10-26-23 Emerald Media Group - Gameday

GAMEDAY

10.26.23

Emerald Media

MASTERING THE

PRESSURE Despite one heartbreaking miss against the Huskies, Oregon kicker Camden Lewis is ready to step up

D O N ’ T U N D E R E S T I M ATE T H E U TE S P G . 7 • B O N I X I S M R . CO N S I S T E N T P G . 1 2 • O N T H E R O A D AG A I N P G . 1 5

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GAMEDAY

GAMEDAY

GAMEDAY, the Emerald’s football edition, is published by Emerald Media Group, Inc., the independent nonprofit news company at the University of Oregon founded in 1900.

EMERALD MEDIA GROUP 1395 University St., rm.302, Eugene, OR 97403 541.346.5511 | dailyemerald.com

NEWSROOM

BUSINESS

Editor in Chief Evan Reynolds

President & Publisher Eric Henry x317

Print Managing Editor Emma J Nelson

Vice President, Operations Kathy Carbone x302

Sports Editors Nina-Grace Montes Brady Ruth Copy Chief Olivia Ellerbruch Reporters Ruby Wool Joe Krasnowski Owen Murray Joe Moore Photo Editors Molly McPherson Jonathan Suni

Creative Director Anna Smith x327

ADVERTISING

Director of Sales and Digital Marketing Shelly Rondestvedt x303 Account Executives Lola Tagwerker Cori Caplinger Cooper Gast Taylor Baumgardner

Design Editor Liz Blodgett Associate Design Editor Ryan Ehrhart

ON THE COVER

Camden Lewis (49) lines up for an extra point try.

The University of Oregon Ducks football team was defeated by the University of Washington Huskies in an away match at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Wash., on Oct. 14, 2023. (Eric Becker/Emerald)

The Oregon Ducks mascot dances during the third quarter. (Ali Watson/Emerald) T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 2 6 , 2 0 2 3

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OREGON OFFENSE PLAYER TROY FRANKLIN TRAESHON HOLDEN TEZ JOHNSON JOSH CONERLY JR. JUNIOR ANGILAU JACKSON POWERS-JOHNSON STEVEN JONES AJANI CORNELIUS TERRANCE FERGUSON BO NIX BUCKY IRVING KYLER KASPER KRIS HUTSON GARY BRYANT JR. GAAOPE LALOULU MARCUS HARPER II NISHAD STROTHER GEORGE SILVA PATRICK HERBERT TY THOMPSON NOAH WHITTINGTON

UTAH OFFENSE

#

POS

YEAR

PLAYER

#

POS

YEAR

No. 11 No. 5 No. 15 No. 76 No. 54 No. 58 No. 74 No. 65 No. 3 No. 10 No. 00 No. 17 No. 1 No. 2 No. 75 No. 55 No. 50 No. 71 No. 88 No. 13 No. 6

WR-X WR-Z WR-F LT LG OC RG RT TE QB RB WR-X WR-Z WR-F LT LG/OC RG RT TE QB RB

JR SR/TR SR/TR SO RS SR/TR JR RS SR RS JR/TR JR SR/TR JR/TR RS FR JR RS JR/TR RS SO JR RS SR/TR JR/TR RS JR RS SO JR/TR

MONEY PARKS DEVAUGHN VELE MIKEY MATTHEWS SPENCER FANO KEATON BILLS JAREN KUMP MICHAEL MOKOFISI SATAOA LAUMEA THOMAS YASSMIN BRANT KUITHE CAMERON RISING JA’QUINDEN JACKSON EMERY SIMMONS MAKAI COPE MUNIR MCCLAIN TANOA TOGIAI JOHNNY MAEA KOLINU’U FAAIU FALCON KAUMATULE CALEB LOMU MIKI SUGUTURAGA

No. 10 No. 17 No. 00 No. 55 No. 51 No. 68 No. 52 No. 78 No. 87 No. 80 No. 7 No. 3 No. 18 No. 11 No. 4 No. 73 No. 53 No. 61 No. 59 No. 71 No. 47

WR-X WR-X WR-R LT LG OC RG RT TE-Y TE-U QB RB WR-X WR-X WR-R LT LG OC RG RT TE-Y

JR RS JR FR FR RS JR JR RS SO RS JR RS SR SR RS SR/TR RS SO/TR SR/TR RS SO RS SR/TR RS SO SR RS SO RS JR FR RS JR

UTAH DEFENSE

OREGON DEFENSE PLAYER BRANDON DORLUS POPO AUMAVAE CASEY ROGERS JORDAN BURCH JEFFREY BASSA JESTIN JACOBS MASE FUNA KHYREE JACKSON TYSHEEM JOHNSON EVAN WILLIAMS NIKKO REED COLE MARTIN JOHNNY BOWENS III TAKI TAIMANI KEYON WARE-HUDSON MATAYO UIAGALELEI JAMAL HILL CONNOR SOELLE JAKE SHIPLEY TRIKWEZE BRIDGES BRYAN ADDISON STEVE STEPHENS IV

#

POS

No. 3 No. 50 No. 98 No. 1 No. 2 No. 4 No. 18 No. 5 No. 00 No. 33 No. 25 No. 21 No. 91 No. 55 No. 95 No. 10 No. 9

DE NT DT JACK WLB MLB SLB FCB FS BS BCB NB DE NT DT JACK WLB MLB SLB FCB FS BS

No. 22 No. 90 No. 11 No. 13 No. 7

YEAR

SR RS SR RS SR/TR SR/TR JR RS SR/TR SR SR/TR JR/TR RS SR/TR JR/TR FR FR RS SR/TR RS JR FR SR RS SR/TR JR RS JR RS SR RS SR

OREGON SPECIAL TEAMS

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#

POS

YEAR

PLAYER

LUKE DUNNE CAMDEN LEWIS ANDREW BOYLE LUKE BASSO ROSS JAMES TEZ JOHNSON BUCKY IRVING

No. 45 No. 49 No. 98 No. 43 No. 92 No. 15 No. 00 No. 84

PT PK/KO KO/PK LS H/PT PR KR

FR SR RS SR/TR RS SO RS SO/TR SR/TR JR/TR

PT

GR/TR

JACK BOUWMEESTER COLE BECKER JT GREEP MIKEY MATTHEWS SIONE VAKI JOEY CHEEK CHASE CARTER LOGAN CASTOR DEVAUGHN VELE

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#

POS

YEAR

No. 81 No. 58 No. 57 No. 83 No. 21 No. 3 No. 20 No. 4 No. 28 No. 8 No. 5 No. 15 No. 13 No. 77 No. 99 No. 7 No. 6 No. 12 No. 14 No. 1 No. 29 No. 31

LDE LDT RDT RDE ROVER MAC STUD LCB SS FS RCB NB LDE LDT RDT RDE ROVER MAC STUD LCB SS FS

JR JR RS FR JR JR RS JR/TR SO SR SO JR JR RS FR RS FR RS SO RS SO/TR RS JR RS FR SO RS JR/TR RS SR/TR FR SO

UTAH SPECIAL TEAMS

PLAYER

MATTHEW RIGNEY

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PLAYER CONNOR O’TOOLE JUNIOR TAFUNA KEANU TANUVASA JONAH ELLISS KARENE REID LEVANI DAMUNI LANDER BARTON JATRAVIS BROUGHTON SIONE VAKI COLE BISHOP ZEMAIAH VAUGHN TAO JOHNSON CHASE KENNEDY SIMOTE PEPA TEVITA FOTU VAN FILLINGER JUSTIN MEDLOCK SIONE FOTU JOSH CALVERT MILES BATTLE JOHNATHAN HALL NATE RITCHIE

#

No. 34 No. 36 No. 57 No. 00 No. 28 No. 97 No. 67 No. 65 No. 17

POS

PT/H PK/KO LS PR KR PK KO LS H/PR

YEAR

SR/TR JR/TR JR FR SO RS FR SR/TR RS FR RS JR

For a more in-depth chart on both teams, visit ESPN.com

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Are you a renter in Eugene?

The City of Eugene wants to know about your experience renting. Watch your mailbox for an invitation to participate in a survey that will be used to inform the City’s rental housing program.

The survey will take place Oct. 30 – Nov. 27, 2023.

Take our survey & enter to win a local grocery store

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If you’re a Eugene renter who has not received an invitation by Nov. 3, call 541-682-5550 or visit eugene-or.gov/rentersurvey to request survey. Survey results will not identify those who took the survey or where they live.

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GAMEDAY

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE UTES Oregon hits the road this weekend for another ESPN College GameDay feature — this time in Utah

BY RUBY WOOL • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ The No. 8 Oregon Ducks will go live for their second ESPN College GameDay appearance of the season when they take on No. 13 Utah Utes this Saturday. In another hostile, on-air match up, the Ducks will look to beat the Utes in Rice-Eccles Stadium for the first time since Justin Herbert was quarterback in 2016.

Oregon and Utah will both meet in Salt Lake City with the same win record — 6-1 overall with a 3-1 record in the Pac-12. Entering Week 9, the Ducks and Utes are also tied for the Pac-12 lead with 25 sacks on the season. Oregon has just two more sack yards than their upcoming opponents: 196 versus Utah’s 194. Utes defensive end Jonah Elliss is the Pac-12’s individual sack leader with 10 on the season. No single Oregon player has more than four. It is evident that both teams have elite defensive lines.

To reach the endzone, both offensive lines are going to need to step up. Bryson Barnes is still behind the Utes’ ten men at quarterback. The former walk-on and back-up, who has been filling in for Utah’s injured star quarterback Cam Rising, helped the Utes narrowly escape former No. 18 University of Southern California last week — sending the Trojans down to 24th in the national ranking. Barnes and the Utes’ offensive line tore through the Trojan defensive front, despite taking heavy, even targeted, hits.

The dramatic win’s broadcast coverage captured USC quarterback and former Heisman frontrunner Caleb Williams speechless on the sidelines after the defeat. The No. 18 Trojans were at a loss for words — so much so, that the school did not

make any players available to speak to the media postgame.

However, Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham made notable news in the postgame conference, announcing that Rising and tight end Brant Kuithe, who both have yet to play this season due to serious knee injuries, will not touch the field for the rest of the year. The Utes will continue to have to do more with less and adapt their game, playbook and even players — like Sione Vaki.

Vaki, the 6-foot, 208-pound sophomore, has made a name for himself as a two-way player — recording six starts at safety, while also seeing time at running back and action from the wildcat formation. To minimize the risk of overworking the two-way sensation, the Utes may choose to prioritize Vaki’s offensive game and rest him more on defense this weekend. However, finding a replacement for the valuable Vaki at either position would be potentially just as risky for Utah’s strategy and success.

Utah’s offense has a strong running game and will try to wear out the Ducks’ defense. Oregon must contain prowess players like Barnes and Vaki, similar to how it effectively shut down Washington State University’s run game in Week 7, defeating the Cougars 38-24.

Fans may look to see more action out of Oregon linebacker Jestin Jacobs, who made his Ducks debut against WSU and contributed six tackles, including one of Oregon’s six sacks.

In addition to dominating on defense, Oregon must remain aggressively balanced on offense — protecting Bo Nix and propelling the forward

pressure down the field. On average, Oregon is posting 553 total yards per game. The Ducks rank No. 16 nationally in scoring defense, and second in scoring offense this year.

Nix, who just set the NCAA record for career starts with 54, has 2,089 passing yards and 19 touchdowns so far this season. Nix and running back Bucky Iriving remain a dynamic and dominant offensive duo. Irving continues to steal the show and light up the scoresheet, where he is also recording essential yards and securing touchdowns.

Ultimately, Oregon will need to play a complete game — securing a victory is going to take all four quarters and composed play on both sides of the ball. The Ducks can’t afford a sloppy first half or slow start. Rather, they will need to score off the bat and get an early defensive stop.

Saturday’s game will mark the fifth straight contest between Oregon and Utah in which both the Ducks and Utes have been ranked. Oregon is 24-12 all-time against Utah with a 10-6 tally on the road. Last season, Oregon barely snuck out a win over the No. 10 Utes. However, this year Oregon faces them outside of Eugene and without Rising on the field — all under the national spotlight.

The Ducks will need to tune out the noise to be successful and make Saturday’s game a sight to see for fans across the nation.

Oregon flies out from Eugene on Friday, giving the team a night to settle and seize the Salt Lake City energy before taking the field Saturday at 12:30 p.m.

The Oregon Ducks hosted the Utah Utes at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. (Adam Eberhardt/Emerald)

Brandon Dorlus hits Cameron Rising hard as he gets off the ball just in time.

Oregon beat No. 10 Utah on Nov. 19, 2022, at Autzen Stadium.

(Liam Sherry/ Emerald) Bo Nix stands tall in the pocket to complete a pass.

Oregon beat No. 10 Utah on Nov. 19, 2022, at Autzen Stadium.

(Liam Sherry/ Emerald)

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GAMEDAY Adam Barry (93) and Marcus Harper (55) pick up Oregon kicker Camden Lewis (49) and celebrate with him after making the game-winning extra point. The Oregon Ducks face the North Carolina Tar Heels in the annual Holiday Bowl at Petco Park in SSan Diego, Calif., on Dec, 28, 2022. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)

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GAMEDAY

Oregon’s Camden Lewis is ready for one last time under the lights as his college career comes to a close

BY OWEN MURRAY • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART It’s undeniable that those who have the ball in their hands – those fans call superstars, gamechangers or legends – are the ones that attract praise.

They’re the ones on billboards, hoisting trophies and selling jerseys. If one asks a young child (or even a seasoned adult fan), they’re far more likely to cite Bo Nix or Marcus Mariota as their “favorite player” than any other member of the team.

But that’s just it. It’s members of the team, even those who take the field three or four times a game for a single play, who deserve the label of “gamechanger.” Because a gamechanger is that player who has the will and ability to shoulder the pressure of tens of thousands of fans in a stadium – of millions around the world – and channel it into something that allows them to attempt an act of brilliance. Who fills that void in America’s most-watched sport, if not the quarterback?

Camden Lewis is the Oregon Ducks’ fifth-year kicker. He’s gone from something of an unknown quantity in 2019 to one of the team’s veteran fixtures. In his words in an interview during Oregon’s 2023 media day from 247Sports’ YouTube channel, “I feel very old.”

In the Cornelius, N.C. native’s five

years in Eugene, he’s improved exponentially, bettering his field goal make percentage in every complete season but 2020, and defining what a kicker can be.

Lewis told reporters at Oregon’s 2023 media day, “I’ve tried to focus on [improving] kickoffs… but honestly it’s just confidence – you don’t get nervous any more after this long [and] I feel like a different person after this long.”

That confidence is what drives gamechangers in high-pressure moments, when adrenaline is coursing through their veins.

Now, when Lewis’ number is called, he’s poised and ready to step up. Already this year, he’s secured Oregon’s closest win yet: a 38-30 win over Texas Tech where he stepped up with 1:10 left to put the Ducks ahead for good from 34 yards. The ball was in play for two or three seconds, but in that time, Lewis and the Oregon special teams unit pushed aside any momentary danger to Oregon’s previously undefeated record.

Of course, that’s not the play that anyone remembers from Oregon’s Week 2 win – that title goes to Jeffrey Bassa’s pick-six that put the game to bed – but Lewis isn’t worried about that. In his media day interview, he showered praise on long snapper Luke Basso, noting in the process that “He knows that

LEWIS’ BEEN REALLY CONSISTENT FOR US OVER TIME. WE’VE GOT A LOT OF FAITH IN HIM TO GO OUT THERE AND EXECUTE.” DAN LANNING Ducks football headcoach

he’s not going to get any sort of recognition … the reality is that if he was just as good at that as he is at throwing a football, then it’d be a completely different thing. I think he’s content with that [and] we’re all cool with it. We’re specialists, it’s what we do.”

That mentality is called into action when, as Lewis touched on in the media day interview, he misses a kick. It’s moments like the Ducks’ loss to No. 5 Washington, where Lewis missed his 43-yard kick as time expired, or in the Ducks’ last-second win in the Holiday Bowl against the University of North Carolina. In San Diego, Lewis’ final extra point to put Oregon ahead with just seconds remaining, banged off the right upright… and in. Despite that, he says, “I’ve already forgotten it.”

Instead, he sees it as an opportunity to develop that mental strength that, by necessity, comes with the eyes of the world.

He told media before the season, “Over time, I’ve gotten more and more confident … I want to go out there – I wouldn’t say that I’m rooting for field goals, but I love kicking field goals.”

However, he hasn’t had much of a chance to tally up points this year; in the Ducks’ three games entering their trip to Seattle against Hawaii, No. 19 Colorado and Stanford, Lewis only attempted three field goals. It’s not a coincidence that Oregon won those games by a combined score of 139-22; the Ducks rarely needed his services outside of kicking off and extra points.

That won’t concern the Oregon coaching staff, though. Head coach Dan Lanning told the Daily Emerald’s Brady Ruth, “As the weather starts to change more and more throughout the season, the way you play from a specialist standpoint is huge, and you know Camden’s got a ton of experience. He’s been really consistent for us over time. We’ve got a lot of faith in him to go out there and execute.”

As Oregon rounds the corner into the “gauntlet” end of the season, facing several ranked teams, Lewis’ role in the team will be thrust into the spotlight in coming weeks.

More than likely, his Ducks won’t be winning by 20 or 30 points on a weekly basis. Now it comes down, finally, to his ability to put three points on the scoreboard. It’s something that some might quiver at. As the game has developed into the 21st century, kickers’ margin for error has shrunk, with the NFL pushing the extra point to the 15yard line (it remains at the 2-yard line in NCAA competition) in an effort to scare teams into avoiding the use of their kicker.

As the Ducks found out against Washington, it’s that margin that can decide games, or even seasons.

The game’s defining moment, a last-second field goal try, sailed wide right as Lewis watched 70,000 purple-and-gold clad fans thrust Husky Stadium from its momentary silence into rapture. In his postgame press conference, Lanning backed his kicker, telling media that “Camden’s a winner…ultimately that happens — it’s a high pressure situation [and] it’s tough on the kicker but he should not wear the blame on this.”

An opportunity to continue rewriting that narrative will arrive on Saturday against No. 13 Utah.

Lewis bounced back from the Washington miss with a 27-yard field goal and five extra points against Washington State in the Ducks’ 38-24 win. However, securing victory against the team who prevailed 34-32 courtesy of a last-second field goal (notice the theme?) against Caleb Williams and USC will be vital to sustain the Ducks’ playoff aspirations.

The truth is, a gamechanger is not only defined by their greatest moments. Sure, their trophy hoists are the ones that kids are told about and their success stories are the ones that’ll be marketed as inspirations, but their mentality is what drives them there — and moments like Lewis’ miss against Washington arguably do more for players than winning ever can. It’s not easy to win, but it’s even harder to come back from a loss, and those who do are stronger than ever.

That’s what matters most, and that’s how to be a gamechanger.

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GAMEDAY

THE ART OF THE BOUNCEBACK Oregon restored confidence in itself and in their fans with an impressive win

BY JOE MOORE • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ

The Ducks came into their game against Washington State looking to rebound from a disappointing loss against one of their biggest rivals, the University of Washington Huskies, the week before. For a team with College Football Playoff hopes, a second loss in a season is a death sentence for that goal.

What resulted was the Ducks beating a Washington State team, which was at one point the No. 13 team in the country, by two touchdowns. The importance of a bounceback win during the college football season can not be overstated, especially when Oregon has as difficult of a schedule as it does this year.

Taking care of business against a good team like the Cougars gives the Ducks momentum heading into a clash with No. 13 Utah (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12). Oregon (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12) still controls its own destiny, and can get into the Pac-12 championship game by winning out, but in the brutal Pac-12 conference slate, letting up for even a moment can lead to an early end to CFP hopes.

For Oregon, the game served as a test of what would be learned from their loss. No fourth-down conversions were attempted by the Ducks, which may have been an adjustment to the game plan after going 0-3 last week. It could also be seen as an accurate risk assessment on the part of the coaching staff. However, the shortest fourth down face by the Ducks this week still saw them needing five yards.

Dan Lanning has not shown that he will change his head coaching philosophy after it comes back to bite him. Two of the losses the Ducks suffered last season could be tied to taking unnecessary risks, the losses to Washington and Oregon State, but Lanning entered this season still taking those same risks. This game saw a much tamer spread of plays, but that was due to a lack of opportunity rather than a change in his coaching

Head coach Dan Lanning watches his team warmup. The Oregon Ducks football team takes on the Washington State Cougars on Oct. 21, 2023, in Eugene, Ore. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

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philosophy. He made similar playcalls against Washington last season as he did this year, and that aggressive play calling will likely see a return in the coming weeks.

There is also something to be said about showing a kicker that he still has the trust of the coaching staff. Whether or not the three failed conversions on fourth down against Washington were the correct calls or not, Camden Lewis missing a game-tying field goal will stick in the minds of those watching. Lewis missed his first attempt of the game against Washington State from a similar distance, which likely did not help his confidence. However, being called upon to kick a field goal every time the Ducks faced fourth down in range, and being asked to kick an extra point after each touchdown, showed that Lanning and the rest of the Oregon coaching staff did not have their faith in Lewis wavered at all.

A bounceback win is not just about getting a season back on the right track.

It is about assessing the little fires that arise with a heartbreaking loss. Left unaddressed, those fires can derail a whole season. Oregon did not let it get that far.

The Ducks’ offense showed it can get big plays almost at will. There were four plays that went for at least 40 yard gains for the Ducks in the game, with three of them coming from Bucky Irving. Irving, who had three touchdowns in the game, was absolutely incredible and his performance was probably the brightest spot of the Oregon offense in a game where the gaping difference in the two teams’ ability to run the ball served as the main difference in the contest.

Oregon could have come into this game looking unimpressive after the loss in Seattle. However, the Ducks seemed to be out for blood. Any doubts were silenced as Oregon came out and played the same as it has all season, unwavering and unrelenting.

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GAMEDAY

NIX FUELS THE DUCKS’ SUCCESS T IS LEA N D TE

and the Ducks lost by three.

“A lot of people want to see how we respond,” Nix said. “I’m excited for that.”

In Week 8 — the Ducks’ first game after the loss — Oregon certainly responded as Nix outdueled Cameron Ward in Oregon’s 3824 victory over Washington State.

Finishing with three total touchdowns, two passing and one rushing, Nix’s abilities were

MR

T HE D U

. CONSI

G IN

S

BY JOE KRASNOWSKI • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

C

KS

’ OFFENSE

He’s talking about routines.

And he’s also subsequently talking about Bo Nix. The newly crowned all-time leader in collegiate starts by a quarterback, Nix is the epitome of consistency. There’s little in college football that Nix hasn’t seen.

“Bo is the same, Bo is the same every day. It doesn’t matter if we are playing Pop Warner or we are going to play the Dallas Cowboys,” center Jackson Powers-Johnson said before the Washington game. “He’s going to prepare the same.”

The same. Nix is the same guy all the time.

The Ducks certainly need him to be if their aspirations for a national championship are to materialize. A gauntlet of a remaining schedule will stand in Oregon’s way. Three of the Ducks’ final five games are against currently-ranked opponents.

“The toughness has to show up now,” head coach Dan Lanning said of his team’s mantra going into the tough slate of games. “We have to continue to look to grow, continue to challenge ourselves and make ourselves better.”

Lucky for the Ducks, for as daunting as their remaining schedule is, Nix has been equally steady. With 21 total touchdowns to just one interception, he has led Oregon to the No. 2 scoring offense in the nation.

In the Ducks’ loss against Washington — short of three missed fourth down conversions — Nix was near perfect.

“It’s frustrating to lose a game like this; it’s no fun to be on this side,” Nix said after the game. “It’s easy to go back and say we should have done this, we should have done that.”

Lannings decisions late in the Washington loss were crucial; against the Huskies Oregon left six possible points on the board, PA G E 1 2

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Quarterback Bo Nix (10) launches the ball down the field. The Oregon Ducks football team took on the Washington State Cougars on Oct. 21, 2023, in Eugene, Ore. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

Author Tony Robbins has a famous quote: “It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.”

T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 2 6 , 2 O 2 3

on full display. “[Washington State’s] quarterback is a special player,” Lanning said after the game. “But so is ours.”

Nix sure is special, and his leadership is as well. Just ask Oregon wide receiver Kyler Kasper.

“Bo’s basically a coach in the building. Bo’s a great guy to have around you,” Kasper said before the season to GoDucks. “If you have any questions as well, you can always go to Bo.” His impact has been evident. Behind Nix, Oregon has put up over 500 yards in all but one of its games this year.

“Bodacious is great man; he’s awesome, he’s so smart,” Powers-Johnson said after Oregon’s win over Colorado. “He helps us out so much, he sees everything. He’s going to do great at the next level, he teaches us so much.”

Nix’s leadership certainly has been revered by his teammates.

“He just prepares every single day the same, in and out same juice, same fire, same love [and] same compassion,” Powers-Johnson said. “Bo’s the same everyday.”

“I’m just here to be an influence to other people, be a light around me,” Nix said. “If I got to use football to do that, then I’m going to do the best I can.”

He certainly has been. Oregon is now 6-1 going into a key game against Utah.

“That’s my quarterback, he’s back there throwing the rock every play,” offensive lineman Steven Jones said. “I’m gonna rock with him until we can’t no more.”

Oregon certainly will rock with Nix. His performance will be key as the season goes on and the Ducks look to cement themselves as a legitimate contender.

That success will be needed, and Oregon’s resilience will continue to be tried. But the Ducks will have every opportunity to respond, and they will surely need Nix to continue to be Mr. Consistent.

“You see all the plays that he throws, and all the plays he makes with his feet, but you guys don’t see the checks that he makes. You don’t see what he does for this team. You don’t see his leadership,” Lanning said of Nix after the Colorado game. “That guy shapes me. That guy makes me a better person.”

WORD JUMBLE Unscramble these Jumbles, one letter to each square, to form four ordinary words.

DLALE DENYE TRAMOL THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME By David L. Hoyt & Jeff Knurek

CNIMEO Now arrange the circled letters to form the answer as suggested by the cartoon.

©2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.

Jumbles - LADLE, NEEDY, MORTAL, INCOME CARTOON CAPTION - ILL-MANNERED

ANSWERS

SUDOKU

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ON THE ROAD AGAIN

GAMEDAY Troy Franklin (11) runs a few routes during warmup. The University of Oregon Ducks football team was defeated by the University of Washington Huskies in an away match at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Wash., on Oct. 14, 2023. (Eric Becker/Emerald)

AS THE DUCKS TRAVEL TO SALT LAKE CITY OVER THE WEEKEND, THEY NEED TO BE REMINDED OF THEIR STRUGGLES ON THE ROAD IN 2023

BY OWEN MURRAY • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART It’s easy to get homesick — many college students experience it in their first year away from their hometown.

But for the Oregon football team, it’s more than a feeling. Following a 38-24 win over Washington State in Autzen Stadium, preceded by an away loss to the No. 5 Washington Huskies the week prior, head coach Dan Lanning and his team must solve their struggles on the road if they want to sustain their Pac12 Championship push (and College Football Playoff hopes).

Road trips haven’t been dreamy for Lanning’s team so far this year, with its visits to Texas Tech and Washington leaving the Ducks with a combined scoreline of 74-68, narrowly favoring Oregon. For reference, its home margin against Portland State, Hawaii, Colorado and Washington State is 216-47. While some of that can be chalked up to the varying quality of their opponents, a huge part of it is the difficulty of going on the road – a challenge that Oregon will face in its trip to Rice-Eccles Stadium this Saturday.

For many experts, it’s at the very least a should-win, if not a must-win for a team with its eyes still on the College Football Playoff. Even in the wake of Week 7’s loss to the Huskies, the team’s mentality remains unwavering; when

asked about the possibility of losing control of their fate, Lanning shot back, saying that, “If we take care of business [in] the rest of our wins…we absolutely control our destiny.”

Going on the road — especially in the desert — has always been a nagging issue for an Oregon group that has little issue winning at home. In its visit to Lubbock, Texas, stranded in the desert between Phoenix and Dallas, Oregon continually let Texas Tech back into the game. While the Ducks pulled it out, courtesy of a Camden Lewis field goal and a Jeffrey Bassa pick-six, it remains the closest Oregon has come to defeat, save its loss against Washington.

In Seattle, the impact of away fans was more evident than at any other point. Husky Stadium was shaking with the force of over 70,000 Washingtonsupporting —and Oregon-booing — fans. At multiple points, Bo Nix had to give each of his linemen instructions, shouting into their ears from mere inches away. That impact can’t be underestimated, but it’s a built-in part of sports, and one that Oregon will face every week, including in its visit to Utah.

When the Ducks are at Autzen Stadium, they thrive. The truth is, like many teams, they struggle away from home. It’s not something that can ever be perfect, but the ability

to execute on the road is one that looms in the background. Next year, excluding a visit to UCLA, Oregon won’t play an away game closer than 1,900 miles from its home stadium, and without home support, the duty to push through falls even more squarely on the players’ shoulders.

The opportunity to compound that mentality begins this week with a chance to secure a victory in its second-to-last away game of the regular season (Arizona State in mid-November). It’s not as far as Ann Arbor or Honolulu, both of which are locations on Oregon’s 2024 schedule, but it’s a challenge all the same.

For the Ducks, it’s time to prove the stats wrong by grabbing a win on the road this weekend. It’s near-impossible to overstate the importance of each of Oregon’s remaining games, but this one ranks high amongst them. It’s got all of the narrative a fan could want — Utah essentially curtailed the Ducks’ season in 2021 — and as Oregon once again meets the Utes at the crossroads between acceptable and spectacular seasons, it’ll have the opportunity to take the next step towards defining its destiny.

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A debit card for Duck fans

Or visit MyOCCU.org/GameDayDuck

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