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ON THE COVER
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Offensive linemen prepare for a snap during practice.
DUCKS RECOVER FROM WASHINGTON, FOCUS ON ARIZONA BY: Shawn Medow @ShawnMedow | PHOTOS: Phillip Quinn
On Tuesday, the Ducks defensive coaches and players spoke to the media as Oregon practiced during its bye week following a 38-3 loss at Washington this past Saturday. The discussion primarily focused on the loss to Washington, but a lot of talk revolved around the team’s preparation for the final two games of the season against Arizona and Oregon State at Autzen. “Get a helluva lot better than we were the week before,” head coach Willie Taggart said. “Really focus on the fundamentals and techniques — those are the things that really kill us. We made improvements for the Utah game and kind of reversed back to what we were doing before.”
Charles Nelson runs with the ball during practice.
In a week’s time, Oregon’s defense will be in full focus for stopping Arizona’s young quarterback Khalil Tate. “He’s really good,” co-defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt said. “Look what he’s done. Nobody’s really stopped him much and he’s very talented and their scheme makes it very difficult.” It won’t be easy to stop Arizona, but the Ducks will have the luxury of seeing how teams faced up against the Wildcats in weeks’ past. “First from a defensive standpoint, kind of looking at teams that do a similar things that we do and see how they try attack them because chances are they’re gonna try attack you the same way,” Taggart said. “Ultimately, you gotta
be sound in what you’re doing. You have to be really disciplined when you’re playing a team like Arizona.” Justin Herbert threw well in Monday’s practice and could be available for the game against Arizona. After Washington, Troy Dye and Kani Benoit left with feet in boots, but according to Taggart, Dye “will be fine.” In the loss at Washington, Brady Breeze earned his first career interception, and for Taggart, that was the highlight of the game. “We hadn’t seen that all year,” Taggart said. “For the first time all year our deep safety got over there and intercepted the ball.”
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GAMEDAY Former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota watches the Utah game from the sidelines.
CHECKING IN ON PRO DUCKS BY: Cole Kundich @ckundich | PHOTO: Adam Eberhardt
Former Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner seen during a game with the San Francisco 49ers. (Creative Commons)
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In the 2017 NFL Draft , 253 names were called over a span of three days, yet none of them were Ducks. It was the first time since 1985 that this happened, and it was a fitting way to follow up a disappointing 2016 season, which saw the Ducks go 4-8 and fire head coach Mark Helfrich. However, there’s no shortage of Ducks in the NFL. Oregon remains one of the better represented programs, with 28 players currently on an NFL roster. Some are big names, and some are fighting for their careers. Here is how some of the pro Ducks are currently faring in the NFL. Mr. Heisman When you think Ducks in the NFL, you think Marcus Mariota. The Tennessee Titans quarterback fractured his right fibula in a Week 16 matchup versus the Jacksonville Jaguars last season. Mariota was healthy for the start of the 2017 season, and the Titans currently sit atop the AFC South with a 5-3 record. In his third season, Mariota is looking to lead Tennessee to their first trip to the playoffs since 2008. After throwing 26 touchdowns last season, the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner has only thrown six touchdowns at the halfway point of the season. If Mariota’s air attack returns to what he’s proven it can be, the Titans have the potential to surprise people in the playoffs. Defensive Linemen in the Bay The San Francisco 49ers spent their 2015 and 2016 first round picks on Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner, respectively, to beef up the defensive line for years to come. Injuries have slowed down the start of Armstead’s career. After playing all 16 games of his rookie season in
2015, shoulder injuries in 2016 and a broken hand in 2017 have cut both seasons short. Buckner, on the other hand, has come out of the gates strong to begin his NFL career. The Hawaiian native was named to the NFL’s all-rookie team, finishing with the second-most tackles among defensive linemen in 2016. He is ranked among the top this season in quarterback pressures and run stops. So far, so good for Buckner in the NFL. The Durable Running Backs It’s tough to have a long career playing running back in the NFL, but a pair of former Ducks have been able to do just that. LeGarrette Blount entered the league in 2010. The 30-year-old continues to produce in his eighth season in the league. Now with the Eagles, Blount had a breakout 2016 season with the Patriots, rushing for 18 touchdowns and winning his first Super Bowl. That said, Blount has yet to do it as long as his predecessor at Oregon, Jonathan Stewart. Selected in the first round of the 2008 draft, Stewart has played all ten seasons of his career for the Carolina Panthers; however, Stewart’s role has decreased with Christian McCaffrey now being the featured back for Carolina. More Ducks Kiko Alonso, Patrick Chung, Kyle Long and Max Unger are still competing week in and week out. Oregon is being well-represented at the highest level of the game. Don’t expect Oregon to get shut out of the draft for a second consecutive year. With players such as Royce Freeman, Tyrell Crosby and potentially Jalen Jelks heading to the draft this offseason, it’s only a matter of time before even more Ducks are taking the field on Sunday.
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DUCKS DEFENSE
PROVES ITS DURABILITY BY: Shawn Medow @ShawnMedow | PHOTO: Adam Eberhardt Oregon Ducks linebacker Troy Dye (35) and Oregon Ducks cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. bring down Washington Huskies running back Lavon Coleman (22).
For the second season in a row, Washington easily dispatched Oregon. It was no 70-21, but it still stung. “It’s tough,” safety and senior Tyree Robinson said. “I just feel bad because I’ve been on part of the two losses that we’ve had against the Huskies, so I wanted to finish on top against the Huskies — we didn’t get it done, but best believe we’re not just gonna give up.” Even though it was another big loss — this time 38-3 — there was a bright spot late in the game. Oregon didn’t allow a point in the entirety of the final quarter of the game after allowing the Huskies to put up 21 points in the third and 17 in the second. “Our defense there at the end could have easily laid down, but they didn’t,” head coach Willie Taggart said. “I was very impressed with our guys from that. That’s part of changing the culture and not quitting no matter what and that was good to see.” Oregon kept the Huskies scoreless in the first quarter, but Washington got on the board in the
second with a field goal. The Huskies added to their lead after a Kani Benoit fumble led to a score and was followed soon after by a Dante Pettis touchdown on a punt return. The Ducks couldn’t slow down the Washington offense in the third, but their fourth-quarter success could be summed up in one play: Already trailing 38-3, the Ducks stopped Washington on 4th-and-one at Oregon’s one-yard line. The game was essentially over, but Oregon never stopped fighting. What’s more is that Oregon had six freshmen on the field and only three upperclassmen to make that stop. “I’m proud of that because the way it was going in the third quarter — we could have easily just quit and given up, and that says a lot to me,” Leavitt said. That moment was big for the Ducks’ defense. After a season where it was unreliable, Oregon’s defense showed resilience and a will to not back down. “I felt like our defense fought really hard,
especially in the fourth quarter,” safety Brady Breeze said after the game. “We definitely showed that we weren’t trying to give up and let them stuff it in our face. So I feel like that’s something to bounce back on this next week.” After a season where much of the blame for losses fell on the defense, Oregon’s offense has fallen short this year mainly because of Justin Herbert’s injury. The Ducks’ defense had to step up to keep Oregon in games. “We were horrible last year, so any kind of progression would have been better than last year,” Arrion Springs said. With the culture change in the new coaching staff, the defense has been reinvigorated under new co-defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt. His energy cannot be mistaken, and he’s certainly passed some of that on to his defensive players. “He’s really critical of us, even when we’re playing really good it’s like ‘it’s not good enough, you gotta do better,’” Springs said. “So we’re always keeping our foot on the gas — just never know that point where he’s like ‘I’m satisfied.’”
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COVER
Oregon head coach Willie Taggart runs out with the team. (Amanda Shigeoka)
TWO GAMES LEFT, ONE WIN NEED BY: Jack Butler @Butler917 Oregon head coach Willie Taggart was addressing reporters on Monday when a reporter asked about the upcoming signing day for high school recruits. During the question, the reporter said, “There is a bowl game you might make,” with a pause before the word “might.” Taggart jumped on it: “Why did you pause on that? You weren’t really confident with that.” After a turbulent season, the Ducks enter their week 11 bye with a record of 5-5. The bye comes with two home games left and an opportunity to clinch a bowl game with a win. The Ducks are using the bye to hit a reset button. “If you look at the season, it’s kind of like we’ve been through hell and back,” Taggart said. “We’ve dealt with smoke, a losing streak and some injuries, and we still have an opportunity to double our win total.” The Ducks started the season 3-0 and broke
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back into the AP top 25. They then lost on the road to Arizona State, and in a victory over Cal, starting quarterback Justin Herbert fractured his collarbone. A three game losing streak ensued, and players started dropping with injuries all while the Ducks were trying to survive. So the bye week will start with getting physically ready for the final two weeks. “Recover, first of all,” center Jake Hanson said about what the team hopes to accomplish this week. “It’s nice to just get some time off, but I think it’s just really hone in on technique and just personal growth.” Taggart will be giving players significant time off. They will practice Monday through Wednesday this week, but they will have Thursday through Saturday off, and get back to practice on Sunday. During practice, the Ducks will pick small
things to personally improve on. They will prepare for Arizona, but the team will look at internal improvement first. The goal for the bye week is simple: “To get a hell of a lot better than what we were the week before at everything we do,” Taggart said. Offensively, the coaches chose specific schemes within run blocking and pass protection to improve on. Oregon did few things well in the running game throughout its losses, including when it only scored three points against Washington. However, three points on the scoreboard still tells most of the story. “By no means are we where we need to be,” Taggart said. “There’s a lot of improvements that we can continue [to] make, and that we have to make if we’re going to be the football team we intend to be.” The main reason why the Ducks have struggled
IF YOU LOOK AT THE SEASON, IT’S KIND OF LIKE WE’VE BEEN THROUGH HELL AND BACK” WILLIE TAGGART Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert (10) warms up before the game against Utah. (Adam Eberhardt)
DED in Pac-12 play is because of Herbert’s absence. If he returns for any of the final two games, the Ducks will be a different team. According to Taggart, Herbert is approaching the recovery window. Even with freshman Braxton Burmeister at quarterback — which he has been the last five games, compiling a 1-4 record — the Ducks have still been significantly better at home. Luckily for the Ducks, the final two games of the season will be at Autzen. With Burmeister at starting quarterback, the Ducks have scored a combined 51 points at home in two games. On the road, the Ducks have scored only 24 points in three games. In the victory over Utah, he was 9-of-12 with one touchdown. Against Washington State — a loss — he was still efficient, going 15-of-27 for 145 yards and one touchdown, but he also had two interceptions. Arizona and Oregon State are the final two teams Oregon will face. Coaches and players are focused
on Arizona, but it is no secret that they will be extra hungry for a victory given that they are one win away from a bowl game. Bowl games are extremely important because it means the team get an additional couple weeks to practice. Last season, Oregon missed a bowl game and missed an opportunity to improve and grow. They only got to practice during the season and in the spring. If the Ducks make a bowl game, that means extra practice. Say the Ducks make four straight bowl games; with at least 15 extra practices for each game, that equals 60 extra practices throughout a player’s’ career. That is like striking gold. “Oh god, I mean, it’s the mother of all teachers, right?” offensive line coach Mario Cristobal said. “And learning, the repetition, it’s invaluable. That’s been one of the top goals coming into this season. “It’s invaluable, and we’re pushing hard to make
sure that gets done.” If the Ducks want to defeat Arizona, they’ll have to stop quarterback Khalil Tate. He has rushed for 130 or more yards in all five of his starts and has emerged as a Heisman dark horse candidate. So although the Ducks will focus on themselves during the bye week, they can’t help but prepare for Tate. “I wish we had two bye weeks,” Taggart said in regards to preparing for Tate. The bye week is the natural pause for the team to regroup. The coaches will also go out and recruit during the weekend off, hoping that those players can help them make bowl games in the future. But for now, the team wants to reset and end the season 2-0. “I know our guys feel better about getting their bodies back right, and get ready for a two game season; to regroup, reset and get rolling again,” Taggart said.
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UGO’S VERSATILITY ON DISPLAY BY: Kylee O’Connor @kyleethemightee | PHOTOS: Adam Eberhardt
Ugo Amadi has played in every game for the Oregon football team since he arrived on campus in 2015. His versatility has allowed him to help out wherever he is needed throughout the Oregon secondary. Amadi is listed as cornerback on the official roster, but he played safety against UCLA earlier this season and often plays nickelback — a fifth defensive back. “I feel like I can play anywhere on the field, so me being that dynamic helps the team out a lot,” Amadi said. Against UCLA, and in the safety position for the first time, Amadi recorded a career-high nine total tackles and forced a fumble. Not a bad day in a new position, but Amadi has continued to make gamechanging plays since then. In the Ducks’ 41-20 win over Utah, Amadi made arguably one of the most memorable plays of the season. Oregon was up by just a touchdown when Amadi, who was playing nickleback, lined up against former-Duck Darren Carrington. Carrington caught a pass and Amadi immediately hit him, and he did more than just make the tackle. Amadi stripped the ball from Carrington and took it back 47 yards for a touchdown. It was Amadi’s second fumble recovery of the season and the Ducks’ eighth as a team. Taggart continually emphasized
the importance of stripping the ball and getting those must-have takeaways. Amadi was able to make it happen in a big way and help shift the momentum of the game. “Takeaways are huge; takeaways clean up a mess,” Amadi said. “Being able to make those types of plays will help out the defense whenever we’re in a sticky situation as a team overall in the game.” Rotating through different positions may seem difficult, but the Oregon coaching staff puts an emphasis on understanding different positions. Amadi was prepared when the change came. “He’s a young man that can cover, and he’s a willing tackler,” safeties coach Keith Heyward said. “He does a lot for us … The way that we coach, all the guys have to understand the different positions and how they play. It’s good that we’re able to do that, because we’re going to need them.” Amadi found the transition to be “pretty smooth.” He also added that at both safety and nickleback, you must be able to anticipate and communicate. “I already knew the defense,” Amadi said. “It was just lining up at a different position and knowing that I had to fit in the run, and I have to be able to run to the ball, because I’m like halfway in the middle of the field.”
Oregon cornerback Ugo Amadi (7) tackles and strips the ball away from Utah wide receiver Darren Carrington (above) and returns it up the field (below).
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TAGGART HINTS AT HERBERT’S RETURN BY: Gus Morris @JustGusMorris | PHOTO: Adam Eberhardt
Oregon’s bye-week couldn’t have come at a better time. The Ducks currently sit at 5-5 with upcoming games against Arizona (6-3) and Oregon State (1-8). A win would make Oregon bowl eligible, a feat that the team failed to accomplish last year. This bye-week not only gives Oregon a chance to rest and prepare as they approach must-win games, but it also could be the extra time that quarterback Justin Herbert needs to return from injury. Head coach Willie Taggart has teased Herbert’s return for the past several weeks, but balked at playing Herbert when game time arrived. He continued to be coy about Herbert’s return this week at practice, although his optimism was much more apparent. “He’s getting better. X-rays look good,” Taggart said on Wednesday. “Bones are healing like we thought, actually at a faster pace.” Herbert fractured his left collarbone against Cal back on Sept. 30 and hasn’t played since. Oregon has gone 1-4 in his absence. The sophomore quarterback was initially slated to miss four-
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to-six weeks, but head coach Willie Taggart said this week at practice that his recovery time was closer to six-toeight weeks, a timeline that would put Herbert back in the coming weeks. “I think this week here is week six and next week is week seven, so he’s right in that window,” Taggart said. “Drink a little more milk and he might jump ahead.” Herbert practiced in full pads the last couple weeks and has looked good throwing deep balls. After Oregon’s win over Utah, Taggart said that Herbert could have played against the Utes, but Taggart elected to go with freshman Braxton Burmeister instead. Taggart then said after Oregon’s loss to Washington last week, a game Burmeister started, that he wasn’t close to playing Herbert. The optimism this week is different, but the message remains cryptic. “We prepare them both to be ready to go,” Taggart said. “Justin is always preparing — he’s a smart, sharp kid. He’s doing a good job in practice. You saw that the other day. We’re gonna prepare them both.”
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Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert (10) warms up on the sidelines before the game against Washington.
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