10/13/16 Emerald Media - Gameday

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JUSTIN HERBERT WAS A LEGENDARY ATHLETE AT EUGENE’S OWN SHELDON HIGH SCHOOL but was hardly recruited to play

in college. After moving from backup to starting quarterback in a loss last week to Washington, the freshman will continue trying to steer the struggling Ducks in the right direction.

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Freshman quarterback Justin Herbert in his first career start against the No. 5 Washington Huskies on Oct. 8.

Photo by Adam Eberhardt

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FORMER OREGON PLAYERS WEIGH IN ON STATE OF OREGON FOOTBALL PROGRAM Written by: Kenny Jacoby @kennyjacoby Photo by : Kaylee Domzalski

With the Ducks (2-4) having lost four straight games, several current and former Oregon players have been weighing in on Oregon’s struggles on Twitter. Head coach Mark Helfrich addressed the chatter during his press conference on Tuesday.

“There’s a lot of teams in the country right now that were expected to be at a certain level but aren’t, and there’s different reasons for that,” Helfrich said.

“We had our shots early to win a couple games that didn’t go our way, and now everything’s on the table as far as why that is. But we need to coach them better, they absolutely need to work harder, work smarter, and execute more cleanly on Saturdays.”

Here’s what some of the former players have had to say: Former linebacker Derrick Malone and former running back Kenjon Barner were sickened by the team’s performance:

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Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Austin Maloata (50) chases down Washington Huskies quarterback Jake Browning (3).

Washington Huskies running back Jomon Dotson (10) brushes off a tackle from Oregon Ducks defensive back Jhet Janis (12).

WHY OREGON DEFENSE HAS BEEN THE WORST IN THE COUNRTY

Written by: Jarrid Denney @jarrid_denney | Photos by : Eric Cech After nearly a decade of dizzying success and flirtation with national titles, Oregon is in uncharted waters.

Fresh off a crushing loss to the No. 5 Washington Huskies, the Ducks have now dropped four-straight games. They are 2-4 on the season, winless in Pac-12 play and on track for their worst finish since 2004.

Oregon hasn’t missed out on a bowl game since that 2004 season, but the program is veering in the direction of a losing season as it searches for an identity.

“I think people really need to evaluate if they want to play,” Oregon offensive lineman Cameron Hunt told reporters following Oregon’s loss to Washington.

“As a coach, figure out what guys want to play and what guys don’t want to play, and if they don’t want to play, they can leave.”

Less than three years removed from a Rose Bowl victory, the sudden drop in performance has fans wondering where it all went so wrong for Oregon.

Oregon’s offense isn’t turning heads and gassing opponents like it did when the Ducks were a national powerhouse, but it’s far from the problem. In fact, the offense has been above-average statistically.

The defensive numbers, though, tell a different story.

Oregon’s defense is hemorrhaging yards at a

staggering rate. The Ducks (522 yards per game) own the third-worst total defense in the country; only Texas State and Rice are worse in that category. The Ducks have surrendered more first downs than any team in the country, and rank 114th out of 128 teams when it comes to stopping opponents on third down.

The stale defense lacks playmakers and ranks 114th nationally in forced turnovers. It has allowed opposing quarterbacks to operate without fear and expose holes in the Ducks’ secondary and linebacker corps.

During the peak of Oregon’s run, it forced more turnovers than any team in the country. The Ducks led the nation in forced turnovers in 2010 (40) and finished third in 2014 (34); both of those seasons ended with trips to the national championship game.

“When [former defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti] was there, they had good players and they came from everywhere,” an anonymous Pac-12 coach told ESPN.com in August. “They’d line up and you’re like, ‘OK, they’re susceptible here,’ and they’d have someone end up there. They did some unique things alignment-wise, coming from different places. You never could get a beat on it. “[Pellum] tried to keep doing that, and they just lost a little bit of that creativity every year. Almost too much.”

When defensive coordinator Brady Hoke arrived at Oregon, his shift from a 3-4 to a 4-3 scheme was intended to help Oregon create a more effective pass rush. But injuries have picked apart an Oregon frontseven that was extremely young to begin with. Hoke has unleashed more blitzes on pass attempts than last year, but the results haven’t been positive.

Washington quarterback Jake Browning dropped back to pass 33 times in the Huskies’ win over Oregon, and the Ducks brought the blitz on 20 of those attempts. In those instances, Browning went 14-for-18, threw for 188 yards and was sacked just once.

The problem could be that Hoke doesn’t yet have the type of physical players needed to succeed in a 4-3 scheme. Michigan, his former team, also runs a 4-3 scheme and owns the best total defense in the nation this season. It relies on a rotation of frontseven players who weigh an average of 260 pounds.

Oregon’s group of regular front-seven players averages 244 pounds.

“These kids are working hard. They’re listening; they’re learning,” Hoke said following the Washington loss. “We all wish we were maybe a little more ahead, but there’s nothing I can tell you. These kids are doing everything we want them to do.”

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Looking for housing shouldn’t be difficult.

Above; Head coach Mark Helfrich

STUDENTS WEIGH IN ON MARK HELFRICH’S RESPONSIBILITY IN FOUR STRAIGHT LOSSES

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Just two seasons ago, the Oregon football team was competing in the national championship game against Ohio State under head coach Mark Helfrich.

Now, the Ducks have lost four consecutive games just six games into the season. They fell short against Nebraska, Colorado and Washington State before suffering a 70-21 blowout loss to No. 5 Washington.

“Certainly nobody draws this up,” Helfrich said in his post-Colorado press conference.

He publicly apologized to Oregon fans for the score of Saturday’s game against Washington. He has also said, “Anything that’s bad in this program is my responsibility.”

Helfrich said Tuesday that he and the program are keeping a level head.

“The same people that tell you you’re the greatest or the smartest or the best — which that’s probably not true — they also are the people that tell you you’re the bottom of the barrel, or whatever adjectives may be in there,” Helfrich said. “That’s not true either.”

Many University of Oregon students have voiced their disappointment in this season and debated about who is to blame. A GoFundMe account was comically set up with the intent of buying out Helfrich’s contract so that the Ducks could try their luck with a new head coach. “[Helfrich] doesn’t recruit the players we need,” Oregon alum Ryan Langston said. “This one-year quarterback situation we have had the last two years just doesn’t work.

I think a coaching change needs to happen, and that ultimately should be Helfrich.”

UO student Isaiah Patton agreed some changes might be in order.

“At some point you have to take pride in your performance,” Patton said. “Letting an opponent score 70 in Autzen just is not the Oregon way. Some changes should definitely be considered.”

Others have specific concerns about the future.

“I definitely think it’s time for a new head coach,” senior Dan Forbes said.

“Someone who will shake things up, and really recruit.”

Still, some understood the complexity of such a large team and did not solely fault Helfrich.

“I don’t blame [Helfrich],” senior Jashrine Prasad said. “We have a transfer quarterback, our defense isn’t too strong, the pocket deteriorates too quickly; it’s just going to take some time.”

UO student Rachael Breen also attributes the Duck’s recent losses to more than just Helfrich’s coaching.

“At the beginning of the season, [Helfrich] definitely came out a little too ambitious, thinking as though we still had [Marcus] Mariota,” Breen said. “But I respect his decision to try to change things up and try a new quarterback. I also think that the primarily freshman line and defense is to blame.”

Helfrich has remained positive in his press conferences and made clear that he believes in his players even though they are “mentally struggling.”

“The biggest thing is just controlling us,” Helfrich said before the Washington game. “We are built around people and culture and character, and it’s times like these when you need that the most — not when the seas are calm and everything’s great. It’s times like these.”

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DUCK FANS, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR WITH ‘FIRE HELFRICH’ Written by: Jack Butler @Butler917 | Photos by : Adam Eberhardt If Oregon fires Mark Helfrich, the program will lose the identity it has created over the past decade and a half.

Simply put, Oregon would not be Oregon anymore.

With Mike Bellotti as the head coach, Oregon rose to national prominence in the late 1990s. More than a decade later, under Chip Kelly, the Ducks became a powerhouse capable of beating any team in the country. In 2011, Oregon was three points away from becoming the national champion.

Oregon football was the new kid on the block. The nation’s novelty.

Oregon fans were tired from decades of being the laughing stock of the west.

The eyes of college football fans were watching a revolutionary fast team with different uniforms every game, play call signs with celebrities faces on the sideline and a mascot that did so many push-ups it became famous.

Even the New York Times took notice, featuring the Ducks in a lengthy Sunday magazine article in 2010.

The Ducks’ program was able to realize its dreams, thanks to a buffet of outside resources.

Oregon and its fans enjoyed the new kid on the block mentality. They embraced the expectations, and for the most part, the football team met them. But as all traditional upper-class college football programs know, a small slip with the weight of expectations brings a hard crash.

Today, at 2-4, the Ducks are falling and clinging to life as they knew it.

They desperately want it to return, so thus, a modest ‘Fire Helfrich’ campaign has taken hold.

If Helfrich is fired, so goes the mentality that Bellotti and Kelly created. One of Oregon’s strong suits has been its ability to promote from

within. Bellotti was the offensive coordinator for a time under Rich Brooks, and Kelly was an offensive coordinator under Bellotti, while Helfrich was an offensive coordinator under Kelly.

If a new coach is hired from the outside, especially a big name like Les Miles or Lane Kiffin, everything will change.

The style of offense that Duck fans loved and bragged about? Gone. The assistant coaches who have been with the program for decades would be gone. The face of the program would change, and Oregon would be grouped with all the other programs trying to maintain relevance.

Helfrich has been in Eugene for years. He’s an Oregon native and is 3512 overall.

Oregon has six games left. A 3-3 finish would leave the Ducks out of a bowl game, and fan pressure would make Helfrich’s seat scorching hot.

Many would call for his firing even if they finish the season 6-6 or 7-5.

Helfrich is not Kelly — nobody is — but he may be more like Bellotti. In 2004, Oregon finished 5-6. The Ducks were two seasons removed from being 11-1 and Pac-10 champions. In 2005, the Ducks finished 10-2, second in the Pac-12.

This year’s team is starting a true freshman at quarterback and four redshirt freshmen along the offensive line. The defense will return nine or 10 starters next season. Perhaps Duck fans need to move past this football season, wait for next year and focus on men’s basketball.

Helfrich has proven he can reach the College Football Playoffs. Duck fans shouldn’t be so quick to oust a coach who is so engrained in the program.

Above; Head coach Mark Helfrich on the sideline during the Ducks match up against Washington.

Above: Oregon running back Jarret Lacoste breaks through tackles late in the game against Washington.

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Straight Outta

Written by: Gus Morris @JustGusMorris | Photos by : Eric Cech

Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert (10) winds up to make a pass.

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Ducks offensive coordinator Matt Lubick visited Sheldon High School in the winter of 2014, on the hunt for potential players.

The wide receiver coach at the time, Lubick was unable to find Sheldon head football coach Lane Johnson — he had left for the day — but instead ran into assistant coach Les Phillipo.

Lubick, who was coming off his first full season at Oregon and still unfamiliar with local high school talent, asked Phillipo if Sheldon had any good players from the past year. He had no idea that Sheldon’s quarterback, Kellen Strahm, had accounted for 3,300 yards of offense and 42 touchdowns that season and been named the Oregonian’s 2014-2015 Athlete of the Year.

He also had no idea that the Strahm had replaced the guy who would become Oregon’s quarterback, Justin Herbert.

Herbert was in the latter half of his junior year. He was several months removed from a horrendous injury that broke his leg and sidelined him two and a half games into Sheldon’s football season.

But what he had done in those two and a half games was nothing short of remarkable: He accounted for ten touchdowns and helped the Irish topple a Jesuit team that Strahm called “All-World.”

“Right when he stepped in as a junior, he took control of the offense,” Strahm said. “I was like, ‘You’re going to be something special.’

“Knowing him for all these years, there was something

about him.”

Phillipo said the injury to Herbert had been “devastating” for his team, although Strahm’s performance did alleviate some of that pain.

When Lubick came knocking, Phillipo told him about Strahm. He also mentioned that they had Herbert, a junior quarterback who was coming back next season.

Lubick took note of it and left. That was the last time Phillipo heard from an Oregon coach for a while.

Before his injury, Herbert had received letters from some Division I programs, including a few Pac-12 schools.

After his injury, the letters stopped coming.

“Recruiting stopped,” Mark Herbert, Justin’s dad, said. “It came to a grinding halt.”

One school that remained with him, though: Montana State, a school his family had ties to. Herbert’s older brother, Mitchell Herbert, was a wide receiver for the Bobcats. Montana State coaches knew the family and knew Mitchell’s brother was talented. They thought Herbert could play quarterback for them after their current quarterback, Dakota Prukop, graduated.

But that idea was short-lived.

Whispers about Justin began to circulate again when Herbert’s leg healed.

He finished out his junior year playing basketball and baseball, excelling in both.

He seemed to have returned to his pre-injury form.

Boise State came down

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to see Herbert during the spring of his junior year.

The Broncos were one of the first big programs to take serious interest in Herbert. According to Phillipo, they were “enthralled by Herbert” and returned a number of times to Sheldon to take video and watch him practice.

Shortly after Boise State expressed interest in Herbert, Washington Huskies offensive coordinator Jonathan Smith came down to check him out. The Huskies were very interested and invited him on two unofficial trips to Seattle, one in March of his junior year and the other in May. Herbert sat through Washington quarterback meetings and practices.

He met and talked with quarterback Jake Browning and head coach Chris Petersen. According to Mark Herbert, everything about the program was “first class.”

Phillipo said he thought Herbert and his family were serious about choosing Washington, and that they didn’t think Oregon was interested in him at the time.

“He was gonna be a Husky,” Phillipo said. “It sounded like he was really excited about them and their program up there and how awesome it was.”

Washington coaches had yet to actually see Herbert play, so the June after his junior year they invited him to several camps where he could showcase his skill.

Herbert attended one of the

camps, but wasn’t his usual explosive self. Doctors had just removed screws from his injured leg. He did some light throwing but was mostly immobile, Mark Herbert said.

That was the last time they heard from Washington.

During the Huskies’ recruitment of Herbert, Phillipo told family friend and Oregon assistant coach Steve Greatwood about their pursuit. That’s about the time when Oregon began to take Herbert seriously.

Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich doesn’t recall the exact moment that he first heard of Justin but does remember the “buzz” surrounding the phenom, as far back as his freshman year. He knew, “this guy is going to be something.”

“There was a long legend,” Helfrich said.

Three games into his senior campaign, Herbert got his first official offer from Nevada. The coaches had been keeping tabs on him and, like other schools, were waiting to see how he looked in his return to the gridiron.

They liked what they saw, flew to Eugene and offered him a scholarship on the spot. According to Mark Herbert, Nevada coaches told his son, “You’re our guy.”

It didn’t take long for Oregon to respond.

About four hours later, Helfrich and Herbert talked over the phone.

Herbert said in an interview with the Oregonian that he had been

in communication with then offensive coordinator Scott Frost. Frost told Herbert to call Helfrich, who offered Herbert a scholarship.

“Once Oregon came, I had a feeling that he was gonna go there,” Strahm said.

In his final season at Sheldon, Herbert threw for 3,130 yards and ran for 543 more. He accounted for 47 total touchdowns and led the Irish to a 10-2 record.

Herbert committed to Oregon on Oct. 8, 2015.

Exactly a year later, he was running out of the tunnel at Autzen as the starter against rival Washington, the school he once considered playing for.

Herbert replaced Prukop as the starting quarterback to provide a “spark” to the struggling team.

The Huskies blew out Oregon, but Herbert showed flashes of what he can bring to this team. He finished 24-34 for 179 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception.

Both Lubick and Helfrich praised his composure as a freshman going against one of the top defenses in the nation.

“Going against a great football team in your first game, there’s always things you can get better at,” Lubick said after the loss.

“But I was very proud of the way he competed and his heart. He showed a lot of poise out there.”

“He’s got a big future,” Helfrich said.

The Ducks are winless in conference play, but hope Herbert can change that when the Ducks head to Cal on Oct. 21.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert (10) during warmups before the game against Washington.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert (10) celebrates with teammates after a touchdown in the first half.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is brought down by Washington Huskies defensive lineman Greg Gaines (99) in the first half.

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The magic number for Oregon football is four.

The Ducks, who sit at 2-4 overall and 0-3 in the Pac-12, need four victories to reach a postseason bowl game. This week, Oregon has a bye week to heal from a 70-21 rout at the hands of No. 5 Washington. It could be an ideal week off for the Ducks, given they have an opportunity to regroup and overturn a season that is headed in a losing direction.

Here is their remaining schedule and a quick preview of each game: Oct. 21 @ California California’s ‘Bear Raid’ offense will test Oregon’s defense in the same way that Washington State did earlier this year. Cal is averaging 42.3 points per game with transfer quarterback Davis Webb, who averages a conference-high 376 passing yards per game with 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Cal’s running game is also a threat with running back Khalfani Muhammad’s speed and quickness between tackles. Cal’s defense, however, is allowing 40 points per game and ranks last in the Pac-12 in rush defense. Oregon is the best rushing team in the conference, so expect a high scoring affair next week.

Oct. 29 vs. Arizona State The Sun Devils undoubtedly remember the triple-overtime win that Oregon escaped with last year. Arizona State has one of the best run defenses in the conference, but its pass defense ranks last. If Oregon sticks with true freshman quarterback Justin Herbert, this game will be an opportunity for him to carry the offense with his arm.

Oregon has the worst defense in the Pac-12, and Arizona State’s offense is average at best. Oregon will need to take advantage of a strong passing attack against ASU’s weak secondary.

Nov. 5 @ USC USC was completely embarrassed

by No. 1 Alabama and Stanford earlier this season, but Sam Darnold replaced Max Browne shortly after and provided the Trojans with the spark they needed. Since Darnold became the starter, USC is 2-1 with

wins over Arizona State and Colorado.

The Trojans’ big offensive line will give Oregon’s weak defensive front troubles. Expect the Trojans to run early and often with Justin Davis, who is averaging 6.3 yards per carry.

On offense, the Ducks will want to employ the same strategy. USC’s rushing defense is ranked No. 8 in the conference and has given up plenty of yardage to Alabama, Stanford and Utah.

Nov. 12 vs. Stanford A game many thought would be another battle for the Pac-12 North title may be a battle for which team can salvage its season. Stanford’s traditionally powerful offensive line has looked lost for much of the season, and the Cardinal haven’t allowed Christian McCaffrey to get to the second level. Every offense, however, has dominated Oregon’s defense. If the Ducks’ offense can attack an average Stanford defense with success, they will put pressure on Stanford’s offense, which averages 19.5 points per game.

Nov. 19 @ No. 21 Utah The Utes handed Oregon its worst loss last season, and it may look similar this season. Utah, which has one of the top defenses in the Pac-12, has allowed opponents to score 19 points per game with its ability to pressure the quarterback.

The Utes lead the Pac-12 with nine interceptions. Like Washington did, the Utes will focus on running back Royce Freeman and force Herbert to beat them through the air.

Nov. 26 vs. Oregon State If Oregon has not solved its problems by Thanksgiving, the Beavers will smell blood in the water.

The Oregon defense will have to force Oregon State to throw the ball. The Beavers’ pass offense is the worst in the Pac-12 under junior quarterback Darell Garretson. Oregon’s offense should be able to successfully run the ball against a poor Oregon State run defense. The Beavers have so far allowed opponents to run for 224.8 yards per game with 14 total rushing touchdowns.

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Oregon defensive back Arrion Springs reaches for a tackle.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert (10) runs out of the pocket

Receiver Darren Carrington II pulls away from a defender.

TAKING A LOOK BACK AT OREGON’S 2016 SEASON SO FAR Written by: Ryan Kostecka @Ryan_Kostecka | Photos by: Adam Eberhardt Entering this season, expectations were high in Eugene.

The Ducks hired a new defensive coordinator in Brady Hoke and had transfer quarterback Dakota Prukop on campus since January. All-American running back Royce Freeman returned along with big-play wide receiver Darren Carrington. Former All-Pac-12 tight end Pharaoh Brown bounced back from injury. Those offensive pieces, coupled with a year for the struggling young defense to mature, had coaches, players and fans optimistic about what the 2016 season could bring.

The optimism in the first half of the season, however, has since become a pessimistic outlook for the second half.

Oregon (2-4, 0-3 Pac-12) is a team in turmoil as it embarks on the final part of its season.

The defense has yet to gel in Hoke’s new defensive scheme. Freshman Justin Herbert overtook Prukop as the starting quarterback. Freeman has had big games but also missed time to injuries.

Fans have scrutinized head coach Mark Helfrich for the poor start to the season. He apologized

for the score after a 70-21 loss to Washington Saturday. He took the blame for going 1-5 in twopoint conversion attempts against Nebraska, which resulted in a three-point loss and a players-only meeting at the next practice.

Some players have suggested others haven’t taken practice and game preparation seriously.

Tyree Robinson spoke out against the younger players on the team after a 41-38 loss to Colorado, saying, “You didn’t come to Oregon to put on a magic jersey and play good — no, you have to go out there and put in the work.”

Freshman safety Brenden Schooler called out teammates after the loss to No. 5 Washington.

“They seem like they just don’t care,” Schooler said. “We’ve told them if you don’t want to be here then leave, but no one leaves so I hope everyone wants to be here. If you’re not here to compete, why are you here?”

“That entitlement, that whatever, cannot exist,” Helfrich said.

Oregon is no longer a fear for opponents on the schedule. And it begins with the defense.

The unit gives up 41.8 points a game, which ranks 125th out of 128 teams in the nation. Opponents have converted touchdowns on 26-of-32 opportunities in the red zone, worst in the nation.

The passing defense ranks 112th and the rushing defense ranks 117th. The unit, which has struggled to tackle and fill gaps, has allowed more than 590 yards of offense in each of the last three games.

Offensively, the Ducks average 36.8 ppg but have turned to Herbert to be the savior. Starting Herbert last week against Washington seemed to be Oregon’s way of throwing in the towel for the season to prepare for next year. But Herbert played well, thus giving the team and fans hope for the second half of the season Some fans have called for Helfrich’s firing and even donated money toward the buyout of his contract. Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens said he has faith in Helfrich and asked fans to continue supporting the Ducks.

If the Ducks don’t make a bowl game for the first time since 2004, though, things could change.

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TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT’S HAPPENING AROUND THE PAC-12 MIDWAY THROUGH THE SEASON

Written by: Ryan Kostecka @ryan_kostecka Photos by : Adam Eberhardt & Emerald Archives Oh, the difference a half-season makes.

Entering the 2016 season, fans and analysts expected threeteam races in both the Pac-12 North and South divisions.

Washington, Oregon and Stanford were expected to exchange heavy blows for the North crown while USC, UCLA and Utah were supposed to fight to the end for a South championship.

Those expectations certainly haven’t panned out.

Oregon remains winless in Pac-12 play while Stanford was outscored by a combined 64 points in back-to-back losses to Washington and Washington State. No. 5 Washington has established itself as the Pac-12’s potential representative in the College Football Playoff.

In the South, there’s a three-way tie between upstarts Colorado and Arizona State and the Utes at 2-1 in conference play. USC seems to have found its footing after stumbling out of the gate with back-to-back wins over the Buffaloes and Sun Devils, while UCLA is underachieving at 1-2.

Here are the top storylines at the Pac-12 season’s midway point:

1) Colorado and Arizona State still in the running?

2) Heisman who?

The Buffaloes and Sun Devils were picked to finish in the final two spots in the Pac-12 South division. Colorado’s win over Oregon isn’t surprising, considering how poorly the Ducks have played, but a thrashing of Oregon State gave the Buffaloes their first national ranking in years. Meanwhile, the Sun Devils are averaging 39.7 ppg and have defeated UCLA and Cal already. Back-to-back games against Utah and Washington in November will determine whether they’re for real.

Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey and Oregon’s Royce Freeman were regarded as two of the nation’s top running backs. With that honor came realistic Heisman aspirations. McCaffrey has struggled with defenses prepared to stop him after his performance last season. Freeman has played well, but injuries and Oregon’s record has dropped his name from discussion. On the other hand, Washington quarterback Jake Browning has ridden the Huskies’ hot start to the top of Heisman charts. He leads the nation in quarterback efficiency and decimated Oregon’s defense last week.

Oregon linebacker Justin Hollins (11) in the game against Colorado at Autzen Stadium.

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Running back Royce Freeman (21) breaks away from a Washington defender.

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3) What has happened to Oregon and Stanford?

The two most dominant Pac-12 programs since 2010 have mightily underachieved this year. Oregon looks to be in a complete downward tailspin from its former dominance, prompting questions about a complete rehaul of the coaching staff. Oregon players have thrown around words like “entitlement,” and that’s never a good thing. Stanford was the predicted Pac-12 champion, but after repeat blowout losses, the Cardinal are searching for an identity.

4) Pac-12 underachieving as a whole?

The conference of champions looks like anything but that. The Pac-12 began the season with five teams in the AP Top 25, but only No. 5 Washington and No. 21 Utah remain ranked in the national poll. Oregon, Oregon State and Arizona are reaches to make a bowl game. Only Washington, Utah, Colorado and Arizona State seem in good position to be bowl-eligible.

Tight end Pharoah Brown (85) shakes off a Stanford defender.

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Left; Head coach Mark Helfrich, Right; Freshman quarterback Justin Herbert

Q&A: MARK HELFRICH DISCUSSES JUSTIN HERBERT, BYE WEEK AND THE STATE OF THE PROGRAM Written by: Kenny Jacoby @kennyjacoby | Photo by : Eric Cech The Ducks have fallen to 2-4 overall and 0-3 in Pac-12 play following a 70-21 rout on Saturday by Washington that snapped a 12-game win streak against the Huskies. Freshman quarterback Justin Herbert made his first career start to provide a “spark” in the place of fifth-year quarterback Dakota Prukop.

With both players and fans upset about Oregon’s disappointing season, head coach Mark Helfrich answered questions on Tuesday about the state of the program, Herbert and the upcoming bye week.

Other players have said there’s a group of players who don’t care anymore. Do you get a sense of that at all, and how do you handle that even if you don’t see it but players are talking about it?

Mark Helfrich: I think that’s just a byproduct of the situation last night — the frustration. Obviously those guys are competitive guys who are very frustrated. Any behavior by somebody else that doesn’t match theirs or isn’t totally with what we’re trying to do is going to be read through that lens.

But certainly there are guys at this point in the season that aren’t necessarily doing everything that we want them to do... Those are things that we need

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to address in-house and take care of them in-house and talk about them in-house, and we will.

After watching the film, what did you think of Justin Herbert in his first career start?

MH: I thought he made some plays that were really good, he made some throws that were bigtime plays that we had an opportunity to make....

Very impressed by his reaction to that first play under those circumstances. Again, I think he’s got a big future.

You and Matt Lubick said you put Herbert in for more of an offensive spark. Was there something Dakota Prukop wasn’t giving you that you wanted to get out of Herbert a little more so?

MH: There were some plays there to be made, opportunities to be made — it’s always a little bit of a gamble of how much you think you’re going to get a spark from your team and how much of a difference that’s gonna make. I thought [Herbert] made some plays that weren’t there. There were big-time plays: the touchdown to Tony James was a great play; the touchdown to Taj Griffin was a busted protection; he had a drag route to Charles Nelson...

I think he provided that spark last week, and now our execution has to pick up on special teams, on

defense and throughout the offense, including him.

What are your priorities in practice this week?

MH: First and foremost, just get everybody on the same page. Improving our psychological health as well as our physical health is job one. Removing any doubt or lack of confidence in anything — and we’ve got plenty of that right now... building true confidence to play faster and play better.

How much does your practice week change during a bye week as opposed to a normal game week?

MH: We’ll go against ourselves the whole time, so it’ll be more of a spring ball type of scenario where it’s ones versus ones, twos versus twos, and threes versus threes. So we won’t split into scout teams yet until our game week prep.

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