10/31/19 Emerald Media - Gameday Edition

GAMEDAY

FROM SIDELINE TO

STUD

BRYSON YOUNG WAS SIDELINED FOR THREE SEASONS, BUT IN HIS FOURTH SEASON HE’S FOUND A STARTING SPOT ON ONE OF OREGON’S BEST DEFENSES IN RECENT MEMORY.

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ON THE COVER

Ducks outside linebacker Bryson Young (56) warms up. (DL Young/Emerald)

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OREGON

USC USC OFFENSE

OREGON OFFENSE Penei Sewell No. 58 Shane Lemieux No. 68 Jake Hanson No. 55 Dallas Warmack No. 75 Calvin Throckmorton No. 54 Ryan Bay No. 87 Bryan Addison No. 80 Jaylon Redd No. 30 Johnny Johnson III No. 3 CJ Verdell No. 7 Justin Herbert No. 10

LT LG C RG RT TE WR WR WR RB QB

So. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. R-Fr. Jr. Jr. So. Sr.

Austin Jackson Alijah Vera-Tucker Brett Neilon Jalen McKenzie Drew Richmond Michael Pittman Jr. Tyler Vaughns Amon-Ra St. Brown Drake London Stephen Carr Kedon Slovis

DE NT DT STUD MLB WILL NICKEL/SAM CB CB S S

Fr. Jr. Jr. Sr. So. Sr. So. Jr. Jr. Jr. R-Fr.

No. 63 No. 42 No. 49

LS P PK

Jr. So. So. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. Fr. Jr. Fr.

Christian Rector Marlon Tuipulotu Jay Tufele Drake Jackson Hunter Echols John Houston Jr. Palaie Gaoteote IV Olaijah Griffin Isaiah Pola-Mao Talanoa Hufanga Issac Taylor-Stuart

No. 89 No. 51 No. 78 No. 99 No. 31 No. 10 No. 1 No. 2 No. 21 No. 15 No. 6

DE NT DT DE SLB MLB WLB CB FS SS CB

Sr. So. So. Fr. So. Sr. So. So. So. So. Fr.

USC STATE SPECIAL TEAMS

OREGON SPECIAL TEAMS Karsten Battles Blake Maimone Camden Lewis

LT LG C RG RT WR WR WR WR TB QB

USC STATE DEFENSE

OREGON DEFENSE Kayvon Thibodeaux No. 5 Jordon Scott No. 34 Austin Faoliu No. 99 Bryson Young No. 56 Isaac Slade-Matautia No. 41 Troy Dye No. 35 Jevon Holland No. 8 Thomas Graham Jr. No. 4 Deommodore Lenoir No. 6 Nick Pickett No. 16 Verone McKinley No. 23

No. 73 No. 75 No. 62 No. 70 No. 53 No. 6 No. 21 No. 8 No. 15 No. 7 No. 9

So. Sr. Fr.

Damon Johnson Ben Griffiths Chase McGrath

No. 59 No. 24 No. 40

LS P PK

Jr. Fr. So.

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GAMEDAY

JUWAN JOHNSON IS GETTING HIS CHANCE TO SHINE, AFTER BEING IN THE SHADOWS ALL SEASON BY: Shane Hoffman @shane_hoffmann

Ducks wide receiver Juwan Johnson (6) pushes foRward after a defending buffalo initiated the tackle. (DL Young/Emerald)

After a tumultuous, injury-plagued start to the season, Juwan Johnson finally got his chance to shine. With 26 seconds left and the Ducks facing a one-point deficit, quarterback Justin Herbert looked his way.

Johnson caught a screen pass near the Cougars’ 33-yard line and quickly turned it upfield.

Following a series of crucial blocks from the offensive line and his fellow receivers, Johnson flashed his speed as he accelerated toward the end zone, before finally getting dragged down near the 5-yard line to set up Camden Lewis’ game-winning field goal.

“It was rewarding,” Johnson said. “Knowing that [Herbert] had trusted me, I was just trying to be a guy that helped him out…It was more rewarding here because of how much I’ve been

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through.”

When the former Penn State transfer came to Eugene last spring, he brought immense expectations with him, matching his 6-foot-4inch frame. He impressed throughout camp and was soon being talked up as a potential go-to target for Herbert, an aspect the team seemed to lack after the NFL departure of Dillon Mitchell.

When the season rolled around, however, doubt set in as Johnson began to battle a soft-tissue calf injury. He went on to miss the team’s first four games.

Meanwhile, fellow receivers Jaylon Redd and Johnny Johnson III took over. With Jacob Breeland’s breakout season and Mycah Pittman’s instant impact, Juwan Johnson was all but forgotten.

Even when Johnson did return to the field, he didn’t look like himself. He recorded just two catches for 36 yards over his first three games. He looked slow, lacked separation and, when given opportunities to make contested catches, he couldn’t come down with them.

On Saturday, Johnson looked healthy for the first time all season. He recorded a team-high four catches for 64 yards, two of which came on Oregon’s final drive.

“It’s been a long road,” he said. “That’s a testament to [my teammates]. It’s been tough, real tough, sitting and waiting and missing the Auburn game and then three or four more games, whatever the case may have been. But I’m glad that [my coaches] stuck with me and really motivated me to be the person I am right now.”

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“THE LAST WEEK AND A HALF, BUT PARTICULARLY THIS WEEK, [JOHNSON’S] BEEN PRACTICING REALLY, REALLY WELL.” HEAD COACH MARIO CRISTOBAL

Johnson still has a ways to go if he hopes to solidify a spot in Oregon’s suddenly deep receiving corps. However, his size and frame are assets — something lacking in the rest of the receiver room.

“The last week and a half, but particularly this week, [Johnson’s] been practicing really, really well,” head coach Mario Cristobal said.

“Looks strong, really catching the ball. Just snatching it out of the air, running really good routes, playing with toughness.”

Not only could he prove to be valuable down the field and in the red zone, as he continues to get healthier each week, but Johnson’s

size comes in handy in the run game. This was on display Saturday as he had key blocks, which helped CJ Verdell rush for over 250 yards.

“You saw the physical blocking today,” Cristobal said. “Really proud of the way he played tonight, certainly looking for more production from him.”

As much as it hurts to miss such a large chunk of his final collegiate season, Johnson still has plenty of time to make his presence felt. That starts this weekend as the Ducks head to Southern California to take on talent-rich USC in another big road test.

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GAMEDAY

Shane Lemieux (68), outside linebacker, celebrates a touchdown with teammates. . (Madi Mather/Emerald)

OREGON’S BLOCKING OUT THE NOISE, MAKING ADJUSTMENTS ON DEFENSE IN PREPARATIONS FOR USC BY: Clayton Franke @clayfranke1

After a thrilling win for the second week in a row, the Ducks have launched themselves into the top 10, sitting at No. 7 in the latest AP Poll. With talk of reaching the College Football Playoff swirling, Oregon must stay focused on the task at hand.

“Our process is as simple as, ‘This is the most important game of the year, because it’s our next game,’” head coach Mario Cristobal said in a press conference Monday.

The Ducks will have to finish the rest of the season undefeated if they want any shot at being selected for the Playoff, so the only thing they’re preparing for this week is to face the leaders of the Pac-12 South, the USC Trojans.

The Oregon defense will be up against freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis and a slew of explosive receivers — a combination that almost brought Oregon its first conference loss of the season last week, against Washington State. The Cougars’ Anthony Gordon completed 32 passes for 406 yards against the Ducks, exposing an Oregon secondary that had been mostly solid in the weeks prior. USC offensive coordinator Graham Harrell takes a similar air-raid approach to his offense, meaning the Ducks have to make some adjustments.

“You have to make sure you work on the things

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that might’ve been effective against you, because if not, they’ll show up again,” Cristobal said. “Due to our preparation, we’ll be at a point where we are ready to play against whatever we see on Saturday.”

The Ducks are also working on getting more push from the defensive line and defending the air attack by putting the quarterback under pressure.

Oregon’s injury concerns this week involve the Dye brothers. Troy, against Washington State, was seen in street clothes with a cast on his right hand as a result of breaking his thumb in the first quarter against Washington. Travis was taken to the locker room near the end of the first half against Washington State after taking a hit to the head. Cristobal, though, was confident about the condition of the brothers, saying “they’re healthy and will be ready to practice by Tuesday.”

Cristobal is still emphasizing technique and execution in practice, no matter how big the games have gotten. If the Ducks can be near-perfect with their fundamentals, they will be a tough team to beat down the stretch. Freshman kicker Camden Lewis held up under pressure to kick the gamewinning field goal last week, but a missed extra point earlier in the game forced the Oregon offense to go for a two-point conversion after a touchdown.

These types of mistakes are crucial in big games, as they could be the difference between a win and a loss — or between making the Playoff and missing the cut.

While the Ducks still need to clean up a few mistakes, the ability of role players to step up during the past few weeks has been crucial. They’ve been able to win with different personnel, with Spencer Webb stepping up to compensate for the loss of tight end Jacob Breeland, and Juwan Johnson getting more snaps and targets.

“We knew that somebody in that locker room was going to step up and make plays, and everyone in their own right made a significant play in that game,” Cristobal said of last week’s game against Washington State.

The Ducks have all the momentum they need heading into Los Angeles, and it will be their ability to translate the execution they have in practice into gameday that decides whether or not they can defend the No. 7 spot in the nation. Oregon’s secondary can’t afford another poor performance like they had against Washington State, or the Ducks will find themselves on the losing end of an upset on Saturday.

GAMEDAY

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COVER

FROM SIDELINE TO STARTER:

BRYSON YOUNG IS RELISHING AS A STARTER IN HIS SENIOR SEASON BY: Gabriel Ornelas @gabe_ornelas

Brandon Arconado (19), wide receiver for the Cougars, is tackled by a Duck player. . (Madi Mather/Emerald)

Bryson Young has been ready for this starting role.

After going through three different defensive coordinators in four seasons, Young has finally gotten his opportunity to lament his status as a starter on Oregon’s defense, and it’s something he’s releshing.

“It’s definitely new, actually playing with the ones and everything,” Young said. “I don’t want to say it’s natural to me, but I’ve been ready for it. It’s the reason I came here.”

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Young, a Clovis, California, native, was a consensus four-star recruit coming out of Buchanan High School. He was the No. 16-ranked weak-side defensive end and the No. 36 player in California, according to 247Sports.

Entering his freshman season in 2016, Young would look to play a part in then-defensive coordinator Brady Hoke’s scheme. Young finished his freshman season playing in all 12 games and recording 12 tackles and

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two pass breakups. Hoke’s time as coordinator would come to an end as Oregon finished its season 4-8, and Mark Helfrich, along with his entire coaching staff, was fired.

After learning the 4-3 defensive scheme, Young would have to learn a 3-4 base defense under new defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt.

In Leavitt’s two years as defensive coordinator, Young appeared in 24 games — recording just five tackles — and was only used on punt and

kickoff return in his junior season.

“It was very, very frustrating,” Young said. “With multiple defenses, I thought I could have contributed somewhat, but it was definitely frustrating. I didnt let it get to me, I just kept working harder.”

Head coach Mario Cristobal hired defensive coordinator Andy Avalos following Leavitt’s departure. Avalos would present the perfect defensive scheme for Young to have a chance at a starting spot at “stud” — a

Ducks linebacker Bryson Young at play. (Madi Mather/Emerald)

With multiple defenses, I thought I could have contributed somewhat, but it was definitely frustrating. I didnt let it get to me, I just kept working harder.”

BRYSON YOUNG

hybrid position that is a cross between a defensive end and linebacker.

He had his chance to impress Avalos and his teammates during spring ball.

“He grew and received from the team one of the most improved players through the course of the spring,” Avalos said. “He is a very consistent player, and you could probably attribute that to the way he prepares.”

Young, who is 6 foot 5 inches, 248 pounds, presented the ideal frame that Avalos was looking for in a player to fit the stud position.

“That’s the type of body, length we’re looking for, the size and the mobility,” Avalos said. “His mobility, his ability to open and close his hips and change direction, drastically improved in the springtime.”

Eight games into this season, Young has

lamented himself as the starting stud and been able to thrive at the position.

He made his first career start in Oregon’s season opener against Auburn, in which he made a then-career-high four tackles. In Oregon’s game against Colorado, he had his first-career interception along with a career-high five tackles. At stud this year, he has been able to make 23 tackles, which is six more than his first three seasons combined.

“I’m just more comfortable with it,” Young said of playing the stud position.

“I think I’ve just, in terms of the defense and the scheme, I’ve binded well with that.

[Avalos] is really more personable with teaching and it’s more clear to me than it has been in opposing years.”

After three turbulent seasons, Young has finally been able to become a presence for Oregon. Young, a senior, has been featured

in 43 games, which are the third-most of any player on the Ducks defense.

Along with his veteran presence, Young remains as one of the few players left from the 2016 class. He is one of eight players from that class that featured 26 players; one of those players that’s still around is Brady Breeze.

Breeze, a safety from Lake Oswego, Oregon, met Young informally at a summer camp back in 2014. The two formally met when Young had his official visit to Eugene when Oregon played Utah in 2015.

The duo now live together and have become best friends throughout a tumultuous three seasons.

“We’ve been through it all,” Young said. “We’ve had friends along the way that haven’t made it this far, which is disappointing, but at the same time, we

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COVER

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Ducks linebacker Bryson Young battles with a Stanford linemen.(Connor Cox/Emerald)

just know we have each other. That is what pushes us through each day.”

Breeze echoed a similar sentiment.

“We’ve had some tough times. Last year was obviously tough for us, not really playing, really, much at all,” Breeze said. “It’s made all the success, this season, that much sweeter.

Tough times make the good times that much better. We just have to enjoy every moment like this. Enjoy this season and just enjoy these games and really appreciate this time together.”

Young, also known as “Blackhawk”

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to many around the team has been a nickname that he’s embraced. Young created an email address a while back that was “blackhawk32698,” but he changed it before arriving to Oregon.

In Young’s first team meeting, there were emails displayed on the screen and everyone happened to see the old email address — the whole team laughed. From then on, he’s embraced the nickname “Blackhawk.”

Young will now get his chance to return to his home state of California.

Oregon has made trips to California for games before, but this will be the

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first time the Ducks are in Southern California with Young in a starting spot on the team.

Oregon is set to play USC on Saturday and Young’s hometown is only 230 miles away from USC. He anticipates his family coming to watch.

“That’s kinda special,” Young said.

“Especially senior year and the fact that we’re down there, it’s kinda special. My family also has been kinda frustrated too the last few years, so it’s special.”

Young has been a part of an

unstable program for the past three seasons, but he has finally found some stability in his fourth year, and so has the program. Not only has he stuck around and never wavered, but he has earned a starting spot on a defense that is ranked inside the top 20 in total defense.

“It’s definitely crazy, it’s not what I expected coming here,” Young said.

“I’m learning multiple defenses.

I’m learning more about defenses, offenses and what they do. It’s been beneficial. It’s my time to show that I can play.”

GAMEDAY

PLAYERS TO WATCH BY: Charles Gearing @GearingCharlie

USC KEDON SLOVIS / QUARTERBACK / USC Due to injuries, USC’s quarterback position has been a revolving door.

Freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis has taken the reins of the offense, and with the help of a star-studded group of receivers, has been effective.

Slovis’ best performance of the season came last week against Colorado, when the freshman led the USC offense to a win over the Buffs. He connected on 30 of 44 pass attempts for 406 yards and four touchdowns.

Slovis and the USC offense will face a highly touted Oregon defense this Saturday. However, the Ducks’ defensive group — and more specifically the secondary — has been exploited as of late, struggling to limit the passing attacks of both Washington and Washington State.

With the USC offense firing on all cylinders coming off a huge comeback win against Colorado, the Trojans may have momentum on their side.

MICHAEL PITTMAN JR. / WIDE RECEIVER / USC At the center of the USC passing attack is wideout Michael Pittman Jr., older brother of Oregon receiver Mycah Pittman. The senior is in the midst of a breakout season, catching 50 passes for 755 yards and seven touchdowns with an average of 15.1 yards per catch. Pittman’s yardage total, through the first eight games of 2019, is just 3 yards short of last season’s sum.

Pittman has proven that he can come up big in primetime games, having his best performance of the season in USC’s victory over Utah, when he caught 10 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown.

On Saturday, Pittman’s ability to stretch the field will be put to the test by a talented Oregon secondary.

Oregon THOMAS GRAHAM JR. / CORNERBACK / OREGON The 2019 Oregon defense has been ranked among the best in the nation. The Ducks’ secondary, which includes a plethora of high-end defensive backs, has been a huge part of the team’s success. Among that group is junior cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. Graham has performed well this season, deflecting seven passes on the season thus far. The junior tallied a single interception, which came in the Ducks’ first game of the year against Auburn.

Despite garnering much of the attention in 2019, the Oregon defense as a whole has struggled in the last two games, surrendering over 30 points in each contest.

Washington State, in particular, was able to capitalize through the air. The Ducks, who allow an average of 207 passing yards per game, allowed 406 for their worst defensive showing of the year.

The Cougars’ offense targeted Graham throughout the affair, and for the most part, succeeded.

With a matchup against one of the Pac-12’s best receiving corps, a massive opportunity presents itself for Graham and the rest of the Oregon defense. This group, if dominant, could make a tremendous statement to not only the Pac-12, but the rest of the nation.

CJ VERDELL / RUNNING BACK / OREGON After a breakout freshman year with the Ducks, sophomore running back CJ Verdell has continued to develop as an offensive threat in 2019.

Although Oregon’s ground game got off to a slow start this season, the Ducks have improved in recent weeks, largely due to several explosive performances from Verdell.

He currently leads the team in rushing yards with 753 and sits third on the team in touchdowns with five.

Verdell’s season high came last week against Washington State, when the sophomore running back tallied 257 rushing yards and three touchdowns for 11.2 yards per carry on 23 rushes.

Oregon’s matchup with USC presents a unique opportunity for Verdell.

With the Trojans sitting behind Washington State in rushing yards allowed per game — good for ninth in the Pac-12 — Verdell and the Ducks could very well continue their success on the ground.

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MATCHUPS BY: Noah Noteboom @noah_boom23 USC head coach Clay Helton vs.

Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal

Ducks head coach Mario Cristobal on the sideline during a timeout. (DL Young/Emerald)

Oregon’s matchup against USC will feature star-studded players all over the field, but perhaps the most interesting matchup will take place on the sidelines.

Clay Helton’s time as head coach has been predicated on recruiting young talent to a historic USC football program.

For the past five years, he’s brought in a top-10 nationally ranked recruiting class. This season, however, it dropped to No. 20 in the nation and No. 3 in the Pac-12 behind Oregon and Washington. Four-star recruit Devon Williams recently left the USC program and transferred to Oregon.

With lots of experience on the offensive side of the ball, Helton’s Trojans are scoring over 31 points a game. Going up against Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal — whose Ducks are holding opponents to just 14 points per game — will be Helton’s biggest challenge this season.

According to reports, Helton is on the hot seat after his team’s 5-3 start to the season.

After USC’s loss to Notre Dame

a couple weeks ago, his future remains uncertain.

After being the offensive line coach at Miami and Rutgers, Cristobal was the head coach at Florida International University for six seasons. Being unexpectedly released from his position, Cristobal was hired by Nick Saban to coach the offensive line in addition to serving as the recruitment coordinator from the Crimson Tide. Cristobal was the National Recruiter of the Year in 2015, per 247Sports.

His arrival as head coach in Eugene on Dec. 8, 2017 has ushered in a shift in culture.

Recruiting big names like Kayvon Thibodeaux and resurrecting a defense that was almost non-existent in past seasons, Cristobal is one of the best things to happen to the Ducks football program in recent memory.

Cristobal has led the Ducks to an overall record of 16-6 and 10-4 in the Pac-12. Since his first bowl win with FIU in 2010, Cristobal has since coached the Ducks to a 7-6 win over Michigan State in the 2018 Redbox Bowl.

ADVANTAGE: MARIO CRISTOBAL USC linebacker John Houston Jr. vs.

Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert USC senior linebacker John Houston Jr.’s experience speaks for itself — he’s started at inside linebacker since his sophomore year. Houston has already Quarterback Justin Herbert (10) throws the ball down the field. (Madi Mather/Emerald)

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surpassed his tackle total from last year, when he finished second on the team with 67.

His consistency in the middle of the defense is keeping

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Ducks head coach Mario Cristobal gives a call. (Devin Roux/Emerald)

USC in contention for a Pac-12 Championship bid. Houston has recorded at least eight tackles in four of USC’s five conference matchups. He recorded nine tackles in a 30-23 win over Pac-12 South foe Utah.

Additionally, the Trojans have had issues forcing turnovers with just six fumble recoveries and three interceptions, which is tied for last in the conference.

Oregon star quarterback, Justin Herbert, has been performing at the highest level all season.

After he announced his decision to return to the Ducks for his senior year at the end of 2018, expectations remain sky-high for

the future NFL first-rounder.

Herbert is averaging 7.3 yards per pass attempt in the month of October. He will have to watch for Houston in the middle of the field when he makes those shorter passes. Despite having yet to record an interception and deflecting only three passes, the 6-foot-3 linebacker must limit Herbert’s midfield passes.

In Herbert’s four seasons as a Duck, he’s had three different head coaches and just a single bowl win.

With the Ducks in sole possession of first place in the Pac-12 North, Herbert will look to bring a Pac-12 Championship back to Eugene for the first time since 2014.

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GAMEDAY

DEEP DIVE INTO USC Jevon Holland (8), safety for the Ducks, celebrates his tackle.

(Madi Mather/Emerald)

BY: Oscar Duyck Although No. 9 Utah is regarded as the best team in the Pac-12 South, USC is the current division leader. Like most teams in the Pac-12, USC’s performance has been up and down this season.

However, USC is one of the premier programs on the West Coast, and Oregon traveling to Los Angeles is one of the biggest challenges remaining in the Ducks schedule.

The Trojans have been an excellent home team this season, winning all four of their games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

As a blue-chip program located in the recruiting hotbed of Southern California, USC will always have the focus of the national spotlight. The Trojans earned some national buzz in week 2, defeating then-No. 23 Stanford 45-20 and opening the season 2-0.

In week 3, USC, like many Pac-12 programs this year, followed that performance with a gutwrenching 30-27 loss to BYU. That was a bad loss to a mediocre BYU team that is now 3-4, and as a result, USC lost much of its national buzz.

The Trojans dramatically altered the College Football Playoff landscape in week 4 when they defeated No. 10 Utah at the Coliseum. Wide receiver

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Michael Pittman Jr. had 232 yards and a touchdown as the Trojans downed the Utes 30-23. That win helped solidify the notion that the Pac-12 is one of the most unpredictable conferences in college football — a conference in which any given team can win in any given week.

But once again, the Trojans followed a big win with a misstep, this time losing to then-No. 17 Washington, 28-14; third-string quarterback Matt Fink threw three interceptions in the game.

The following week, USC played a strong game against its arch rivals, then-No. 9 Notre Dame, but ultimately lost 30-27. Notre Dame running back Tony Jones Jr. ran all over the USC defense to the tune of 176 yards.

Rather than shut down, USC went back to work and is now on a two-game winning streak, defeating Pac-12 South foes Arizona and Colorado in back-toback weeks.

Last week against the Buffaloes, USC flirted with a loss, but quarterback Kedon Slovis threw a 37yard touchdown to Pittman in the final minutes to give the Trojans a 35-31 win. USC controls its own destiny in the division race — if it wins out, they’ll represent the South in the Pac-12 Championship

game in Santa Clara, California.

The Trojans rank in the middle of the Pac-12 in most statistical categories this season. They’re fifth in the conference in total yards per game this season and aren’t a great running team, averaging just 159 yards on the ground per game.

However, they are second in passing yards per game with 296. The Ducks struggled to contain Washington State’s air-raid offense last week, and the Trojans’ aerial attack presents a similar challenge. If USC is going to win this game, it’ll need a strong performance from Slovis through the air.

On defense, the Trojans are eighth in the Pac-12 in yards allowed per game at 429, and opponents average 24 points per contest. One interesting tidbit to note is that USC is second in sacks with 22; Oregon is the current sacks leader with 23.

Pressuring Herbert will be imperative for the Trojans.

To its credit, USC has played a tough schedule, playing two top-10 teams (Utah and Notre Dame) and decent non-conference opponents in BYU and Fresno State. USC has risen to the challenge this year and has a chance to earn its second Playoffaltering upset of the season against Oregon.

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