GAMEDAY 11.18.21
THE INTRINSIC LEADERSHIP OF
KEITH BROWN
Brown brings a lifelong tradition of leadership and character to Oregon football.
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O R E G O N D E F E N S E CO N T I N U E S TO I M P R O V E PG 15
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GAMEDAY
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ON THE COVER
(Courtesy of Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest)
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OREGON
UTAH
OREGON OFFENSE
Johnny Johnson III
No. 3
WR-X
UTAH OFFENSE SR
Devaughn Vele No. 17 WR-X RS FR
Kris Hutson No. 14 WR-Z FR
Soloman Enis No. 21 WR-Z JR
Mycah Pittman No. 4 WR-H SO
Britain Covey
No. 18
WR-R
RS JR
George Moore
Bamidele Olaseni
No. 77
LT
RS SR/TR
T.J. Bass No. 56 LG JR/TR
Keaton Bills
No. 51
LG
RS FR
Alex Forsyth
No. 77
LT
RS SR/TR
No. 78
OC
RS JR
Nick Ford
No. 55
OC
RS JR
Jackson Powers-Johnson No. 58
RG
FR
Sataoa Laumea
No. 78
RG
RS FR
Steven Jones
No. 74
RT
RS SO
Braeden Daniels
No. 71
RT
RS SO
Terrance Ferguson
No. 19
TE-F
FR
Cole Fotheringham
No. 89
TE-Y
JR
Moliki Matavao No. 8 TE-Y FR
Brant Kuithe No. 80 TE-U JR
Anthony Brown No. 13 QB GR/TR
Cameron Rising
Travis Dye No. 26 RB JR
Tavion Thomas No. 9 RB SO/TR
No. 7
QB
RS SO/TR
Ali’i Niumatalolo No. 40 FB SR
OREGON DEFENSE
UTAH DEFENSE Brandon Dorlus No. 3 DE SO Popo Aumavae
No. 50
NT
RS JR
Mika Tafua No. 42 LDE RS JR
Keyon Ware-Hudson
No. 59
DT
RS FR
Junior Tafuna No. 58 LDT FR
Kayvon Thibodeaux No. 5 JOKER SO
Aliki Vimahi No. 95 RDT FR
Jeffrey Bassa No. 33 WILL FR
Van Fillinger No. 7 RDE FR
Noah Sewell No. 1 MIKE FR
Nephi Sewell
No. 1
ROVER
RS JR/TR
Mase Funa No. 47 OLB SO
Devin Lloyd
No. 00
MAC
RS JR
DJ James No. 00 BCB SO
Hayden Furey No. 54 STUD SO
Jordan Happle No. 32 BS GR/TR
Faybian Marks No. 23 LCB FR
Verone McKinley III
Vonte Davis No. 9 FS SR/TR
No. 23
FS
RS SO
Mykael Wright No. 2 FCB SO
Brandon McKinney
No. 28
SS
GR/TR
Jamal Hill No. 19 STAR SO
Clark Phillips III
No. 8
RCB
FR
Malone Mataele
No. 15
NB
RS SO
OREGON SPECIAL TEAMS Tom Snee
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No. 38
PT/H
UTAH SPECIAL TEAMS RS SO
Camden Lewis No. 49 PK/KO SO
Michael Williams No. 61 PT/H SO/TR
Karsten Battles No. 63 LS JR
Jordan Noyes No. 67 PK/KO FR
Mycah Pittman No. 4 PR SO
JT Greep No. 57 LS FR
Mykael Wright No. 2 KR SO
Britain Covey
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No. 18
PR/KR
RS JR
GAMEDAY
OREGON DUCKS
TAKE ON
UTAH UTES
IN POTENTIAL PREVIEW OF PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIP The Ducks face their highest Pac-12 ranked opponent yet in Utah, as they strive to clinch a spot in the Pac-12 title game. BY: Aaron Heisen @aaron_heisen
Ducks running back Byron Cardwell (21) celebrates with a teammate after scoring a touchdown. Ducks football take on the Washington State Cougars at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Nov. 13, 2021. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)
The Oregon Ducks have been challenged time and time again by division foes seemingly out of their talent tier. Playing to their opponent’s level has been a constant. Duck fans should hope that happens again this Saturday because the Utah Utes are talented and will be ready for a dogfight. Since joining the Pac-12 in 2010, head coach Kyle Whittingham has led the Utes to nine winning seasons, two of which ended in a trip to the conference championship game. “Utah is a really talented football team,” Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal said. “They’ve got a lot of staff continuity, and their scheme has been good for a significant amount of time.” The Utes failed to earn the crown of the conference in both championship appearances, falling to the Ducks in their most recent attempt in 2019. They have another chance to reach that pinnacle this season. Utah is in control of its own destiny in the Pac-12 South. A win against Oregon would clinch its place in the championship game. Even with a loss, the Utes’ conference record gives them the best chance of any team from the South to reach the Pac-12 championship. Utah leads the conference in total points, and its potent offense is powered by a strong running game. Led by Tavion Thomas, the Utes are third in the conference in rushing yards per game. Thomas is third in the conference in yards per carry. His impressive mark of 6.1 comes on a high volume of 122 carries. The Utes’ passing attack has been equally impressive. They set it up with their run, drawing defenses in and then dropping the ball over the secondary. After losing the camp battle to Charlie Brewer, Cam Rising took over the starting spot in the third week of the season after Brewer transferred to Baylor. Rising has led Utah’s offense to third in the conference in passing yards. The Utes also hold one of the top defenses in the conference. Linebacker Devin Lloyd has been one of the best all-around defenders in the nation. The defense funnels through him, leading to a team-high 56 tackles. T H U R S D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 2 1
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GAMEDAY “Utah is a really talented football team. They’ve got a lot of staff continuity, and their scheme has been good for a significant amount of time.” MARIO CRISTOBAL Oregon head coach
Both teams linne up pre snap. 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)
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Lloyd’s ball-hawking skills have improved as well. He leads the defense with three interceptions this season. The junior won PFF Defensive Player of the Week in week seven and was named to the preseason Bednarik Watchlist. “Lloyd is a really good football player,” Cristobal said. “He sets the edge well and makes an impact in the passing game and as a blitzer.” Similar to the Utes, this game has great implications for the Ducks’ hopes of returning to the conference championship game. A win and they’re in. A win would go a long way for the Ducks’ hopes of making the College Football Playoff and would clinch their spot for a trip to Las Vegas in two weeks. In order to capture that victory, the Ducks must avoid errors because Utah is too talented to not capitalize on mistakes. They need to nullify Lloyd’s effect with runs directed away from his zone and emphasize disciplined tackling to avoid being gashed by chunk runs.
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GAMEDAY
MASTERING THE INTANGIBLES (Courtesy of Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest)
Keith Brown’s long-held values have guided him through both college football and personal tragedy. BY: Charles Gearing @GearingCharlie
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On the morning of Sept. 11, Oregon fans awoke to unpleasant news. Injury rumors became reality and cast a blanket of doubt over the hopes of an Oregon upset victory in the Horseshoe. Many braced themselves for a blowout, but instead they got a showcase of depth. Without several key defenders, the Ducks relied on an arsenal of reserves and freshmen — a phenomenon that’s become a defining feature of the Oregon season through 10 weeks. Keith Brown, a starry-eyed freshman, took the turf in Columbus and rose to the occasion. For him, it’s second nature to do so. Loss, grief and a series of hurdles in life have yet to stop the Lebanon, Oregon, native. His values and network of role models are his guiding force, no matter the moment.
GAMEDAY In 2020, Brown’s father was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. While it devastated Keith and his brother, his mom and dad felt obligated to avoid sugarcoating the situation. “Nobody ever really survives pancreatic cancer,” Keith’s mother, Sarah Brown said. When his father passed last September, his mother became his rock, and they’ve powered through the pain together. “Keith just kept moving because that’s what Keith does,” she said. “That’s how I raised them. We come to adversity; we overcome it, and we keep moving.” His mom instilled in him a high standard of character, and he’s remained true to it. “I always felt like it was my responsibility as a parent to help guide them, but ultimately they have to have the tools to make their decisions,” Sarah said. Brown’s been known to live by this; and he doesn’t just profess it, he acts on it. Whether it is on his teams or in the community, he’s always made a point of opening his heart and lifting people up. “He’s got a great heart,” Brown’s former wrestling coach Michael Cox said. There was a wrestling teammate of his that had been wearing the same clothes for several days, and people started making fun of him. Brown, a sophomore at the time, stuck up for the kid. When Brown went home that night, he went straight to his mom and told her what was going on. The following weekend, Brown and his mom were on their way to the store with his teammate to get some fresh clothes. “That comes from his mom,” Cox said. “His mom raised him right.” Sarah works for the State of Oregon as a child abuse investigator, and it shaped the way she approaches life. In turn, it led Keith to have a similar sense of morality. “I’ve been working with kids my whole life so kids’ safety, making sure they’re fed and clothed is just by nature for me,” Sarah said. Brown and his mom have championed the underdog and helped those in need
throughout their lives. In the summer, Brown carries cases of water in the trunk of his car for homeless people in Eugene. It hasn’t just been in recent years. Brown’s values have been a consistent factor throughout his life. “He reads the needs of others in a way that has always been beyond his years,” Brown’s family friend and middle school teacher Jody Seward said. “And this is speaking as a teacher of 50-plus years, watching kids and seeing behaviors in kids. He has an uncanny ability towards leadership, to affirm and encourage other people’s strengths when they don’t have faith in themselves.” These traits are invaluable on the football field, on the sideline and in the locker room. “Keith is the kind of kid you want to build a program around because he does all of the little things in leadership and leading by example,” Brown’s high school coach Ty Tomlin said. Tomlin recalled several moments in practices and games where a player needed to be picked up, and Keith was always there. “He was so good about trying to lift people up and getting kids to see their value and their worth,” Tomlin said. From providing depth and boosting his injured linebacker unit to serving as an off-the-field representative for the Oregon program, Brown’s values have remained consistent throughout his transition to the college game. Starting with week two in Columbus and on through the nine weeks to follow, Brown has been an all-important piece at the linebacker position, helping to sustain a battered but brilliant unit. Brown’s long-held values have followed him from Lebanon and well into his first season of college football, and they’ll stick with him far into the future.
Keith is the kind of kid you want to build a program around because he does all of the little things in leadership and leading by example.” TY TOMLIN
Brown’s high school coach
(Courtesy of Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest)
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GAMEDAY
ABOVE: Ducks quarterback Anthony Brown (13) passes the ball down field to a teammate. Ducks football take on the Washington State Cougars at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Nov. 13, 2021. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)
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GAMEDAY
PAC-12 STRUGGLES: A DOWN YEAR FOR THE CONFERENCE BY: Dylan Conway
Compared to other conferences, the Pac-12’s numbers have been bottom tier. BYU is 4-0 against the Pac-12 South this season and will try to complete the five game sweep when it faces USC in its last game of the season. BYU has been consistently ranked this year. But, with losses to Baylor and Boise State, running through its Pac-12 opponents hasn’t been a good look for the conference. It’s an example of how the conference has become an afterthought when it comes to the power forces in the FBS. The conference is lacking bowl eligible teams going into week 11 and contains mostly below average programs. People might point to the Pac-12 “eating itself,” but the conference hasn’t fared well against out-of conference opponents either. Out of the 10 FBS conferences, the Pac-12 has a total win percentage of 49% (58-60) — a figure that ranks eighth best, only better than the Conference USA and the Independents. Their non-conference win percentage is 47% (16-18), above only the Conference USA (43%). Going into week 10, the Pac-12 had as many losses to a group of five opponents (eight) as the rest of the power five conferences combined. This doesn’t include the two FCS
losses to Montana and NAU. It’s taken the Pac-12 longer than any other conference to get bowl eligible teams too. The Pac-12 has five bowl eligible teams in Oregon, Arizona State, UCLA, Oregon State and Utah. It’s the lowest total out of the Power Five conferences, as many as C-USA and the AAC and one fewer than the Mountain West, with six bowl eligible teams. Washington State (5-5), Washington (4-6) and USC (4-5) are the only other Pac-12 teams with a chance to become bowl eligible. They need to reach six wins with two weeks left in the season. (USC will play three more because its game against Cal was postponed.) The conference started out the first two weeks of the season with five ranked teams. Now, just two remain: Oregon (No. 4) and Utah (No. 25). Inconsistency has been a driving force in the disappointing results. Bad losses have followed marquee wins.USC defeated WSU 45-14 ,then lost to Oregon State by two touchdowns the following week. Only four teams have stuck with the same
starting quarterback the entire season: Oregon (Anthony Brown), Colorado (Brendon Lewis), Washington (Dylan Morris) and Arizona State (Jayden Daniels). With most teams changing up their starter, it can be hard to find rhythm.The conference doesn’t have a nationally recognizable star quarterback to point to either. Another disadvantage for the conference is not having the revenue other conferences have to build up their programs and pay top tier salaries to coaches and coordinators. At the line of scrimmage, the conference is also noticeably smaller than other Power Five conferences (SEC and Big 10 in particular). Oregon and UCLA are outliers, but as a whole the talent and size at the line of scrimmage is inferior to other Power Five conferences. There are several reasons for the Pac-12’s struggles this season, but Oregon carrying the conference’s name has become a theme. With poor overall records and nonconference records, the Pac-12 needs to win some bowl games to earn some respect back from analysts and recruits across the country.
LEFT: Ducks center back Cross Patton (22) hypes up the crowd before kick off. Ducks football take on the Washington State Cougars at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Nov. 13, 2021. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)
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GAMEDAY
Oregon vs.
PHOTO RECAP
Washington State PHOTOS BY: Maddie Stellingwerf
Ducks football take on the Washington State Cougars at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Nov. 13, 2021. Fans wave their Ducks flags after a successful touchdown by Ducks offense.
Ducks quarterback Anthony Brown (13) blocks Cougar defenses in a run down field. PA G E 1 2
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Ducks running back Travis Dye (26) scores the second touchdown of the night.
Ducks kicker Camden Lewis (49) kicks off the fourth quarter.
GAMEDAY
Final Score:
Ducks Jayson Jones (93) takes down Cougar quarterback Jayden De Laura (4).
Ducks cheer perform a dance during a time out break in the third quarter.
Oregon: 38 Washington State: 24
Ducks running back Travis Dye (26) is congratulated by Ducks offensive lineman George Moore IV (77) after scoring the first touchdown of the night.
Handel’s Ice Cream 47554 Cougars left back Jahad Woods (13) takes down a member of Ducks offense. T H U R S D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 2 1
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GAMEDAY
‘KEEP GOING, KEEP GOING, KEEP GOING’ Ducks safety Jordan Happle (32) celebrates after a successful takedown. Ducks football take on the Washington State Cougars at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Nov. 13, 2021. (Maddie Stellingwerf/ Emerald)
Oregon’s defense — an unexpected group due to injuries that took out top players — continues to improve its fitness and chemistry. BY: Eric Berniker
When Oregon went down 14-0 in the first quarter at UCLA, it had every reason to quit. Instead, despite injuries and an offense which has looked lifeless at times, the Oregon defense buckled down and made game winning plays, something they have done all season. Against Cal, it took a fourdown stand on the two-yard line to close out a 24-17 win. At UCLA, a DJ James pick sealed the deal for the Ducks as they narrowly survived, 34-31. The formula for Oregon’s defensive success is simple: improve personally and holistically during practice. “You hope to play your best ball in November,” first-year defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter said. “Our coaches do a tremendous job of developing our players. Coach Cristobal puts together a practice schedule that continues to develop guys. When you get consistency and players playing together, you should be improving.” Not only has the Ducks’ defense improved week-to-week as players got healthy and built chemistry in
practice, but they also got better throughout the course of each game. In their last six games, which includes a loss at Stanford, the Oregon defense has allowed only three third quarter points. “We had to get back on our focus,” defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux said about the deficit Oregon faced at UCLA. “Coach came in with the corrections at halftime… The adjustments worked really well.” With a mix of bonafide stars like Thibodeaux, Noah Sewell, Brandon Dorlus and Verone McKinley III playing alongside inexperienced underclassmen filling in for injured starters, such as freshman safety Jeffrey Bassa, the Oregon defense was destined to have its growing pains. “Nothing phases us,” junior safety McKinley III said. “One thing we say as a team is ‘keep going, keep going, keep going.’ That’s just what we do as a defense and we’re getting better.” For head coach Mario Cristobal, all game operations begin with practice. The old “Win The Day” motto from the Chip Kelly years has been replaced with a new “1-0 process.” The 1-0 mentality involves treating every situation as if the score is 0-0. Top to bottom, the entire organization has bought into the idea that every repetition, whether it is on gameday, at practice or in the film room,
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GAMEDAY matters. “In the game of football it’s always next man up,” DeRuyter said before the season. “You never know when it’s gonna happen, so we gotta continue to develop guys so when we do have an injury or someone’s out for whatever reason we’ve got to be ready to play.”
With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the group ready to play defense for the Ducks is not what many people expected. Linebackers Justin Flowe and Dru Mathis are both out for the foreseeable future with leg injuries, and junior safety Bennet Williams is out for the year as well.
Still, the Ducks hold the No. 4 spot in the AP poll and control their own destiny for a playoff berth. One thing is for sure: Oregon will continue to improve with what they have and build on mutual trust between their first-year defensive coordinator, top tier talent and emerging young defensive core.
Ducks defense tries to bring down Husky tight end, Cade Otton (87). The Oregon Ducks take on the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington, on Nov. 6, 2021. (Serei Hendrie/Emerald) PA G E 1 6
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