9-9-21 Emerald Media - Gameday

GAMEDAY 9.9.21

OREGON FACES ONE OF ITS BIGGEST REGULAR SEASON GAMES EVER IN COLUMBUS THE DUCKS HAVE A CHANCE TO MOVE INTO THE NEXT LEVEL OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL WITH A WIN AGAINST THE BUCKEYES

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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.

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NEWSROOM

Editor in Chief Sarah-Mae McCullough Managing Editor Jael Calloway Copy Chief Amanda Lurey Sports Editor Shane Hoffmann Reporters Daniel Friis Jacob Hamre Charlie Folkestad Dylan Conway Aaron Heisen Photo Editor Ian Enger Design Editor Kira Chan

BUSINESS

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ON THE COVER

Ducks players Noah Sewell (1) and Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) prepare for action. The Oregon Ducks host Fresno State on September 4th, 2021, for game one of the 2021 season. (Ian Enger/Emerald)

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OREGON

OHIO ST.

OREGON OFFENSE

OHIO STATE OFFENSE

Troy Fanklin No. 11 WR-X FR

Garrett Wilson No. 5 WR-X JR

Johnny Johnson III

Chris Olave No. 3 WR-Z SR

No. 3

WR-Z

SR

Mycah Pittman No. 4 WR-H SO

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

No. 11

WR-SL

SO

George Moore No. 77 LT SR/TR

Nicholas Petit-Frere

No. 78

LT

RS JR

T.J. Bass No. 56 LG JR/TR

Thayer Munford No. 75 LG SR

Alex Forsyth

Harry Miller No. 76 OC JR

No. 78

OC

RS JR

Ryan Walk No. 53 RG RS JR

Paris Johnson Jr.

Steven Jones

RS SO

Dawand Jones No. 79 RT JR

Spencer Webb No. 18 TE-F RS SO

Jeremy Ruckert No. 88 TE SR

Moliki Matavao No. 8 TE-Y FR

C.J. Stroud

No. 7

QB

RS FR

Anthony Brown No. 13 QB GR/TR

Master Teague III

No. 33

RB

RS JR

No. 74

RT

No. 77

RG

SO

CJ Verdell No. 7 RB JR

OHIO STATE DEFENSE

OREGON DEFENSE Brandon Dorlus No. 3 DE SO

Zach Harrison

No. 9

DE

JR

Popo Aumavae

No. 50

NT

RS JR

Haskell Garrett No. 92 NT GR

Keyon Ware-Hudson

No. 59

DT

RS FR

Taron Vincent No. 6 DT RS JR

Kayvon Thibodeaux No. 5 JOKER SO

Tyreke Smith No. 11 DE SR

Mase Funa No. 47 SAM SO

Teradja Mitchell

Noah Sewell No. 1 MIKE FR

Cody Simon No. 30 MIKE SO

Dru Mathis No. 54 WILL SR/TR

Craig Young No. 15 BULL SO

Trikweze Bridges

No. 11

BCB

RS FR

Sevyn Banks No. 7 CB SR

Steve Stevens IV

No. 7

BS

RS SO

Josh Proctor No. 41 FS SR

Verone McKinley III

No. 23

FS

RS SO

Lathan Ransom No. 12 CS SO

Mykael Wright No. 2 FCB SO

Cameron Brown

No. 3

No. 26

WILL

CB

SR

RS JR

Bennett Williams No. 15 STAR JR/TR

OREGON SPECIAL TEAMS Tom Snee

No. 38

PT

OHIO STATE SPECIAL TEAMS RS SO

Jesse Mirco No. 29 PT FR

Camden Lewis No. 49 PK SO

Noah Ruggles No. 95 PK GR/TR

Karsten Battles No. 63 LS JR

Bradley Robinson

No. 42

LS

RS SR/TR

Garrett Wilson No. 5 PR JR Demario McCall PA G E 4

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No. 1

KR

RS SR

GAMEDAY

HIGH EXPECTATIONS:

Ducks wide receiver Troy Franklin (11) lunges for the ball moments before halftime. Oregon Ducks Football host annual Spring Game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on May 1, 2021. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

NOTHING NOTHING NEW NEW FOR FOR STANDOUT STANDOUT FRESHMAN FRESHMAN TROY TROY FRANKLIN FRANKLIN Troy Franklin is set to see lots of field time ahead of the Ohio State matchup, despite not having any collegiate experience. He’s been ready for this moment all his life, however.

BY: Daniel Friis @danielfriis10 When true freshman wide receiver Troy Franklin decided to cut his senior year short and enroll early at Oregon in January, his name was immediately at the bottom of the depth chart.

Now, just eight months later, ahead of one of the school’s biggest regular-season match-ups ever against Ohio State, he will see crucial snaps.

Franklin, who was originally supposed to get the starting nod against Fresno State, was limited during the game after getting “nicked up” in practice. Head coach Mario Cristobal has since announced that he’ll be ready against the Buckeyes.

The news may come as a surprise for many Duck fans.

The entirety of Oregon’s starting offense against the Bulldogs had at least three years of collegiate experience under their belt. Some of the players are even entering their mid-20’s. Then, there’s Franklin, who’s 18 years young.

Although it’s a shock for many, anyone who has either played with or seen Franklin play knows he’s built for the moment. Ever since his pop warner days, Franklin has always had elevated standards.

“He always played with higher age groups,” Franklin’s high school coach Adhir Ravipati said. “It wasn’t even a size thing – it was an ability thing. He was too good against people his own age.”

In high school, Franklin was a varsity starter

from day one at Menlo-Atherton, one of the Bay Area’s best public school programs. In his fourth ever high school game as a freshman, he returned a kick-off for a 90-yard touchdown, while switching hands underneath the ball mid-run.

“I remember standing on the sidelines, and I couldn’t move,” Ravipati said. “I turned to one of my assistant coaches and told him that I’m going to need Nick Saban in a few years.”

Ravipati coached Franklin his freshman year before taking a new position as the quarterback’s coach for the College of San Mateo, a junior college that produced fellow Ducks George Moore and Bennett Williams.

Not only has Franklin been asked to keep up with older competition throughout his entire life, but he has also been expected to outperform his counterparts.

In his sophomore year run to the state championship, Franklin lined up against multiple Division 1 corners and defenders. He scored eight touchdowns in just five games during that playoff run, etching his name in many schools’ watchlists.

“When the odds were stacked against us, Troy was able to keep his head cool and not let the pressure interfere with his skills,” Anthony Gomez, a former high school teammate, said. “I am positive that Troy will make it known that he deserves to start.”

No one play defines Franklin’s lofty expectations

more than one of his most signature high school highlights during the same playoff run. In a quarterfinals game against Wilcox, Franklin mossed two defenders while snagging a touchdown in the corner of the end zone.

“The air he caught on that play was crazy,” Gomez said. “He would put in extra effort to make sure no one outskilled him on that field.”

Franklin led the MA team to three straight Bay Division titles and a 2018 CIF Division 3 Championship during high school. He totaled 102 receptions, 1790 yards, 28 touchdowns and four interceptions in just three years while playing multiple positions.

Now as a collegiate athlete, transferring early from MA has brought nothing but positives for Franklin. Having one of the deepest wide receiver rooms in Oregon history helps too.

“The older guys are always making sure we’re straight and that we know things out there,” Franklin said. “Johnny Johnson, Devon Williams, Josh Delgado – we got a lot of guys who help.”

Franklin will again be asked to rise to the occasion Saturday against a Buckeye defense that looked outmatched at some points against Minnesota last week.

“I hope Oregon fans really embrace the opportunity to see him play,” Ravipati said. “He’s a special kid both on and off the field.”

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GAMEDAY

RETURN OF HILL AND JAMES

CRUCIAL FOR UPCOMING OHIO STATE MATCHUP DJ James and Jamal Hill look to bolster Oregon’s secondary as it awaits the nation’s premier receiving duo.

BY: Jacob Hamre @HamreJacob

Ducks safety Jamal Hill (19) tackles a Trojan. Oregon Ducks football take on USC Trojans in the Pac-12 Championship game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif., on Dec. 18, 2020. (Maddie Knight/ Emerald)

Oregon’s first game of the season was not a pretty sight. There were plenty of reasons for the poor performance, but open receivers consistently carving the Ducks’ secondary was certainly worrisome.

Fresno State’s Jake Haener was able to move the ball frequently on Saturday, throwing for nearly 300 yards and keeping his team in the game until the end.

With the loss of Kayvon Thibodeaux in the first quarter, the pass rush was not nearly as threatening down the stretch, granting a comfortable pocket

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for Haener. The secondary was forced to be in coverage for lengthier periods and was picked apart in the second half.

The lackluster performance resulted in a downgrade in the AP Poll, moving Oregon to No. 12. Oregon got some good news Monday, however, as head coach Mario Cristobal announced that both Jamal Hill and DJ James will return to play after sitting out a portion of fall camp and the week one game due to suspension.

Both players were suspended

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 9 , 2 0 2 1

indefinitely after an incident where they fired realistic-looking airsoft guns, injuring at least one civilian.

Cristobal obviously took this case seriously with his initial punishment.

With their return, Oregon instantly regains two impact players: a physical, run-stuffing safety with a knack for taking the ball away in Hill and a speedy coverage corner in James. These reinforcements give Oregon a much sturdier secondary.

Hill was a huge part of the Duck defense in 2020, replacing Jevon Holland who was a second-round

pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Hill had two interceptions in the Pac-12 Championship while also making plays with his size and tackling ability around the field.

“I accept the challenge fully, and I know my coaches and teammates will prepare me each week for whatever challenges we might face,” Hill said. “I don’t think they would put me out there if I wasn’t ready.”

DJ James also brings a spark to the secondary, adding some true game experience to an otherwise young group. His presence will take

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INDOOR AND PATIO DINING SELECTION OF MICROBREWS

Ducks cornerback DJ James (12) celebrates the defensive stop at the end of the game. Oregon Ducks football takes on the UCLA Bruins at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Nov. 21, 2020. (DL Young/Emerald)

some pressure off of the younger defensive backs on the team, while also giving the rest of the defense more confidence.

Week two brings in one of the toughest opponents Oregon has faced in the last decade. Ohio State is a powerhouse in college football and will be at an all-time high playing at home in Columbus.

Redshirt freshman CJ Stroud will be a handful for the Ducks’ secondary on Saturday, coming off an incredible debut in week one. Stroud threw for four touchdowns and just under 300

yards against a solid Minnesota team and looks to keep up that pace on Saturday.

The amount of snaps that Hill and James will see next week is still yet to be decided, but expect them to be on the field at some point. The two will bring even more intensity to the secondary, which is looking to have a bounceback performance.

With a more complete team on the sidelines, Oregon looks to provide its own energy against a large opposing crowd that will be cheering for their No. 3 ranked Buckeyes.

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GAMEDAY

BUCKEYES

POSE HUGE CHALLENGE FOR

DUCKS ON THE

ROAD

BY: Charlie Folkestad @folkestad3

Oregon is headed to Columbus, Ohio in week two for one of the biggest out-of-conference matchups in program history against the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes. Ohio State boasts one of the best programs in college football, with less than a handful of schools able to claim superiority over them over the last 10-plus seasons.

The Buckeyes — named after a tree nut native to Ohio — are coming off a 4531 win on the road against Minnesota last Thursday in week one. The two extra days of rest and 12:00 p.m. ET start time should give them a slight edge in next week’s game, but Mario Cristobal seems unconcerned about it.

A decade of dominance

Oregon defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus (3) heads toward the crowd in celebration. The Oregon Ducks host Fresno State on Sept. 4, 2021, for game one of the 2021 season. (Ian Enger/Emerald) PA G E 8

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Ohio State has won the Big Ten Conference four seasons in a row. Head coach Ryan Day has never lost a Big Ten game at the helm (24-2 overall) — his only losses coming in the postseason to Alabama and Clemson. The Buckeyes haven’t lost more than two games in a single season since 2011, despite going through NCAA sanctions. That was also the last time they lost to archrivals Michigan.

The Buckeyes have beaten Oregon in all nine meetings, most recently in the first ever College Football Playoff National Championship game on Jan. 12, 2015. Since then, they’ve returned to the Playoff three times, losing in the title game to Alabama last year. Only Alabama and Clemson have more Playoff appearances or wins.

This Ohio State team is expected to return to the Playoff, especially if they clear their biggest hurdle of the regular season against the Ducks. The same test might be applicable to Oregon, whose last Playoff appearance was in that loss to Ohio State.

Saturday’s game was supposed to be the second of a home-and-home series between the Ducks and Buckeyes. But, the 2020 edition in Eugene was

GAMEDAY

Ducks quarterback Anthony Brown (13) throws the ball to his teammate while other players clash. The Oregon Ducks host Fresno State on Sept. 4, 2021, for game one of the 2021 season. (Ian Enger/Emerald)

OHIO STATE HAS ELITE TALENT, B UT CAN THE DUCKS SHOW THEY BELONG IN TH E TOP TIER?

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GAMEDAY Oregon player Noah Sewell (1) swifty changes directions during the Oregon’s game against Fresno State. The Oregon Ducks host Fresno State on Sept. 4th, 2021, for game one of the 2021 season. (Ian Enger/Emerald)

OHIO STATE X OREGON;

SATURDAY, SEPT. 11

at 9 a.m. PDT on FOX

canceled due to COVID-19. While that game will probably never happen, Ohio State did increase their payment for this year’s game.

Talent everywhere Typical of today’s top-tier teams, Ohio State has a roster littered with blue-chip recruits. One of them, five-star defensive end J.T. Tuimolau, committed to the Buckeyes over Oregon during the summer.

The Buckeyes are especially loaded at the skill positions on offense. Week one pass catchers Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njegba only scratch the surface of their staggering wide receiver talent. In the backfield, the Buckeyes seem to have a three-headed monster of rushers with Master Teague, TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams.

The only question for this Buckeyes offense is the most important one: quarterback. Against Minnesota, redshirt freshman C.J. Stroud struggled in the first half (58 yards and one interception) before exploding in the second (236 yards and four touchdowns on just five throws).

Stroud won a hotly-contested quarterback battle over other five-star recruits to make his first career start against Minnesota. While he has the best targets in the country at his disposal, skepticism regarding his accuracy has emerged.

Ohio State’s explosive plays won the game for them against the Golden Gophers. Minimizing big gains will be crucial to a potential upset for the Ducks.

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Defensive questions The Buckeyes’ defense did not look as promising, though. They return just 49% of their total defensive production, which ranks 127th out of 129 nationally. This includes four linebackers who have departed since last season.

Despite forcing two fumbles, the defense allowed 31 points and 408 total yards (205 passing, 203 rushing) to the Golden Gophers — who are outside the top 25 in most polls. Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim had 163 yards and two touchdowns before exiting the game with an injury in the fourth quarter.

Safety Ronnie Hickman and linebacker Terajda Mitchell totaled over 10 tackles each for the Buckeyes. With four minutes left in the game, safety Lathan Ransom was nearly ejected for a targeting penalty that went uncalled. He would have been suspended for the first half of the Oregon game.

Like the rest of their team, Ohio State is littered with five-stars along the defensive line. Haskell Garrett and Zach Harrison both pose serious threats against Oregon’s offensive line, which struggled in pass protection against Fresno State.

Another thing to watch for is Ohio State deflecting passes at the line of scrimmage. They did this five times against Minnesota and Oregon quarterback Anthony Brown has a low release point on his passes.

This is a winnable game for Oregon, although the scales have tipped into the Buckeyes’ favor by about two touchdowns. Longer odds are overcome every week in college football. Tune in to FOX at 9 a.m. PT this Saturday to see if the Ducks can pull off the upset.

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GAMEDAY

THE BIGGEST MATCHUPS

IN THE PAC-12

RECAPPING WEEK ONE AND PREVIEWING KEY WEEK TWO GAMES

BY: Dylan Conway @dconway_3 Ducks quarterback Anthony Brown (13) drops the ball after running it to the endzone and scoring a touchdown, putting the ducks ahead of the Bulldogs at 31-24. The Oregon Ducks host Fresno State on September 4th, 2021, for game one of the 2021 season.

(Ian Enger/Emerald)

Week one of the 2021-22 college football season wasn’t one to remember for the Pac-12 North. The division had one win and five losses throughout the opening week of the season.

The Ducks had the only win in the North division, sneaking away from Fresno State with a 7-point victory. The other five teams in the division dropped their opening game – one of those teams being the Washington Huskies, who proved to be the most disappointing.

Montana 13, Washington 7 As a 22-point favorite, the No. 20 Huskies fell 13-7 to the Montana Grizzlies in Seattle. The Huskies had a successful start to the game, getting into the endzone on their opening drive. In the rest of the game Morris threw three picks as Washington couldn’t find anything on offense.

Montana’s quarterback Cam Humphrey had a four-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to give the Grizzlies the lead, and they held on until the end. This was the first time an FCS team has beaten a ranked FBS team since North Dakota State won at No.13 Iowa in 2016 and the fifth time it’s happened since 2007, when Appalachian State took down No. 5 Michigan.

Utah State 26, Washington State 23 The Washington State Cougars were also upset in Pullman

by Utah State. With a 12-point lead and under six minutes left in the game, the Cougars allowed the Aggies to come back and cut the lead to five. Utah State then capitalized on their last drive, completing a go-ahead touchdown pass with only 15 seconds to go.

With 441 total yards, Utah State dominated the Cougars defense, especially in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Cougars 15-3. After blowing a double-digit lead, Washington State expects a strong rebound game when it hosts Portland State next week.

UCLA 38, LSU 27 If there was one bright spot in the Pac-12 this week, it was UCLA upsetting No. 16 LSU 38-27 in an impressive performance. The Bruins went 10-21 in Chip Kelly’s first three seasons at UCLA, but they appear to be back after an impressive 2-0 start to this season.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson stood out with 260 passing

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GAMEDAY

The Oregon Duck joins the student section to cheer on the football team. The Oregon Ducks host Fresno State on Sept. 4, 2021, for game one of the 2021 season. (Ian Enger/Emerald)

yards, three touchdowns and one pick, while running back Zach Charbonnet — a transfer from Michigan — rushed for 117 yards and one touchdown off 11 carries. As a whole, the offense was consistent with 470 total yards and a 54% third down conversion rate.

With this impressive win over the Tigers, it became the first time in 13 years a Pac-12 team has defeated a ranked SEC squad. After two dominant performances to open the season, UCLA has shown that, when their offense is clicking, they are legit contenders to win the conference. The Bruins expect to have a number next to their name come Tuesday when the AP Poll is released.

Preview: Colorado vs. Texas A&M After a fairly smooth 35-7 win over Northern Colorado week one, the Colorado Buffaloes have a much more daunting matchup week two, taking on No. 6 Texas A&M. The Aggies struggled in the first half in their opener against Kent State, leading by just one touchdown at halftime. The game quickly opened up in the second half as the Aggies took over and won by 31. But, with five total turnovers by the Aggies,

there is a lot to clean up on the offensive side.

In order for Colorado to upset the No. 6 ranked team in the country as a 17-point underdog, they need to have a more efficient passing game. In Brandon Lewis’ first start last week, he threw for 102 yards and a touchdown, while the team rushed for 281 yards. The Buffaloes can’t be as reliant on the run game if they want to keep up with an Aggie offense that put up just under 600 yards last week.

Utah vs. BYU Both teams coming off week one victories, BYU and Utah are expected to be in a close battle in week two.

As expected, Utah handled Weber State, defeating the Wildcats 40-17 in week one. Their offense was fairly balanced with 262 passing yards and 188 rushing yards. Quarterback Charlie Brewer also looked good in his debut. But, between dropping balls and settling for field goals in the red zone, the Utes performance on Thursday was far from perfect.

BYU also won by 8 as favorites against Arizona.

As a whole, BYU did what was expected, but showed signs of weakness – especially on the defensive side.

The Cougars allowed 426 total yards of offense against an inferior Arizona, including 345 through the air. BYU won’t be able to get away with these numbers against a far better team in Utah. Luck was involved as well on Saturday as Arizona missed two field goals.

Utah is a 7-point favorite against BYU in week two.

Washington vs. Michigan The Washington Huskies look to rebound after a devastating upset at home to Montana last week.

Starting with the three interceptions thrown by starting quarterback Morris, several things need to be addressed from last week’s performance.

Unfortunately, the Huskies will be a touchdown underdog against their week two opponent – who looked dynamic on Saturday as Michigan easily beat Western Michigan by 33.

The Wolverines had 335 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, which could be trouble for the Huskies as their run defense looked frail against Montana. A win at the “The Big House” would be a moral booster for the Huskies and would get their season back on track. Going into conference play 0-2 could lead to a long season for Washington.

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GAMEDAY

POSITIONAL BATTLE AT CORNERBACK BROUGHT THE BEST OUT OF MANNING AND BRIDGES Through competition, Trikweze Bridges and Donte Manning challenged each other to improve on and off the field.

BY: Aaron Heisen @aaron_heisen “Iron sharpens iron,” Oregon cornerback Donte Manning said.

The mindset represents the Ducks’ ongoing positional battle between Manning and Trikweze Bridges. As they vie for the starting role, the two have used this competition to improve their individual abilities and challenge one another to maximize every opportunity.

The two freshmen have waited in the wings for their shot.

Bridges, a redshirt, appeared in all seven games for the Ducks last season in a limited fashion, while Manning was injured – playing limited snaps in one game for the team.

In 2021, the Ducks’ secondary thinned out, losing four starters to this past April’s NFL draft.

With those starters gone, Manning and Bridges have ascended the depth chart. Now, both will fill roles as crucial pieces in the Ducks’ quest for a third straight Pac-12 title.

In the week leading up to Oregon’s matchup with Fresno State, the battle remained neck-and-neck. Rather than focusing their energy on besting one another, Manning and Bridges let the competition decide itself by showcasing personal improvement.

“No matter who wins the job, I’m going to get better, [Trikweze] is going to get better and we are just getting better as a group,” Manning said.

Bridges took a methodical approach to the competition, and it proved favorable as he was named the week one starter.

“I just focus on winning today,” Bridges said. “I focus on being perfect on my technique, in the film room… if I do everything I need to do in that one day I’ll be 1-0… If I do all the things I’m supposed to I trust [Cristobal] will let me play.”

While Bridges may have a slight lead over Manning, Oregon’s coaches put an emphasis on competition at practice and in games.

“I think competition is great,” defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter said. “[Bridges and Manning] have been competing all spring… They both bring different things to the table and that competition has maximized where they’re at.”

Ducks cornerback Trikweze Bridges (11) warms up. Oregon Ducks football takes on Utah for the Pac 12 Championship game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Dec. 6, 2019. (DL Young/Emerald)

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Oregon cornerback Dontae Manning (8) flies down the field with a Fresno State player trailing him. The Oregon Ducks host Fresno State on Sept. 4, 2021, for game one of the 2021 season. (Ian Enger/Emerald)

“[Bridges and Manning] went out there and gave us everything they had,” head coach Mario Cristobal said after the game. “I know they’d like to have a few plays back… but Trikweze stepped up.

Donte Manning same thing… And I liked the way they involved themselves in the run game too.”

Manning expects that he and Bridges will continue to “uplift one another” regardless of who ends up winning the job. “[Donte and I] push each other with everything: meetings, on the field, walking to the field… we push each other with everything we can,” Bridges said.

That mentality transferred over to the

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Ducks recent victory over Fresno State.

In the waning minutes of the game, the Ducks held a 7-point advantage, but the Bulldogs had one last drive to tie it up.

On fourth-and-15, Jacob Haener completed a pass downfield to Jalen Cropper, but Bridges stepped and tackled Cropper two yards short of the sticks effectively ending the game and sealing the 31-24 victory for the Ducks.

Oregon’s football program has high hopes for the season. While the starting cornerback spot is a coveted one, expect the Ducks to rely on both Bridges and Manning to play a crucial role throughout the year.

“

[Bridges and Manning] went out there and gave us everything they had.”

MARIO CRISTOBAL Oregon Football Head Coach