ware-Hudson and Popo Aumavae, Swinson doesn’t find himself in the spotlight often. That has never bothered Swinson, whose comfort shifting between a starting role and a complementary spot comes from his “win together, lose together” mentality. Success has followed for a lineman who weaves around blocks like he has obstacles. “Bradyn showed me he was willing to put it all on the line for himself and his teammates when he played both sides and almost played himself into exhaustion,” Kelli said. “He didn’t come off the field until the end of the game. And, when he did, his teammates had to splash water on him to cool his body down.”

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GAMEDAY Oregon Head Coach Mario Cristobal raises his hat in celebration. Oregon Ducks football takes on Utah for the Pac 12 Championship game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Dec. 6, 2019. (DL Young/Emerald)

MARIO CRISTOBAL ENTERS WATCHLIST FOR COACHING AWARD Oregon’s Mario Cristobal was recently named to the watch list for the 2021 Dodd Trophy, college football’s most coveted coaching award. The officials from the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation released their midseason watch list last Thursday — a record of the 16 highest rated coaches in NCAA Division 1 football. According to the Dodd Trophy website, the award honors a coach whose football program represents “three pillars of success: Scholarship, Leadership and Integrity.” The last time a Pac-12 head coach won the award was Kyle Whittingham from Utah back in 2019. That year, Whittingham won over notable finalists such as Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, LSU’s Ed Orgeron and Baylor’s Matt Rhule. This year, Cristobal is the only Pac-12 coach to make the watch list. The 2021 list includes: Ohio State’s Ryan Day, Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh and, of course, Alabama’s veteran Nick Saban. Although Pac-12 coaches like Whittingham and Stanford’s David Shaw have won the trophy in

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Why Cristobal’s potential win of the coveted coaching award is important. BY: Daniel Vigil @dannyvigill

recent years, Cristobal winning would feel different because of the culture he has brought to Oregon. It could possibly bring Oregon and the Pac-12 conference to new heights. Before the 2021 season, the Oregon program and its coach were surrounded by expectations — good and bad. The Ducks opened up as favorites to win the Pac-12. And, after defeating Ohio State on the road, many predicted them to make a run for the playoff. What has happened since then? The Ducks defeated then-No. 3 Ohio State for the first time in program history. They now sit as the only one loss team in their conference at No. 7 in the AP Poll. Despite losing the playoff spot after their loss to Stanford, Oregon is in the national spotlight. Enough of the stats. Since 2018, Cristobal has asserted himself as a top coach in college football with an impressive resume. Some notable achievements include back-to-back Pac-12 championships and multiple first-round NFL draft picks. With a top-five recruiting class in the nation, Cristobal has created quite the environment

in Eugene. During his tenure, Cristobal has embodied the definition of leadership. His promotion from offensive line coach to head coach was fueled in part by a players-only petition. Players agreed to sign the petition because he was a coach they wanted to play for – and a coach the team could trust. “You can actually see the passion, the fire of what he wants out of a program,” Oregon associate head coach Joe Salave’a said, speaking about Cristobal and his work ethic. Cristobal winning the Dodds Trophy would only heighten and bring more of a spotlight to what Cristobal is doing for Oregon’s program. And, with the spotlight on Oregon, it brings the Pac-12 to a higher level because of the recruits coming to play for Cristobal and the rest of the conference. Although it is only the middle of the season and Cristobal has not been named a finalist yet for the trophy, the win for him would bring a win to the Pac-12 conference.

Handel’s Ice Cream 47554 The Oregon Ducks take on the California Golden Bears at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Oct. 15, 2021. (Serei Hendrie/Emerald)

The Oregon Ducks take on the California Golden Bears at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Oct. 15, 2021. (Serei Hendrie/Emerald)

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GAMEDAY

’ S ’ I S I W E W L E L N E N D E D M A M CCA E C E N C A N R A E R V E E V S E R S E R P E P BY: John Rustik

The Oregon kicker has taken 2021 by storm and continues to prove doubters wrong.

RIGHT: Ducks kicker Camden Lewis (49) runs up to kick a field goal. The Oregon Ducks host Fresno State on Sept. 4, 2021, for game one of the 2021 season. (Ian Enger/Emerald)

Ducks kicker Camden Lewis (49) stops to wave before half time commences. Oregon Ducks Football host annual Spring game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on May 1, 2021. (Maddie Stellingwerf)

In the first quarter of the Ducks’ matchup with Cal, Camden Lewis went out onto the field to try and put the Ducks ahead 3-0. In order to give Oregon the lead, he had to make a 49-yard field goal, the longest of his career. After an excellent hold and blocking, Lewis kicked the ball and watched as it hooked right through the uprights. A perfect kick. The sophomore kicker has quickly become one of the strongest in the conference. After years of criticism, he’s silenced doubters this season and became one of the most reliable Oregon kickers since Aidan Schneider in 2014. The first two seasons for Lewis featured immense highs and crushing lows. Despite struggling with consistency his freshman and sophomore year, to the point where he lost the kicking job to Henry Kattleman, he made a game-winning field goal against Washington State, becoming the first kicker to win a game for Oregon since Paul Martinez also did so against the Cougars in 2005. While the game-winner was an exciting moment for Lewis and the team, the following season was fraught with hardships. Lewis was relieved of field goal kicking duties at the end of the 2020 season before the Oregon State game. He had to watch as the Ducks lost three of the last four games of the 2020 season. While he could have given up or T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 2 8 , 2 0 2 1

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GAMEDAY transferred, Lewis was motivated by the end of 2020 to work harder –– and to be more prepared to work harder than ever in 2021. Lewis is a perfect 7-7 on field goals this season, making him the most accurate field goal kicker in the Pac-12. He has made three kicks over 40 yards, while in the three previous seasons combined he only made one. His ability to tune out the doubt and improve exponentially is inspiring. “You just can’t give up,” Lewis said in September. “You can’t ever just give in. I knew what I was capable of. I knew what I could do, and it really just came down to believing in myself.” While it seemed many had turned away from him, there were people that didn’t. Two of those people were his parents. “They’re always the ones who are there for me,” Lewis said. “They’ve been through a lot of stuff. They’ve faced criticism; they’ve accepted it; they know how to deal with it. They’ve taught me a lot.” After losing field goal kicking duties in 2020, he fought back and managed to earn the starting position for the 2021 season. This is a decision that head coach Mario Cristobal would not regret. “It’s because he endured, he weathered the storm, and all he did was he poured into his craft,” Cristobal said after Lewis’ career long mark against Cal. “All the noise was continuing to grow around him. He got lost in it, and he came out on the other side kicking butt.”

YOU CAN’T EVER JUST GIVE IN. I KNEW WHAT I WAS CAPABLE OF. I KNEW WHAT I COULD DO, AND IT REALLY JUST CAME DOWN TO BELIEVING IN MYSELF.” CAMDEN LEWIS , the Ducks Kicker

Ducks Kicker Camden Lewis looks up at the field goal after missing a previous attempt earlier in the game. Oregon Ducks Football takes on the University of Arizona Wildcats at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. on Nov. 16, 2019. PA G E 1 4

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The Oregon Ducks take on the California Golden Bears at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Oct. 15, 2021. (Serei Hendrie/Emerald)

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