11-16-23 Emerald Media Group - Gameday

GAMEDAY 11.16.23

Emerald Media

WEST IS

BEST O R E G O N VS A R I Z O N A S TAT E P R E V I E W P G 7 • A R O U N D T H E PAC P G 1 0 • O R E G O N FACE S O FF W I T H F O R ME R O F F E N S I VE CO O R D I N AT O R P G 1 2

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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 Joe Krasnowski Joe Moore Jack Lazarus Owen Murray Ruby Wool 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

Photo of Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. by Eric Becker (Emerald).

Photo of Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix by Molly McPherson (Emerald). Photo illustration

by Liz Blodgett (Emerald).

The Oregon Ducks mascot dances during the third quarter. (Ali Watson/Emerald) T H U R S D AY, N O VE M B E R 1 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

ARIZONA 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

ELIJHAH BADGER TROY OMEIRE GIOVANNI SANDERS SEAN NA’A AARON FROST LEIF FAUTANU CADE BRIGGS JOEY RAMOS JALIN CONYERS TRENTON BOURGUET CAM SKATTEBO ANDRE JOHNSON XAVIER GUILLORY MELQUAN STOVALL MAX IHEANACHOR BEN BRAY MAKUA PULE MAX IHEANACHOR MESSIAH SWINSON JACOB CONOVER KYSON BROWN

No. 2 No. 9 No. 6 No. 74 No. 65 No. 79 No. 55 No. 69 No. 12 No. 16 No. 4 No. 82 No. 1 No. 7 No. 58 No. 64 No. 71 No. 58 No. 80 No. 15 No. 14

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

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

ARIZONA 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

IAN HERSHEY DARIO LONGHETTO SLATER ZELLERS MELQUAN STOVALL ELIJHAH BADGER JOSH CARLSON COLE MARSZALEK JAVEN JACOBS

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#

POS

YEAR

No. 32 No. 99 No. 00 No. 35 No. 82 No. 24 No. 9 No. 5 No. 7 No. 4 No. 1 No. 3 No. 93 No. 96 No. 15 No. 22 No. 66 No. 19 No. 13 No. 14 No. 10 No. 6

LDE NT DT RDE WLB MLB LCB SS FS RCB NB LDE NT DT RDE WLB MLB LCB SS FS RCB NB

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

ARIZONA SPECIAL TEAMS

PLAYER

MATTHEW RIGNEY

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PLAYER PRINCE DORBAH C.J. FITE DASHAUN MALLORY B.J. GREEN TRE BROWN TATE ROMNEY RO TORRENCE CHRIS EDMONDS SHAMARI SIMMONS DEMETRIES FORD JORDAN CLARK CLAYTON SMITH TRISTAN MONDAY ANTHONIE COOPER ELIJAH O’NEAL CALEB MCCULLOUGH JAMES DJONKAM KEITH ABNEY II JOSIAH COX ALPHONSO TAYLOR ED WOODS MACEN WILLIAMS

#

No. 30 No. 37 No. 45 No. 7 No. 2 No. 16 No. 51 No. 8

POS

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

YEAR

SO/TR GR/TR GR/TR GR/TR RS JR GR/TR FR SO

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

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GAMEDAY

OREGON TAKES ON ARIZONA STATE IN THE DESERT The Ducks and Sun Devils clash in the penultimate game of the season

BY JOE MOORE • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ

The Oregon Ducks (9-1, 6-1 Pac-12) will take on the Arizona State Sun Devils (3-7, 2-5 Pac-12) in the second-to-last game of the season.

The Ducks are on a four-game winning streak and sit solidly in second place in the Pac-12 standings. This means that Oregon controls its own destiny in making it to the Pac-12 Championship game. However, many Pac-12 teams have had their seasons ruined by overlooking the Sun Devils, and the Ducks have to be careful not to let Arizona State play spoiler again this year, as the last time Oregon played in Tempe was in 2019 when the Ducks were 9-1 and ranked No. 6. Oregon lost that game 31-28.

For the Ducks, this matchup serves as a precursor to the bigger matchup against Oregon State the week after, but Oregon head coach Dan Lanning has proven this season that he does not look past teams that would seem to be easy games. Oregon has a total point differential of +292 on the season, the best mark in the Pac12 by over one hundred points. This differential comes from allowing the least points in the Pac-12, and also scoring the second most points, behind only the USC Trojans. The Ducks have been able to take care of business against the lower teams in the division and have looked dominant in many of those wins.

The Oregon offense has also been dominant

against the Pac-12 this season, with its lowest scoring performance being 33 points coming in its lone loss against the Washington Huskies.

Oregon has matched up against four of the current bottom five teams in the Pac-12 standings, with Arizona State being the only one Oregon has not already played. In those games, Oregon has taken care of business, outscoring Cal, Colorado, Washington State and Stanford by a combined 185-55. The Ducks have proven time and time again this season that they will not look past a team they are heavily favored against.

Arizona State just beat a UCLA team that was once ranked for multiple weeks this season.

A quality win heading into a game against a College Football Playoff hopeful could be exactly what the Sun Devils need in order to pull off a massive upset. Taking their foot off the gas in this game could lead to a much closer game than the Ducks are anticipating.

Arizona State’s offense has struggled this year, having scored the least in the Pac-12. The Oregon defense, on the other hand, has excelled at holding teams below their typical scoring performances, including holding high-powered Colorado and Utah offenses to just six points each, and will look to do the same against a Sun Devil attack that ranks last in the Pac-12 in total points.

The Ducks had three sacks against USC, bringing their total for the year up to 31, which

puts them tied for tenth in the FBS. The Arizona State offensive line has allowed 28 sacks so far this season, which puts them in the bottom third in sacks allowed in the FBS for the year. The Oregon defensive line will be essential to hold Arizona State to another low scoring performance.

Bo Nix has been incredible so far this season and is making a strong case for the Heisman Trophy.

Nix put up a season-high 412 passing yards against USC, and added four passing touchdowns. Nix will look to add to those numbers against the Sun Devils, who have fielded a somewhat unimpressive defense so far this season.

The game is scheduled for 1 p.m. PST, which is better than playing in Tempe in a Pac-12 After Dark showdown. Weird things happen during Pac-12 After Dark, and weird things happen playing away games at Arizona State, most relevant for the Ducks being the 2019 upset loss. Those two things together have led to some unpredictable outcomes in the past, a fate Oregon has avoided for this matchup. However, Arizona’s middle-of-the-day heat could prove to be tough conditions for a football game.

This game is likely not one that many Duck fans had circled on their calendar as a game to watch. Looking past Arizona State could cost the Ducks; however, this game could serve as a launching pad for the Ducks as they move into a very tough final game against Oregon State.

The Oregon Ducks defeated the Arizona State Sun Devils 31-29 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. on Nov. 17, 2018. (Ben Green/ Emerald) T H U R S D AY, N O VE M B E R 1 6 , 2 0 2 3

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GAMEDAY

REIGN OF THE PAC-12 QUARTERBACK

IN THE WEST, THE QUARTERBACKS — STARS, LEADERS AND MENTORS — HAVE THE CHANCE TO WRITE THE CONFERENCE OF CHAMPIONS’ STORYBOOK ENDING

BY OWEN MURRAY • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

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Star quarterback Bo Nix (10) gets on the phone with one of his coaches after he caps off a dominant opening drive with a rushing touchdown. The No. 8 Oregon Ducks defeated the No. 12 Utah Utes 35-6 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Oct. 28, 2023. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)

GAMEDAY Caleb Williams (13) is chased down by Oregon defense. The University of Oregon Ducks football team played the University of Southern California in a home match at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Nov. 11, 2023. (Spencer So/ Emerald)

Quarterbacks, by nature, are destined to sit upon the football throne. In a sort of inevitable procession, they are the ones for whom each game is a mark upon the resume of a future franchise player. They are the ones for whom their individual accomplishments are defined by a season’s end.

It shakes out on stage — since 2000, 18 of the 22 winners of the prestigious Heisman Trophy Award, given to those deemed the best player in college football in a given year, lined up under center. With that comes high expectations, of course, but it’s those who can shoulder it who see their names written in the stars. In an era of football that, more than ever, places value on skilled players and rewards super-teams, the perfect laboratory for elite quarterbacks was born.

The western United States is a sports landscape that has often diverged from the rest of the country. Late kickoff times leave those to the east watching midnight sports, and a formerly closeknit group of schools were torn apart by financial demands. Shoved together by the I-5 corridor and mountain ranges, it can become a strangely isolated section of the nation — one where the best action happens after dark.

In college football, it has become a perfect description of the Pac-12 — known for its compelling, late-night games that often venture into multiple overtimes fueled by players who single-handedly drag their teams through games and seasons. In 2023, the division has matured a burgeoning class of star signal-callers who’ve raised the ceiling for their teams. Bo Nix has made the most of the Ducks’ electric receiving core and a key backfield pair. Michael Penix Jr. and Rome Odunze have formed a connection that has the Huskies on the edge of the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2016. Reigning Heismanwinner Caleb Williams continues to make USC dangerous despite a defensive capitulation.

What all of those quarterbacks have in common — whether it’s shown in flashes or streaks — is

the ability to be the “it” guy. Quarterbacks up and down the west side of the nation have the ability to put the team on their shoulders — that’s uncommon. It’s a characteristic that, more than anything, will separate Heisman candidates from the pack. Call it what you will — a “Heisman moment” amongst those monikers — but these players have it.

Each of those three is tipped for a first-round call in next year’s NFL draft, and it’s down to the impressive command of chaos that they’ve shown.

The Pac-12 football laboratory has managed to meld those men of the moment into seasoned leaders. Nix remains the most experienced player in college football; he has the most starts of any college quarterback in history, but players forced into positions of power (Noah Fifita in Tucson and Bryson Barnes in Salt Lake City) have looked like veterans as they lead their teams down the field.

Those players’ ability to become their team’s most important leader is arguably more important than their on-field capabilities. That trait lies in mentality.

Mentality is at the heart of the success that superstars have found in the position, as evidenced by the success of Netflix’s “Quarterback” series, which followed three quarterbacks, including Oregon graduate and Heisman-winner Marcus Mariota, through the 2022 NFL season.

As the widely-praised series revealed, mentality is absolutely essential to the success of college quarterbacks as professional athletes. Mariota, lost in limbo between the bench and a starting role in Atlanta, remained steadfast in his belief.

His co-stars, Kirk Cousins and Patrick Mahomes, both battled through injury to win crucial playoff games. It’s not a coincidence that all three find their careers rooted in mental strength.

Beyond the elite group of Nix, Penix Jr. and Williams, exists a class who find themselves pushing the next level — Oregon State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei and Washington State’s Cameron Ward amongst them. This level of talent is not merely unusual; it’s groundbreaking. It’s the reason

why the final season of a division that had been oft-shunned from the College Football Playoff has become so suddenly explosive, and it’s why they’re so sought after by professional teams.

It’s important to recognize that that success will not come immediately; it did not in the NCAA for many of these players. Nix spent three frustrating years at Auburn before he found success across the country, and Penix didn’t play a full season until his fifth year in NCAA football, transferring from Indiana. It could play out much the same for them as professionals — but don’t forget what they’re capable of.

For now, though, it’s all about the next month, which will slam the capstone on what has been a fitting all-but-end to the Conference of Champions, and it’ll be those quarterbacks who’ve led their teams so far who close the book on a storied college career. For each and every one of the division’s authors, that fairytale has a different ending, but what levels the playing field will be their ability to tell a story with a spiral.

Nix, who remains in the Heisman conversation alongside Penix Jr., has the opportunity to define his and a team’s legacy — that’s how quarterbacks work.

His achievements, so obviously tied to what the team can do, will come to determine his and the program’s future. For Oregon’s quarterback and the rest of the Pac-12’s men under center, it’s the difference between a top-10 slot in next year’s NFL draft and becoming a late first round pick. For Oregon, it’ll set expectations and whet the appetite of Duck fans as a radically different 2024 approaches.

These are the moments in time that fans dream of – why they watch early-season blowouts and postulate about the possibilities of the weeks and months to come. It’s finally time to buckle up; the end of the season is near, and the quarterbacks are ready to rewrite the script. Whether or not the Pac12 claims its first college football championship in its final year, it will be remembered as the Conference of Champions, the Conference of Chaos and the Conference of the Quarterback.

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GAMEDAY

AROUND THE PAC:

WEEK 11

What happened in the Conference of Champions this week?

The demolition Ducks (9-1, 6-1 Pac-12) dismantled another Pac-12 opponent in their 36-27 win over USC (7-4, 5-3 Pac-12) in Autzen Stadium on Nov. 11. Here’s who else was victorious as the Pac-12 Championship Game picture became one week clearer.

NO. 5 WASHINGTON HOLDS OFF NO. 18 UTAH 3528 IN SEATTLE The Huskies (10-0, 7-0 Pac-12) remained perfect on the season by sneaking out a back-and-forth battle with the Utes (7-3, 4-3 Pac-12). The Huskies’ fumble on the goalline turned into a Washington safety and served as the finishing blow in the Huskies’ 10th win of the season. Michael Penix Jr. added another 332 passing yards and three total touchdowns to his 2023 resume in Washington’s third win over a ranked opponent this season.

The Huskies will face a tough road test against

BY BRADY RUTH • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ

No. 10 Oregon State (8-2, 5-2 Pac-12) in Corvallis on Saturday evening.

The Utes put up a good fight against the unbeaten Huskies, but a pair of interceptions from Bryson Barnes earned Utah its third loss of the season and eliminated the Utes from Pac-12 Championship Game contention. Utah will likely earn a quality bowl game bid, but another road test awaits against Arizona (7-3, 5-2 Pac-12), a team that has been red hot lately.

NO. 21 ARIZONA USES LAST-SECOND FIELD GOAL TO BEAT COLORADO 34-31 Arizona didn’t lead the Buffaloes (4-6, 1-6 Pac-12) once during the contest until Tyler Loop chipped in a 24-yard field goal as time expired.

The Wildcats battled back from several deficits and silenced a rowdy Boulder crowd to secure their fourth-straight win. Arizona will host Utah on Saturday with a chance to earn its fourth win over a ranked opponent this season.

On the flip side, Colorado has now lost four straight games without much improvement. The Buffaloes had several opportunities to close out

Arizona, but Colorado had no ground attack and only collected 77 rushing yards in the loss. It’ll be interesting to see how Deion Sanders is able to recruit with a season that went south after starting so well. The Buffs play Washington State (4-6, 1-6 Pac-12) next week for a battle for last in the Pac-12.

No. 12 OREGON STATE WALKS ALL OVER STANFORD IN 62-17 WIN The Beavers donned their militaryappreciation uniforms while demonstrating a complete domination of the Cardinal (3-7, 2-6 Pac-12). The Beavers were 2-for-2 on fourth down and tallied 598 total yards of offense all while not turning the ball over in the win.

Oregon State walked all over Stanford and looks ready for the Huskies, who are currently first in the conference, to roll into Corvallis.

Stanford had another doormat game. The Cardinal threw four interceptions in the loss and the Beavers scored 21 points off of turnovers in the contest. Stanford is now officially unable to finish the season bowl-eligible, but will look to beat rival California (4-6, 2-5 Pac-12) on Saturday.

UCLA GETS STUNNED AT HOME IN 17-7 LOSS TO ARIZONA STATE UCLA (6-4, 3-4 Pac-12) is now officially eliminated from contention for the Pac-12 title game. The Bruins looked terrible and found a way to lose to an Arizona State (3-7, 2-5 Pac-12) that only had 250 total yards of offense. The Bruins were 0-4 on fourth down. They play the Trojans, who have lost four of their last five games, on Saturday.

It figures Arizona State would get hot right before playing Oregon. The Sun Devils earned their third win of the season in Los Angeles, and while they won’t be playing any postseason games, they could still play spoiler for Oregon this Saturday and for Arizona in Week 13.

CALIFORNIA EARNS FOURTH WIN WITH 42-39 VICTORY OVER WASHINGTON STATE California bounced back from getting slaughtered by Oregon and handed Washington State its sixth straight loss. The Golden Bears had nearly 150 fewer total yards than the Cougars, but capitalized on Washington State’s mistakes, including a 51-yard scoop-and-score touchdown.

Cal could still make it to a bowl game by beating Stanford on Saturday and UCLA in Week 13.

Remember when Washington State was ranked?

The Cougars put up another abysmal performance and turned the ball over four times in their loss to Cal. Washington State can now only earn bowleligibility by winning both of its final two games.

The Cougars host the Buffaloes before facing Washington to close out the season.

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The Oregon Duck cheers on the team.

The University of Oregon Ducks football team played the Unviersity of Southern California in a home match at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Nov. 11, 2023. (Spencer So/Emerald)

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GAMEDAY

POWERFUL DUCKS OFFENSE PAYS A VISIT TO OLD FRIEND Will Stein has Oregon’s offense rolling into a duel with Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State head coach and the Ducks’ former offensive coordinator

BY JOE KRASNOWSKI • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein talks to quarterback Bo Nix during the Texas Tech game. The Oregon Ducks defeated the Texas Tech Red Raiders 38-30 on Sept. 9, 2023. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)

It would have been difficult for anyone to replace Kenny Dillingham. Oregon’s former offensive coordinator led Oregon to the sixth-best total offense in the country in 2022. When Dillingham announced his decision to take the head coaching job at Arizona State, he left a hole in Oregon’s coaching staff. But new offensive coordinator Will Stein has been up to the challenge.

The Ducks’ offense has been near flawless thus far in 2023. Under Stein, Oregon is second nationally in total offense and is averaging 541 yards per game on the season.

“They’re probably the best offense since the Chip Kelly era, since the Mariota era,” Dillingham said to SunDevilSource Video. “This is the best Oregon’s been on offense in a long time, that’s including me last year.”

The adjustment to a new OC wasn’t immediately seamless for Stein’s offense. Oregon faced struggles in Week 2 against Texas Tech, and in the Ducks’ lone loss this season against Washington.

After Oregon’s escape in Lubbock, Texas, its offense has skyrocketed to one of the best in the country even against tougher competition.

“I think coach Stein has done an unbelievable job,” Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said. “Will’s done a great job; I think he’s got a really good feel for the game, calling the game [and] being in sequence with the game. He does a really good job of listening to the people around him because he has some elite coaches on that side of the ball who PA G E 1 2

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can share their thoughts.”

Stein’s offense has been masterful in 2023.

Stein and quarterback Bo Nix have led Oregon to scoring an astounding 46.3 points on average per game, good for first nationally.

Nix — now the betting favorite to win the Heisman trophy — used his vast offensive weapons to outduel reigning-Heisman trophy winner Caleb Williams in Oregon’s 36-27 victory over USC. “[He’s] super smart, knows where to go with the ball before the ball is even snapped. He has a really good plan, a quick release [and] good pocket movement. He’s hard to sack,” Dillingham said of Nix to SunDevilSource video. “You combine all of those skill sets, he is really good.”

Essentially any positive attribute for a quarterback, Dillingham used to assess Nix’s play.

Nix’s teammates agree Oregon’s offense has been nearly unstoppable. “Who can guard me, Troy, Traeshon [Holden], [or] Gary Bryant? Who can tackle Bucky or Jordan James?” Oregon wide receiver Tez Johnson said after the USC game.

“And who can stop Bo Nix?” The answer to that question has been no one.

Nix has tallied 34 total touchdowns and just outmatched reigning Heisman Trophy-winning Williams, torching the USC defense for four touchdowns and 412 yards passing. Following Oregon’s win, an often circumspect Lanning didn’t hesitate to praise Nix. “That was a Heisman trophy performance from

T H U R S D AY, N O VE M B E R 1 6 , 2 O 2 3

Bo Nix,” Lanning said after the game.

Conversely, Dillingham’s offensive success in Eugene has struggled to translate to the desert, as his first year at the helm for Arizona State has been far from ideal. Five different quarterbacks have taken snaps under center for the Sun Devils, who have been plagued by various injuries.

Injuries as well as strength of schedule have led to the Sun Devils being ranked ninth of 12 teams in the Pac-12. 2023 is a terrible year to be lackluster in the “Conference of Champions.” Dillingham’s squad is no exception as the Sun Devils have gone a lowly 2-6 in conference play thus far. However, under Dillingham, Arizona State’s program could be on the rise in the near future.

“He’s doing exactly what I anticipated him to do,” Lanning said of Dillingham. “Bringing energy to a program, thinking of ways to win. Innovative ways.”

Dillingham, amid Arizona State’s disarray, just earned his first marquee victory of his head coaching tenure over UCLA and looks to have Arizona State trending in the right direction as the school joins the Big 12 Conference next year.

Lanning and Dillingham’s squads will face off for perhaps the final time in conference play on Nov. 18.

“We’ve certainly been in contact throughout the season,” Lanning said of Dillingham. “This week we’ll probably talk a little bit less.”

CROSSWORD

WORD JUMBLE

Across

CNFEE CLHUG NISACO WROTHN Now arrange the circled letters to form the answer as suggested by the cartoon.

Down

10 Cabbage for tacos?

11 Gulp down 14 Wealthy New York family on HBO’s “The Gilded Age” 15 Furnace output 18 Farm structures 20 Sheen 22 On 23 Start of a Mozart opera title 24 ATM feature 25 Questionable 28 African grazer

29 Gloss recipient 32 Copy cats?

34 Keanu of “The Matrix” 36 “WandaVision” actress Dennings 37 Parlor art, informally 38 Gospel singer Winans 39 Surprised cries 43 Purring snuggler 44 Verdi opera set in Cyprus 46 Safe havens 48 Within walking distance, say

50 Pre-euro Irish coin 51 Iona University athletes 53 Disturbs 54 K-12 fundraising gps.

56 “__ you for real?”

58 Before now 59 Total 60 Activate, as a 24-Down

A N S WE R S

S U D O KU

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

A

1 Pitches 2 Intimate 3 Debate side 4 Attaches, as a button 5 Fancy neckwear 6 Future stallion 7 Dean’s email suffix 8 Petty of “Orange Is the New Black” 9 Stubbornly clinging to preconceived notions

Jumbles - FENCE, GULCH, CASINO, THROWN CARTOON CAPTION - GHOST OF A CHANCE

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

1 Smartphone software 5 Air Force hotshot 8 New Jersey city south of Paramus 12 Take risks 13 Club __ 15 “Climb aboard!”

16 #1 17 Forming a tight group 19 #2 21 One learning the ropes 22 Rebel, in a way 25 #3 26 E-file org.

27 Roger Rabbit and Bugs Bunny 28 Hindu sage 29 #4 30 Home of the NCAA’s Buckeyes 31 Hamilton notes 33 Smile that may be silly 35 Hurried, and what this puzzle’s word ladder literally did in eight steps?

40 Mata __ 41 Get (into) carefully 42 Wearable souvenir 43 #5 45 Careful phrasing, perhaps 47 Feature of some 42-Acrosses 49 Flight coordinators: Abbr.

50 #6 51 Crystal-lined stones 52 False testimony 54 #7 55 Metaphor for a fresh start 57 #8 61 All eyes and ears 62 North __ Sea: Kazakh lake 63 Desierto’s lack 64 Oodles 65 Useful Scrabble tile 66 Easy win

©2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.

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GAMEDAY

DRAFTING DIVISION 1 TALENT FROM THE DESERT The Ducks have firmly planted their recruiting roots in Arizona

BY RUBY WOOL • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ

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

Along with the victory that Oregon football hopes to bring home against Arizona State University this Saturday, head coach Dan Lanning looks to win over more commitments from prospective Arizona-based recruits.

Arizona is among the selective recruitment states, outside of California and Texas, that Lanning has targeted since arriving in Eugene in 2021. So far this season, Oregon has landed three Arizona natives on its 2024 roster and one early signee to its 2026 class.

On Oct. 30, Lanning secured the second-best edge rusher in the entire country, Elijah Rushing. A 6-foot-5, 235-pound powerhouse, Rushing has established himself on the Tucson, Ariz., turf with his agility, length, frame and NFL potential. His quick first step will match the speed and skill of current UO freshman Matayo Uiagalelei, a defensive end who Rushing could play next to. The duo will likely become a formidable pair, prohibiting opponents from passing through the Ducks’ defense. The blue-chip defender is now the second 5-star recruit in the Oregon 2024 class after defensive tackle Aydin Breland committed earlier this month.

Both Rushing and incoming freshman Jaxson Jones will look to develop under the D1 expertise of defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi.

Jones, who is also an edge rusher, joins the Ducks after many years of stardom in Yuma, Ariz. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, the 3-star commit dominated for the Yuma Catholic High School defense throughout 2022, tallying 17 sacks and 22 tackles for loss.

While Lupoi found strong players to support Oregon’s defense, offensive coordinator Will Stein sought out southwestern stars to shine on the attack.

Stein recruited Luke Moga from Sunnyslope High School in Phoenix, Ariz. The 6-foot-2, 190 pound quarterback was recently named the San Tan Regional Player of the Year. Moga led his team to a perfect 5-0 run through the San Tan league this season. He threw for 1,883 yards and 23 touchdowns against 5 interceptions. The future Oregon signal caller threw up the “O” next to Marcus Mariota in the Autzen endzone during last Saturday’s ranked matchup between the Ducks and the University of Southern California.

Cooper Perry, a 4-star wide

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receiver from Notre Dame Preparatory, retweeted the photo of Moga and Mariota on X. Perry was also present on the Oregon sidelines this past weekend for his second visit of the year. He is the No. 1 rated prospect in the Grand Canyon State for the 2025 class. The dynamic receiver has yet to sign with the Ducks, however, as he has extended offers from Notre Dame, Michigan State, UCLA, Utah and Arizona State among many others.

Looking down the recruitment road even further, Oregon confirmed a verbal commitment for the 2026 class in No. 1 defensive lineman Tony Cumberland. Cumberland is a 6-foot-5, 265-pound tank who fell in love with the Autzen atmosphere during the UO vs. Colorado game this past September. Given his grades, Cumberland told Ducks Digest he might attempt to reclassify up to 2025 and kick-start his college career early.

Many Arizonans are eager to migrate to Eugene, while some are already playing in the Pacific Northwest. The 2023 class was the first full recruitment cycle during Lanning’s time at UO, and he quickly made Arizona a top priority on his recruiting trail. Last season, the Ducks signed three southwest desert players: My’Keil Gardner, A’Mauri Washington and Cole Martin.

So far this season, Gardner, a defensive lineman from Peoria, Ariz., recorded one tackle during the Ducks’ first game of the fall season versus Portland State University. Meanwhile, Washington, another defensive lineman, has played in six games, yet he’s also just contributed one tackle — in the Sept. 30 contest against Stanford University. Martin, a fellow freshman defensive tackle from Chandler, Ariz., has 13 total tackles — four of which came during the Ducks’ game against Hawaii on Sept. 16.

The statistics are somewhat small for the first-year Ducks — however, Lanning is betting on their success in the long run. Even though it’s only his second year, he has already established his commitment to Eugene and his engaged presence among Arizona-based recruits.

Oregon’s investment in young Arizonans could reap long-term rewards for the Ducks. But first, Lanning must prove to prospective players that Oregon can dominate on the field in the desert.

GAMEDAY

DUCKS FIND SUCCESS IN NEW NIL LANDSCAPE

Given the recent name, image and likeness revolution in college sports and the stature of Oregon’s athletics, Eugene has become a prime spot for players to enhance their NIL valuation

Free “BODACIOUS” shirts are given out at Autzen Stadium. The University of Oregon Ducks football team defeat the University of Colorado Buffaloes 42-6 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Sept. 23, 2023. (Kai Kanzer/Emerald)

BY JACK LAZARUS • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART One of the main drivers pushing decision-making at all levels in recent years has been name, image and likeness deals, which have given collegiate athletes a way to profit off themselves.

The NIL revolution came about due to the fact that college athletes had to overhaul their lives as well as present themselves as professionals while not reaping any of the benefits that the schools do. It has become a way for the athletes to see some of the output of the hard work that they put in to present their school in a positive light.

Among others, Oregon has spearheaded this NIL revolution, as it has very strong connections to Nike and many charitable alumni. Their goal is to provide Oregon’s athletes with the top opportunities to make a profit off of their name and navigate certain parts of the professional world before they get there. In return, many of these athletes continue to partner with alumni-ran businesses as they move forward into their professional careers.

They do this using a collective — an organization, usually run by alumni of the university or former athletes, that is committed to facilitating sponsorships for the university’s athletes and to promote the athletes’ platforms.

Nike co-founder Phil Knight, along with some Oregon alumni, founded a collective called Division Street in 2021. Division Street is a combined pool of some of the best minds in sports business, marketing, sponsorship and more whose goal it is to empower Oregon’s athletes to do more with their NIL. One of the ways that they accomplished this is through the release of their apparel brand, Ducks of a Feather.

Ducks of a Feather is a clothing brand that is modeled by Oregon

athletes and offers participating athletes the chance to profit off of merchandise they help design and model. Those involved include quarterback Bo Nix, offensive lineman Ajani Cornelius, inside linebacker Jamal Hill and even head coach Dan Lanning.

Another collective founded by Oregon alumni is Ducks Rising. Founded by Andrew Parmentier, Ducks Rising is a subscription service that fans can pay for which gives them access to exclusive interviews and conversation opportunities with athletes, all of which directly supports NIL deals. The collective uses this platform to provide NIL contracts and charitable opportunities to the athletes, which results in the vast majority of the profit going to the athletes.

Much of the football team is involved with Ducks Rising, including Nix, Patrick Herbert, Tez Johnson, Jackson Powers-Johnson, Jeffrey Bassa and more.

Oregon has much to offer when it comes to the NIL landscape, with four of its players featured in On3’s NIL 100 rankings. Nix ranks No. 8 with a valuation of $1.5 million, Bucky Irving No. 31 with a valuation of $862,000, Ajani Cornelius No. 69 with a valuation of $659,000 and Troy Franklin No. 80 with a valuation of $631,000.

A promotion that included many of Oregon’s roster was through Jacksons Food Stores, a convenience store chain with 58 locations across the state.

Jacksons teamed up with Oregon football to produce officially licensed and designed trading cards featuring Ducks football players. They also offered autographed and numbered cards for one in every 10 packs.

Nix has also started a collaboration with 7-Eleven called the “Cleat Crew” that features nine of the nation’s best college football players. Each player has teamed up with luxury shoe designer The Shoe Surgeon to design a pair of cleats to be auctioned off at various times, with the proceeds going to the charity of the player’s choice.

Nix decided to direct his proceeds to PeaceHealth’s Sacred Heart hospital here in Eugene. He also teamed up with Kendall Auto Group, a group whose ambassadors include former Oregon quarterbacks Marcus Mariota and Justin Herbert. Nix is working specifically with the Eugene branch, and in return he gets a brand new Toyota SUV, according to On3.

The star quarterback also inked deals with Subway, Bose, Bojangles and Candy Digital.

Whether a star player or not, Oregon has become one of the most beneficial places for players to promote their name and profit off the work they put in for the university every day. The NIL landscape is still new to many, so it will be exciting to see how Ducks continue to use the school’s platform to help promote their own image.

Casey Rodgers (98) signs a ball after the game. The University of Oregon Ducks football team defeated the Stanford University Cardinals in an away match at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif., on Sept.

30, 2023. (Eric Becker/Emerald) T H U R S D AY, N O VE M B E R 1 6 , 2 0 2 3

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A debit card for Duck fans

Or visit MyOCCU.org/GameDayDuck

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