8/26/19 Emerald Media - Duck Season | Football

The Emerald Media Group Presents

Football Preview | 2019

Using his family as motivation, Cyrus Habibi-Likio is heading into the 2019 season with a new mentality and looking for a versatile role among a crowded backfield.

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Duck Season 2019

Duck players line up for drills during their pregame practice. Oregon Ducks football plays in the spring game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. on April 20, 2019.

(Maddie Knight/Emerald)

6 For the Culture

8 N e w Ye a r New Me

13 Preview: Oregon Defense

14 Preview: Oregon Offense

Duck Season 2019

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2019 DuckSeason, the Emerald’s annual football magazine, is published by Emerald

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FOR

PENEI SEWELL, REPRESENTING THE POLYNESIAN CULTURE IS BIGGER THAN FOOTBALL

BY BRADY LIM Penei Sewell is the lone underclassman starter on a Ducks offensive line that has been tabbed as one of the best units in the country.

Those kinds of expectations typically come with pressure, especially for a true sophomore looking to follow up a 2018 season in which he was named to USA Today’s Freshman AllAmerican team. But for Sewell, nothing that happens on the football field could ever be bigger than making his family, and the Polynesian culture, proud.

“It means everything,” Sewell said. “Putting on for the island, putting on for the Poly culture, for all the kids growing up that wish they were in my shoes. Just being a role model to them is huge.”

Sewell cites his dad as his biggest influence, both in football and in life. His dad was a coach, even for teams Sewell wasn’t on, so he had no choice but to fall in love with the game at an early age. He credits his exposure to football as a young kid as one of the reasons he was able to step in as a freshman and immediately make an impact.

“I was always around the game,” Sewell said. “I would always help him with the bags, I would always set up practice. Shoot, when I was younger - like fi fth or sixth grade - I was yelling at the high school players at one point. I acted like I was a coach.”

His brother, Noah, is a five-star recruit in the class of 2020 and is being recruited by some of the biggest programs in the nation - Oregon, Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Ohio State to name a few. Penei feels a responsibility as the older brother to be there for Noah as he makes one of the biggest decisions of his life, but also recognizes the value in Noah making the best decision for himself.

“This is the one time you gotta make a big-boy decision,” Penei said of his brother’s college choice. “This is your future.

If he needs help, he hits me up. I’ll give him a little advice. But other than that, it’s all him.”

Penei himself is projected by many sources as a future fi rstround NFL Draft pick; DraftSite.com has him in the top five overall. A lot of players would use that platform to forget where they came from. For Sewell, it’s an opportunity to represent his roots.

“Hopefully, once my platform is bigger, I can give back and start helping out the community and the Polynesian people,” Sewell said. “Just representing them is a warm-hearted feeling, and I’m proud. Proud to always put on, to always represent.”

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Duck Season 2019

Penei Sewell at practice on August 14, 2018. (Benjamin Green/Emerald)

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HITTING THE RESET BUTTON

CYRUS HABIBI-LIKIO IS LOOKING TO REPRISE HIS ROLE IN OREGON’S BACK FIELD

BY GABE ORNELAS • TWITTER @GABE_ORNELAS

Ducks running back Cyrus Habibi-Likio (33) runs down the field during practice 8 | 21, Duck Season 2019 on Aug. 2019.

(Marissa Willke/Emerald)

Hitting the reset button has been something that has become a part of Cyrus Habibi-Likio’s family history.

Habibi-Likio’s grandfather, Dr. Hossein Habibi, left his life as a surgeon in Iran to move to the United States with nothing but his family, forcing him to reset his entire life. Habibi-Likio may not be making such a dramatic change, but he’s hitting the reset button in his own way.

Habibi-Likio was featured as Oregon’s goal-line back last season and was widely considered as a one-down runner. This season, he wants to change the narrative and show that he can be an all-purpose running back by using his grandfather’s story as motivation.

“I took his mentality and hit the reset button,” HabibiLikio said. “He had everything there and nothing here, so he had to restart his way up.”

Habibi, who was the head military surgeon in Iran, fled his native country due to the Islamic Revolution of 1979 to seek a better life in America. He found his family’s new home in Oklahoma with his wife and two young daughters, one being Habibi-Likio’s mother, Atousa.

With the money he brought from Iran, he found work in Oklahoma and opened a hardware store with a friend, but the business did not pan out. During his time in Oklahoma he was picked up by immigration. Habibi pled asylum and was forced to re-uproot his life, which brought him to Chicago.

In Chicago, Habibi began doing what he was originally doing in Iran, but this time he had to start from scratch in an entirely different country. He had to learn English and retake all of his medical exams, which eventually placed him in the burn unit at John H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County until receiving his degree in urology.

“The stepping stones they’ve put out for me helps me not complain and have a more positive attitude,” Habibi-Likio said. “Knowing that I have so much more than them and if they can accomplish what they have accomplished with nothing, with all these resources, I can do a lot.”

Habibi-Likio’s other grandfather, Solo Mone, who is the father of Habibi-Likio’s father, Peni Likio, also uprooted his life to begin a new one in America.

Mone came from the Islands of Tonga, a third-world country located in the South Pacific ocean. Habibi-Likio got a chance to see where his roots come from earlier this summer by taking a trip to the Islands of Tonga.

“Very different, lot of poverty. It was very humbling,” Habibi-Likio said while wearing his bright red slippers with the word “Tonga” in white lettering on his feet. “It humbles me and makes me remember my homeland.”

In the 2018 season, Habibi-Likio carried the ball 18 times for 36 yards and seven touchdowns. Despite playing the goalline and short-yardage situation role early on in the season, his carries began to dwindle as the season went on. CJ Verdell and Travis Dye emerged as the premier backs on the depth chart, thus giving Habibi-Likio less opportunity.

Habibi-Likio, despite being comfortable with his role in 2018, wants to show he is capable of much more in 2019.

Following the 2018 season, the Ducks lost their senior running back in Tony Brooks-James. This now makes HabibiLikio an “old head” on the team, but it took a conversation with his uncle, Aremon Habibi, to realize that he needed to step up.

“I think the main thing is his mentality,” Aremon said on how Habibi-Likio has grown over the past year. “He likes to joke around, he was kind of known for being the guy who has

Cyrus Habibi-Likio plays in the spring game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. on April 20, 2019. (Maddie Knight/Emerald)

the dance moves and the fashion. I had to have a serious talk with him. I was like, ‘Coming into this year all of the older guys in those guys are gone. You, CJ, and Darrian [Felix] are going to be the grown-ups in the room now.‘Maybe you need to stop being a jokester and grow up a little bit.’

“He got real serious about writing out a list of goals of what he wanted to do in the offseason. He has super toned back on his social media usage and just focused in.”

Habibi-Likio’s goal for spring ball was to show off his versatility, and he did. He led all rushers with 12 carries on 47 yards and a touchdown, he also fi nished with three receptions for 24 yards.

“He has certainly earned the right to increase his role on this football team,” head coach Mario Cristobal said following the spring game.

Heading into fall camp, Habibi-Likio set more goals for himself. He wants to prove his versatility, be a vocal leader, help mold the young players and learn from seniors, such as Justin Herbert, Troy Dye and Calvin Throckmorton to better himself as a football player.

Habibi-Likio has also taken the weight room more seriously this year. Following that same talk with his uncle, his family invested in a weight set and bench press for Habibi-Likio to put into his room inside of his apartment. He used that along with Oregon’s strength and conditioning program to gain 20 pounds between last season and now to put Habibi-Likio into what he says is “the best shape of his life.”

Despite being in a position that is currently nine men deep on the depth chart, Habibi-Likio’s 2019 reset has not gone unnoticed by his coaches.

“He’s just taken his game to a new level,” running backs coach Jim Mastro said. “He’s gotten faster. He’s taken his game to where he can be an every-down back for us.”

Mastro, who has been an essential part in Habibi-Likio’s growth, recruited Habibi-Likio while he was the running backs coach at Washington State. Mastro was one of the fi rst people who recruited Habibi-Likio out of high school and who believed in his talents.

Now Habibi-Likio talents have been on full display for not only Mastro, but the man who’s calling the offensive plays, Marcus Arroyo.

“Cyrus has done an awesome job,” Arroyo said. “Cyrus works his tail off. He’s the epitome of a guy who goes in every day and does his job. He’s proven himself and proved to us that he can do more than just that goal-line short-yardage stuff.”

Now that Habibi-Likio’s reset has caught the attention of his coaches, he has to prove what he can be capable of under the bright lights. And none will shine brighter than when No. 11 Oregon takes on No. 16 Auburn on primetime television in front of a national audience during its week one matchup in Arlington, Texas.

“It’s time to build up,” Habibi-Likio said. “I want to prove a point...it’s a new year, it’s a new me, it’s a new team, we’re excited.”

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Duck Season 2019

DRINKS

GIVEAWAYS

DEFENSE After finishing the 2018-19 season ranked 55th in total defense, Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal made a decisive move; electing to replace Jim Leavitt.

Enter Andy Avalos; a young, up-and-coming coordinator, who led Boise State to a 39th overall fi nish in total defense last season. While that’s not an elite mark by any means, Avalos will get a chance to coach far greater talent this year than ever before.

Avalos brings an aggressive brand to the Ducks. They will display an array of fronts as he plans to bring pressure from all over, using a variety of stunts and blitzes.

“There are a lot of similarities,” defensive lineman Drayton Carlberg said of this year’s defense compared to the previous years. “You can pick up on little things that help you out. I’m pretty confident in my ability to learn a defense because of the four different defenses I’ve had to learn here.”

SECONDARY When looking to replace the leadership of NFL Draftee and former safety Ugo Amadi, the coaches have turned to a committee style rather than leaning on an individual to pick up the load.

“We got a lot of guys back there and even though they’re young, they’ve played a lot of football,” secondary coach Donte Williams told media. “A lot of guys leading the right way. A lot of guys doing good things.”

As a freshman, Jevon Holland played a key role, acting as a ballhawk and picking off five balls. This year, he enters the starting lineup full-time and his range on the backend should be on full display. The opposing safety spot is up for grabs. Junior Nick Pickett, known for his ability to deliver big hits, has several games under his belt as a starter, but continues to compete with fellow junior Brady Breeze.

At corner, juniors Thomas Graham and Deommodore Lenoir comprise what should be one of the nation’s best duos. Both have seen extended time as starters and have shown steady improvement.

Additionally, freshmen DJ James and Mykael Wright should contribute.

Lastly, redshirt freshman Verone McKinley III is the favorite to see time at nickel, but freshman Jamal Hill and senior Haki Woods Jr are both knocking on the door.

A strong showing from Avalos and his defense in 2019 will be necessary if Oregon hopes to not only win the Pac12, but compete for a spot in the playoffs.

BY SHANE HOFFMAN TWITTER @SHANE_HOFFMANN

DEFENSIVE LINE/EDGE For the Ducks, the talent starts up front with a junior and two- year starter: nose tackle, Jordon Scott. At 6’1”, 325lbs, Scott is a pure nose tackle, and while he has sprinkled in some impressive pass-rush moves in the past, his main duty will be anchoring what should be a sturdy rush defense.

Alongside Scott, junior Austin Faoliu brings a secondary gap-fi lling presence. Carlberg, and senior Gary Baker will also see time in the rotation.

At end, highly touted freshman Kayvon Thibodeaux and senior Gus Cumberlander will duke it out, although Thibodeaux’s athleticism and unique skill set could allow him to see time at other positions.

The ‘stud’ position, a new aspect Avalos’ defense brings, is a linebacker who will both play off the edge as well as dropping back. Seniors La’Mar Winston Jr. and Bryson Young, as well as Miami transfer DJ Johnson, are all candidates for the spot.

LINEBACKER The linebacker position will be one of the more interesting groups to monitor throughout the year. This is in part due to the sheer number of bodies competing for playing time, but moreover, the unique skill sets these individuals possess.

“All these guys, they have a clean slate,” linebackers coach Ken Wilson said back at the start of spring camp.

“With me, if I can trust them I’ll put them on the field. I’ll play six, eight, or I’ll play two.”

Troy Dye elected to forgo the NFL Draft to return for his senior campaign and, as expected, will continue to excel in his role at weak-side linebacker.

After showing promise in his injury-riddled freshman year, Isaac Slade-Matautia is the favorite to start at inside linebacker. Junior Sampson Niu will likely play backup to both him and Dye, and freshman Mase Funa has come on strong.

Finally, sophomore Adrian Jackson should see his role expand at strong-side backer as he too displayed potential in his limited playing time last season.

Freshmen Ge’mon Eaford and Dru Mathis, as well as sophomore MJ Cunningham, are backups to keep an eye on.

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OFFENSE

BY BRADY LIM

As soon as quarterback Justin Herbert announced he would be returning for his senior season, the expectations for Oregon’s offense in 2019 skyrocketed.

With a preseason Heisman candidate back running the show and 10 returning starters surrounding him, offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo has all the tools to succeed in his second year in charge. Last year, the Ducks averaged 34.8 points per game, the program’s lowest total since 2006.

However, with a full season under the belts of both the players and coaches in Arroyo’s offense, Oregon appears poised to improve upon that number this season.

“We’ve come a healthy way in regards to guys understanding what we’re trying to get done, and giving them some freedom,” Arroyo said of the experienced offense.

WIDE RECEIVERS

The wide receiver position is where most, if not all, the offensive question marks reside.

Dillon Mitchell is the lone offensive starter that won’t return in 2019, but he rewrote much of the Oregon receiving record book in 2018 and was Herbert’s favorite target by a significant margin. Senior Penn State transfer Juwan Johnson has an opportunity to step into that role this year, but he’ll have to take advantage of his 6’4” frame in the red zone more frequently to do so. He had just two career touchdowns in 37 career games at Penn State.

Junior Johnny Johnson III started most of 2018, but struggled with drops and saw his targets gradually decrease as the season progressed. Johnson’s development will be key at a position group without much experience.

Junior Jaylon Redd is the team’s leading returning receiver, and projects to start in the slot after catching 38 passes for 433 yards and five touchdowns last season.

Senior Brenden Schooler will most likely miss the fi rst few games of 2019 with a foot injury, but when healthy, should also be in the mix for a good amount of targets. True freshman Mycah Pittman was also injured in fall camp, but had impressed and has a chance to push for playing time upon his return. In their absence, look for freshmen Bryan Addison and Josh Delgado to see increased reps.

This offense has the potential to be one of the best in the country. Few are more experienced, and only a handful feature a quarterback as talented as Herbert. However, the offense stagnated at times in 2018 and it cost them some games. If they can be more consistent this season, the points-per-game numbers should be up there with the best in the Pac-12 and the Ducks could be poised to contend for a spot in the Playoff.

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(Maddie Knight/Emerald)

OFFENSIVE LINE

The offensive line, one of the top groups in the country, projects to start four seniors in Calvin Throckmorton, Dallas Warmack, Jake Hanson and Shane Lemieux. The lone underclassman, sophomore Penei Sewell, will start at left tackle after making USA Today’s Freshman All-America team in 2018.

Experienced senior Brady Aiello figures to see extended snaps as well, and could push Warmack for the starting job at right guard.

“Both those guys would start at any Pac-12 school,” offensive line coach Alex Mirabal said on Warmack and Aiello. “They’re rotating on a daily basis.”

TIGHT ENDS

At tight end, junior Cam McCormick makes his return from a broken leg suffered in the 2018 season opener, and senior Jacob Breeland will look to build on a 377-yard, 2-touchdown junior campaign. The run-blocking boost from McCormick will surely add a much-needed element to Arroyo’s power run game.

Freshmen Spencer Webb and Patrick Herbert have both played well in camp, and could get some playing time if the opportunity presents itself.

“I just want to work as hard as I can and hopefully end up in a starting spot,” McCormick said. “It’s a big competition in the tight-end room. It’s great. It’s a healthy competition and it’s what all of us need in order to push each other to get better.”

RUNNING BACKS

In the backfield, CJ Verdell and Travis Dye are both back after enjoying successful freshman seasons in 2018. Last year, Verdell scored 12 touchdowns and became the only Power-5 player in the nation to amass 1,000 yards rushing and 300 yards receiving, while Dye added over 700 yards on the ground and five scores of his own. Beyond the returning duo, sophomore Cyrus Habibi-Likio and freshman Sean Dollars could see carries in a supporting role as well. Habibi-Likio scored seven touchdowns on only 18 carries in 2018, and hopes to expand upon his goalline role in 2019.

“It’s defi nitely a competitive group,” Verdell said of the running backs. “We’ve got a lot of talent in the room. Coach [ Jim] Mastro does a very good job.”

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Duck Season 2019