11/07/19 Emerald Media - Gameday Edition

GAMEDAY 11.7.19

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SPOTLIGHT THE DUCKS HAVE AN ALMOST PERFECT RECORD THIS SEASON AND HAVE TURNED THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT BACK ON THEMSELVES WITH THE POTENTIAL OF MAKING THE PLAYOFF SEASON SNAPSHOTS PG 4

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GAMEDAY

GAMEDAY, the Emerald’s football edition, is published by Emerald Media Group, Inc., the independent nonprofit news company at the University of Oregon founded in 1900.

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NEWSROOM Editor in Chief Michael Tobin Art Director Devin Roux Copy Chief Tanner Shipley Sports Editors Gabriel Ornelas Shane Hoffmann Brady Lim Writers Gabriel Ornelas Shane Hoffmann Brady Lim Noah Noteboom Charlie Gearing Carly Ebisuya Clayton Franke Oscar Duyck Emma Spaeth Photo Editor Sarah Northrop Design Editor Morgan Darby

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ON THE COVER

Oregon and USC face off at the start of the game. (D L Young/Emerald)

OREGON PLAYERS TO WATCH

OREGON OFFENSE

OREGON DEFENSE

Penei Sewell

No. 58

LT

So.

Shane Lemieux

No. 68

LG

Sr.

Jake Hanson

No. 55

C

Sr.

Dallas Warmack

No. 75

RG

Sr.

Calvin Throckmorton No. 54

RT

Sr.

Ryan Bay

No. 87

TE

Sr.

Bryan Addison

No. 80

WR

R-Fr.

Jaylon Redd

No. 30

WR

Jr.

Johnny Johnson III No. 3

WR

Jr.

CJ Verdell

No. 7

RB

So.

Justin Herbert

No. 10

QB

Sr.

Kayvon Thibodeaux No. 5

DE

Fr.

Jordon Scott

No. 34

NT

Jr.

Austin Faoliu

No. 99

DT

Jr.

Bryson Young

No. 56

STUD

Sr.

Isaac Slade-Matautia No. 41

MLB

So.

Troy Dye

No. 35

WILL

Sr.

Jevon Holland

No. 8

NICKEL/SAM So.

Thomas Graham Jr. No. 4

CB

Jr.

Deommodore Lenoir No. 6

CB

Jr.

Nick Pickett

No. 16

S

Jr.

Verone McKinley

No. 23

S

R-Fr.

OREGON SPECIAL TEAMS

Karsten Battles

No. 63

LS

So.

Blake Maimone

No. 42

P

Sr.

Camden Lewis

No. 49

PK

Fr.

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GAMEDAY

Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert (10) begins to stiff arm a defending golden bear. (DL Young/Emerald)

SEASON

SNAPSHOTS

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2012, OREGON SITS AT 6-0 IN PAC-12 PLAY AND IS CARVING A ROAD FOR A POTENTIAL PLAYOFF APPEARANCE. The Ducks celebrate a touchdown. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

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GAMEDAY

A fan runs loose on the field. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

Oregon Duck fans cheer on the team. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

The Duck crowd surfs all the way up to the top of the student section. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald) T H U R S D AY, N O V E M B E R 7 , 2 0 1 9

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GAMEDAY

Ducks safety Brady Breeze (25) gives the finger wag after stopping Colorado. (DL Young/Emerald)

Ducks wide receiver Jaylon Redd (30) celebrates his touchdown with his teammates. (DL Young/Emerald)

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Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert (10) high fives Ducks fans in celebration as he heads to the locker room. (DL Young/Emerald)

GAMEDAY

CALIFORNIA’S RECRUITING HOTBED

HOLDS THE KEY TO THE PAC-12 BY: Shane Hoffmann @shane_hoffmann

Since the Pacific Coast Conference was formed — which would later be renamed multiple times before becoming the Pac-12 — no team has enjoyed more success than USC. In the last 15 years, USC has won the Pac-12 seven times and has long been the face and prevailing brand of the Pac-12.

A changing of the guard is coming, though, and Oregon’s 32-point win against USC on Saturday could figurehead it.

“We have a chance to do something special,” head coach Mario Cristobal said after the win.

While Cristobal was referring to Oregon’s rising CFB Playoff hopes, the win could prove to have ramifications for years to come. With a bounty of 2020 recruits in the stands as the Ducks faced off against the Trojans, it represented more than just another game in the win column.

Saturday’s rout of Oregon’s cross-conference foe was a statement to the current and up-and-coming blue-chip players out of the state of California — the nation’s biggest recruiting hotbed outside of the South.

“We saw a bunch of green scattered throughout the stadium,” linebacker Troy Dye said. “It was pretty big to see all the support we had. We travel well as an Oregon fan base.”

Oregon traveled especially well this week given the amount of family members populating the stands. The Ducks’ success in the past has been built on game-changing California recruits. This year is no different, as a whopping 46 players comprise the “CaliFlock.” Many Ducks either played with or against their SoCal opponents in the past, or in the case of Mycah and Michael Pittman, grew up under the same roof.

Cristobal’s first full recruiting cycle landed at No. 7 nationally and first in the conference, according to 247Composite — two program firsts. His staff prioritizes California, as displayed by the 11 natives in the 26-commit class.

Thus far for 2020, the Ducks sit at No. 15 nationally and second in the Pac-12, just below Washington. It’s a talented class — with a third of the commits hailing from California — but Cristobal and his staff still have work to do if they hope to secure another top-10 group.

Unlike last year when the No. 1 player in the nation, Kayvon Thibodeaux, committed to the Ducks, they have yet to land a five-star in the 2020 cycle, but that could change soon.

The No. 20 player in the nation and brother of offensive linemen Penei Sewell, linebacker Noah

Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux warms up before the game. (D L Young/Emerald)

Sewell, is highly considering the Ducks. The Utah native has a 90% Crystal Ball Prediction for Oregon on the 247Composite. “[It means] a lot, actually, just seeing Penei’s relationship with Cristobal, I can already see a sneak peek of what mine would look like if I were to commit to Oregon,” Noah told the Oregonian.

Sewell had effusive praise for Cristobal.

“He’s like a father figure to me, because he and my family known each other for a while now, and him taking care of Penei just feels like he’s just another father figure,” he said.

A commitment from Sewell would vault Oregon’s class into the top-10 and add yet another stud defensive prospect to a defense stacked with young talent.

Four-stars, 6-foot-6 receiver Johnny Wilson and the No. 2 pro-style in the nation, quarterback Jay Butterfield, headline Oregon’s 2020 class on the offensive side. The number one player as of now however, is Deland, Florida native Avantae Williams.

The safety, while not large in stature at 5-foot-11

and just 170lbs, is instinctual in zone coverage and most notably effective in run support, displaying a downhill style of play. In addition, he flashes breakaway speed, frequently returning punts for touchdowns.

He will be joined by several fellow defensive backs in four-stars Luke Hill and Myles Slusher, three-star Jared Greenfield and transfer Bennett Williams.

The remainder of the 21-commit class is comprised of five offensive linemen, five defensive ends or outside linebackers, a running back, tight end, receiver and athlete.

To compete with teams from the SEC, as Cristobal has articulated his hopes in doing, Oregon must recruit like teams from the SEC. Since Cristobal took over, the Ducks have done so for all intents and purposes. For prolonged success, they must continue to do so as to ensure they get “their guys” through the program. For Cristobal and his staff this starts with zeroing in on California, the recruiting hotbed of the west.

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COVER Oregon Ducks Football takes on the Trojans. (DL Young/Emerald)

Oregon Ducks Football takes on UC Berkeley. (Devin Roux/Emerald)

RETURN OF THE PAC BY: Oscar Duyck

It’s no secret that the Pac-12 has been the worst power five football conference for multiple years.

There are only two ranked teams representing the Pac in week 11. In the era of the College Football Playoff, the Pac-12 has been mostly irrelevant for the past two seasons. The Pac-12 Network has made broadcasting games to a national audience painfully inefficient, due to the fact that the Pac-12 does not partner with larger television networks like ESPN. The end result means less money — the Pac-12’s revenue declined by $12.5 million in fiscal year 2018, according to USA Today. Furthermore, night games

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in the conference begin when much of the country is going to bed.

Even with all of these handicaps, Oregon and Utah have thrusted themselves back into the Playoff spotlight. A one loss conference champion from the Pac-12 could argue that they deserve a playoff spot, especially if the teams in the top five lose.

In the North division, Oregon has run away from the rest of the pack. The Ducks are 6-0 in the conference and have defeated all of their division foes with the exception of Oregon State. Oregon, after its gut-wrenching loss to Auburn, has worked

its way back into Playoff contention, but it will have to win out if it wants a shot at the top four.

Traditional rivals Washington and Stanford are in the midst of down seasons.

Oregon’s is 5-0 against its division rivals this season, it hasn’t always been pretty but the Ducks found ways to win that would have eluded them in past seasons. Oregon’s much improved defense stymied Stanford in Oregon’s conference opener, winning 21-6. Stanford, a conference power that produced NFL talents like Andrew Luck and Christian McCaffrey has been a shadow of

Oregon Ducks Football takes on Washington State University. (Devin Roux/Emerald)

themselves.

Cal provided Oregon with its first taste of conference trouble, shutting out the Ducks in the first half 7-0.

Justin Herbert threw an interception early in the first half and Travis Dye had a pair of early fumbles. It looked as though Oregon would lay an egg in its home opener. However, Oregon was able to once again rely upon its defense to keep Herbert and the offense afloat. The Ducks were able

to find the endzone in the second half and held on to win a gritty 17-7 win. Oregon had passed its first conference test.

Oregon was tested by both Washington schools. The Ducks and Huskies played a back and forth game. Down two scores in Seattle, the Ducks clawed their way to a 35-31 victory. Instead of relying on defense, Herbert won the game with his arm, throwing for 280 and four

touchdowns.

Washington State, a team that beat Oregon four straight times, almost extended its winning streak against Oregon. A last minute Cougar touchdown seemed to spell doom for Oregon and ruin CJ Verdell’s historic 257 yard and three touchdown game.

Instead, the Ducks relied on their much maligned kicking game and freshman kicker Camden Lewis to win the night 37-35.

The College Football Playoff Committee has ranked Oregon No. 7. There is a multitude of scenarios that could send Oregon into the Playoff. However, Oregon has to win out in Nov. if it wants a chance at the national title.

After its bye week, Oregon will take on Arizona in Autzen stadium.

Arizona is on a four-game losing streak and recently fired its defensive coordinator Marcel Yates. The

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COVER Wildcats gave up 56 points to Oregon State at home last week and are last in total defense in the Pac-12.

In the last three weeks the Wildcats have conceded 133 points. If Oregon sustains its current offensive production, its difficult to see a scenario where Oregon loses. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Arizona just a three percent chance of winning.

The following week, Oregon will fly down to Tempe, Arizona, to face Arizona State. The Sundevils have shown flashes of greatness but they have not been able to sustain their momentum in the second half of the season. The last two weeks have not been kind to Arizona State, however, losing 21-3 to Utah and 42-32 to UCLA. This will be the last road trip that the Ducks will take in the regular season.

Oregon and Oregon State will continue their Civil War rivalry to close the season. This year’s edition of the classic rivalry has many compelling storylines.

The Beavers started the season 0-2 and it looked as

though it would be another long year in Corvallis.

However, after losing to Stanford, Oregon State has been a different team. The Beavers have knocked off UCLA, Cal and Arizona — all on the road — and may even make an appearance in a bowl game for the first time since 2013.

Although ESPN gives Oregon State a mere 4% chance of pulling off the upset, Duck fans should not expect another easy victory over Oregon State.

Jake Luton is a strong quarterback that has thrown 19 touchdowns and a single interception in 2019.

The Luton to Isaiah Hodgins connection has been productive.

The Pac-12 South is more highly contested. Until Oregon’s victory over USC last week, the 5-3 Trojans were the leaders of the division. However, after that defeat, No. 8 Utah is now the division leader and, like Oregon, has a shot at the Playoff. Utah has the best defense in the conference, allowing a mere 12

points per game. They also have a strong ground game, averaging 207 yards per game, which is first in the conference. After its 30-23 defeat to USC, Utah has righted the ship and is the favorite to win the division.

This biggest storyline in the conference is the potential for an Oregon-Utah conference championship game. Oregon is virtually assured a championship game berth as a result of being undefeated in conference play, thus far. Utah still has some work to do but has a favorable remaining schedule. A one-loss Oregon or one-loss Utah could sneak into the Playoff.

Although the Pac-12 may not have the cache of the SEC, the on-field product this season has undoubtedly been unique. The conference’s unpredictability makes every Saturday interesting, and with Oregon and Utah in the playoff hunt, there is still a lot to play for.

Huskies wide receiver Terrell Bynum (4) gets tackled by a few ducks. (DL Young/Emerald)

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GAMEDAY

HEALTH, DEVELOPMENT KEY FOR DUCKS DURING BYE WEEK BY: Clayton Franke @clayfranke1 Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert makes a pass.

(D L Young/Emerald)

The last three wins for Oregon football have all been huge in their different ways, but they are linked by a common theme: none of them have caused head coach Mario Cristobal and his squad to get ahead of themselves.

“We’re going to continue to work on development and the enhancement of the roster,” Cristobal said. “We still feel our best football is ahead of us.”

That is the mentality that Cristobal has had all season. It didn’t change after a comeback win against Washington, it didn’t change after a gamewinning field goal against Washington State, and it’s certainly not going to change after a 56-24 blowout win over USC. The first College Football Playoff rankings were released Tuesday night, and the Ducks have the No. 7 spot with four weeks left in the regular season.

Oregon has a bye week before the Arizona Wildcats come to Autzen, but Cristobal doesn’t think his team will be distracted by a big week for the rest of college football.

“It plays zero role and has no effect on the way we prepare,” Cristobal said. “Our entire focus is on us. If we ever get off of that mindset, then were just not real good. Everything will take care of itself.”

The second bye week of the season comes

at the right time for Oregon, as several bumps and bruises from previous weeks have kept key dynamics out of the Ducks’ offense.

Offensive lineman Dallas Warmack was on the sidelines in Los Angeles due to a strained hipflexor, which he suffered on the game-winning field goal in the Washington State game. Cristobal took precautionary measures with his senior guard, and Warmack’s health has significantly improved this week.

CJ Verdell is battling a mild groin strain that limited him to six carries on Saturday, but is still practicing and Cristobal fully expects him to be ready to play against Arizona. Verdell has been fighting injuries for several weeks, and although they are minor, they are certainly affecting Verdell’s involvement in the Ducks’ offense. His limited use wasn’t extremely detrimental to the offense against USC, with Travis Dye and Darrian Felix pulling their weight on the ground, but this bye week is crucial for Verdell to make sure he’s at 100% next week.

Verdell’s fellow running back Cyrus Habibi-Likio took a hit against Washington State that led to a swollen quad in practice late last week, resulting in only one carry for the sophomore on Saturday.

Cristobal said Habibi-Likio is back to full strength, and the head coach is confident that Warmack,

Verdell, and Habibi-Likio will all be playing against Arizona.

Oregon’s practice regimen has not only been key to the success of the team, but the key to the rise of the players that have stepped up to fill vital roles during Oregon’s Pac-12 run. The secondary was able to bounce back from a shaky game against Washington State to get three interceptions at the Coliseum. Players such as wide receiver Juwan Johnson, who had a monster three-touchdown game against USC, and Brady Breeze, who had 7 tackles and an interception return for a touchdown, are benefiting from increased play in practice.

“We have a lot of guys that can help us win football games,” Cristobal said. “Practice is regimented, synchronized, and choreographed so that all these guys are getting significant reps, and the right kind of reps.”

The Ducks are getting a bye week at the right time when it comes to injuries, but they can’t lose their focus during the long break. With the continued development of role players and Herbert’s ability to spread the ball around, we might see a different star each week for the Ducks.

While it might not be clear who will break out next, it’s certain that the team’s mindset will remain the same.

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GAMEDAY Ducks safety Nick Pickett tackles a trojan. (D L Young/Emerald)

DUCKS DEFENSE: TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE? BY: Noah Noteboom @noah_boom23

In the last three games, the Ducks have given up 30 points per game, uncharacteristic for a defense that held teams to just 7.6 points per game the previous six matchups. Nevertheless, the No. 7 Ducks still stand at 8-1 with three regular season games to go.

A weak schedule to begin the season — with the exception of the then No. 16 Auburn Tigers — could be a factor in the Ducks just now showing holes in the defense. Oregon’s last three opponents, Washington, Washington State and USC, are all in the top half of the conference in terms of total offense, with Washington State taking the top spot.

Whether it is Washington State’s deadly passing game or USC’s highly touted receivers, Oregon

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defensive coordinator Andy Avalos knows that it’s going to be a challenge week in and week out in the Pac-12.

“Scheme is scheme,” Avalos said. “It ultimately comes down to how you’re executing those techniques and fundamentals.”

Seemingly gravitating away from the techniques and fundamentals, the Ducks gave up an average of 400 yards of total offense per game in the last three contests, 320 of which came from the passing game. Missing tackles and miscommunications were the biggest areas of concern going into the USC game.

USC’s talented wide receivers gain a lot of their yards after the catch, but the Ducks secondary did an excellent job bottling up receivers. In the

Ducks’ 56-24 victory over USC, not once did the Trojans gain more than 20 yards on a single play. Oregon linebacker Troy Dye praised the defensive backs for doing their job and limiting the wideouts.

“They have big strong receivers and a lot of guys try to hit them up high, so we tried to hit them in the thigh boards,” Dye said. “I love our DBs regardless who were playing against.”

The loss of Gus Cumberlander also put a dent in the Ducks pass rush. Freshman Kayvon Thibodeaux — who, before Cumberland’s injury, was a situational player for Avalos — has been forced to be an every-down player, along with Miami transfer DJ Johnson.

The defense recovered its first fumble since the

Ducks safety Jevon Holland (8) tackles a trojan wide receiver. (DL Young/Emerald)

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Sept. 7 game against Nevada when it recovered two. Safety Brady Breeze, who was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week, had a career night, recording seven tackles, an interception for a touchdown and a fumble recovery.

The Ducks have been shaky at getting off the field during third and fourth downs all season. Teams convert on 35% of third downs and 47% on fourth against the Ducks.

Avalos stated that the Ducks must be aware of the situation, make the right reads and execute.

“It comes down to situational defense and knowing where we’re at in those windows,” Avalos said.

A team traditionally known for putting up monstrous numbers on the scoreboard is performing beyond expectations on the defensive end. With the No. 7 Ducks in the College Football Playoff conversation, defense is going to be a major talking point when the committee assembles to discuss the top four teams deserving to compete for a National Championship.

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GAMEDAY

PATH TO THE PLAYOFF

The Ducks celebrate a touchdown. (D L Young/Emerald)

BY: Brady Lim @BradyLim619 Oregon’s College Football Playoff hopes were seemingly dashed the moment Auburn’s Seth Williams caught the game-winning touchdown with nine seconds remaining in week 1.

But since that day in late August, the Ducks have ripped off eight straight wins and reopened the Playoff conversation in Eugene. The Ducks opened at No. 7 in the 2019 season’s first College Football Playoff ranking and are the second-highest-ranked one-loss team in the nation. Currently on the outside looking in, here’s what has to happen for the Ducks to return to the Playoff for the first time in five years.

The Ducks have to win out. That’s first and foremost, and without that happening, none of the Playoff talk matters. The most difficult part of Oregon’s schedule is now in the past, with just 4-5 Arizona, 5-3 Arizona State and 4-4 Oregon State remaining in the regular season. The week 13

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matchup with Arizona State in Tempe will be the toughest test of those three; the Sun Devils have spent some time in the AP Top 25 this year, and it’s on the road in the desert.

Regardless, Oregon will probably be favored by at least a touchdown in all three of those games, and it would be a real surprise to see a loss come from that portion of the schedule.

What the Ducks need from there is No. 8 Utah also winning out. If that happens, it’ll be 11-1 Utah and 11-1 Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship Game, and the winner of that game will suddenly have a top-10 win on its resume. If that team is Oregon, it’ll be sitting as a one-loss conference champion with what conventional wisdom would say is a Playoff resume.

However, this season in college football has been more top-heavy than in years past. Alabama, LSU, Clemson, Ohio State and Penn State have not yet

lost. An undefeated finish for any of those teams guarantees a spot in the Playoff. Alabama plays LSU in week 11, and Ohio State plays Penn State in week 13. That means a loss for two of those five unbeatens is coming.

The SEC champion — undefeated or not — will get in. Oregon needs that to be Alabama or LSU. If it’s another team — say, Georgia — the SEC occupying two CFP spots seems likely. The loser of the Alabama-LSU showdown will not qualify for the SEC Championship Game and will most likely be sitting at 11-1 at the end of the year with its only loss being to a top-three team. That team, too, would probably get in given the gauntlet that is the SEC regular season. Oregon needs one of these teams to be upset by another SEC opponent (most likely Auburn beating Alabama in the Iron Bowl).

Then there’s the Big Ten, which right now has Ohio State and Penn State with realistic chances

The Ducks gain yards. (D L Young/Emerald)

Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert looks to make a pass. (D L Young/Emerald)

to get in. The winner of the Ohio StatePenn State game will most likely be an undefeated Big Ten champ, and that team will be in. The loser of that game won’t be going to the Big Ten Championship and probably wouldn’t be favored over a one-loss conference champ.

Clemson won’t play anyone of consequence for the rest of the season, and an undefeated ACC champ Clemson isn’t going to be left out.

They have the best chance of any team in the nation of getting in.

Oh, and there are two wild cards — Baylor out of the Big 12 and Minnesota out of the Big Ten. They’re both currently undefeated, and if that is still the case at the end of the season,

Oregon is probably on the outside looking in. But with Baylor still having to beat Oklahoma twice and Minnesota having to play Penn State, Iowa and Wisconsin, that doesn’t seem likely.

So, Oregon is realistically fighting for that No. 4 spot. It’ll come down to a resume comparison between 12-1 Pac-12 champ Oregon, 12-1 Big 12 champ Oklahoma and 11-1 non-SEC champ Alabama/LSU/Georgia — one of those three teams will get the spot.

They need a substantial amount of help, but regardless of what happens, Eugene is on the college football map.

And that’s more than you could say at any point since 2014.

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