11-21-19 Emerald Media - Gameday Edition

GAMEDAY 11.21.19

PATIENCE & PREPARATION SPENCER WEBB’S LIFE JOURNEY HAS PREPARED HIM FOR HIS FOOTBALL JOURNEY — AND NEITHER HAS BEEN EASY

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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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ON THE COVER

Ducks tight end Spencer Webb (18) stiff arms an opposing wildcat. (DL Young/Emerald)

OREGON

ARIZONA STATE OFFENSE

OREGON OFFENSE Penei Sewell No. 58 Shane Lemieux No. 68 Jake Hanson No. 55 Dallas Warmack No. 75 Calvin Throckmorton No. 54 Hunter Kampmoyer No. 48 Juwan Johnson No. 6 Jaylon Redd No. 30 Johnny Johnson III No. 3 CJ Verdell No. 7 Justin Herbert No. 10

LT LG C RG RT TE WR WR WR RB QB

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

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

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

No. 63 No. 42 No. 49

LS P PK

No. 77 No. 56 No. 73 No. 61 No. 71 No. 2 No. 10 No. 84 No. 87 No. 3 No. 5

LT LG C RG RT X H Z Y RB QB

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

Jermayne Lole D.J. Davidson George Lea KhaylanKearse-Thomas Merlin Robertson Darien Butler Aashari Crosswell Evan Fields Cam Phillips Kobe Williams Chase Lucas

No. 90 No. 98 No. 17 No. 20 No. 8 No. 37 No. 16 No. 4 No. 15 No. 5 No. 24

E N E B M B LR T RR C C

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

ARIZONA STATE SPECIAL TEAMS

OREGON SPECIAL TEAMS Karsten Battles Blake Maimone Camden Lewis

LaDarius Henderson Alex Losoya Cohl Cabral Dohnovan West Steve Miller Brandon Aiyuk Kyle WIlliams Frank Darby Tommy Hudson Eno Benjamin Jayden Daniels

ARIZONA STATE DEFENSE

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

ARIZONA

So. Sr. Fr.

Erik Dickerson Michael Turk Josh Plaster

No. 93 No.35 No. 46

LS P PK

R-Jr. R-So. Fr.

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GAMEDAY

JACK OF ALL TRADES:

DARRIAN FELIX BRINGS A BIT OF EVERYTHING BY: Shane Hoffmann @shane_hoffmann

Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert (10) hands the ball off to Oregon Ducks running back Darrian Felix (22). (Devin Roux/Emerald)

Ducks head coach Mario Cristobal takes pride in a smashmouth style of football. The Ducks may have a future NFL first-rounder under center, but their offense is still predicated on establishing the run and bludgeoning the opposing team.

Through much of the early season, though — despite having the personnel of an extremely talented rushing team on paper — Oregon resided near the bottom of the conference in rushing.

They struggled to convert in crucial short-yardage situations, such as the fourth-and-1 in the waning moments against Auburn, couldn’t string together successful positive plays and seemed to have no clear No. 1 back, or even a semblance of a rotation.

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Game by game though, the pieces came together.

Oregon rushing totals skyrocketed from near-last to third in the Pac-12 behind only Utah and Arizona.

Not only were they having success, but seemingly every week, it was a new back snatching the spotlight.

One in particular — despite receiving the fewest touches of the group of four — has made the most of his carries, delivering a bevy of highlight plays on the year. His name is Darrian Felix.

A former three-star recruit hailing from Fort Myers, Florida, Felix isn’t the fastest — that title belongs to Travis Dye. Nor is he the strongest — that title belongs to the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Cyrus

Habibi-Likio.

“I can do a lot of stuff,” Felix said of his running style. “I’m fast, quick, powerful. It’s kind of hard.

I can really do everything; I’ve just gotta get my weight up. … I don’t really know how to describe it, it just comes.”

In truth, Felix has a little bit of it all: breakaway speed, agility in the hole and enough power to run you over if you’re not careful. He’s even made the occasional play in the passing game.

Felix, now a junior, is a year older than his fellow runners. After an impressive year as a freshman when he appeared in nine games, he seemed to be a breakout candidate heading into his sophomore

campaign.

After just two games, though, his year came to an end as an injury forced him to use a medical redshirt.

Meanwhile, the freshmen trio of Dye, CJ Verdell and Habibi-Likio passed him by. He didn’t let it discourage him and instead of resenting his teammates’ success, he learned from the youthful group.

“Just create open lanes,” Felix said.

“Just read the line. Really have to learn how to run behind my pads. CJ can run behind his pads, Trav, he can run behind his pads. Just to combine that and see them do it, it helps me out a lot.”

Felix is finally healthy, but he’s learning that the grueling, unforgiving process of football pauses for nobody. He’s had flashes, but just like Habibi-Likio and Dye, hasn’t carved out a consistent role.

In the season opener against Auburn, he had what was perhaps the day’s most impressive run as

he flashed his quickness with a lightning-fast cutback run, resulting in a touchdown. It’s moments like his 80-yard day versus Nevada or even his impressive fourth quarter performance in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum that have fans vying for more.

Although some of his brighter moments have come away from Autzen Stadium, Felix loves to show off in front of a home crowd. “[There’s] definitely something special about Autzen,” he said. “It’s just the energy and vibe that Autzen has that I think nobody in the country has in their stadium. I think the fans, the coaches, the players just get me hype and I just go to work.”

Like many of his teammates, he’s waited his turn. As Oregon’s season nears a close and the spotlight grows ever brighter on the potential Playoff Ducks, a signature moment could be in store for Felix.

Oregon Ducks running back Darrian Felix moves down the field. (DL Young/Emerald)

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GAMEDAY Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert (10) prepares to throw on the run. (DL Young/Emerald)

IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE GAME,

THE DUCKS ARE HOLDING EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE BY: Clayton Franke @clayfranke1 In the world of sports, it can sometimes be hard to visualize how certain mundane actions can lead to improvements down the road. To some players, practice is tedious, grueling and even futile. The Oregon Ducks football team, however, is experiencing something truly fulfilling, something not many people have the opportunity to experience: they are seeing hard work and discipline take the form of success as a 9-1 record and a spot in the Pac-12 Championship game.

The Ducks have electric players that shine on game day, but what has taken them to the next level is the accountability between players on the team. Throughout each week, the players take it upon themselves to make sure their teammates are working as hard as possible and doing their jobs.

“When your team is bought in and there’s ownership in it, they start demanding from each other and don’t tolerate anything less than each other’s best,” head coach Mario Cristobal said in a press conference Monday.

It was clear that the Ducks held each other accountable over the past several weeks of practice, as it showed in the game against Arizona. They set out to improve the front seven’s tackling and stop the Arizona running game. They held the Wildcats’ J.J. Taylor to 74 rushing yards and didn’t allow a single offensive touchdown all game. They looked to

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be more disciplined when it came to penalties, and it showed as the offense was charged with just one penalty.

It’s one thing if Cristobal holds his team accountable, but it’s even more important that his players hold each other accountable.

“They voice it, they echo it, they hold others accountable to it,” Cristobal said of his leaders. “It’s arriving early, staying late and running on and off the field.”

The Oregon wide receivers are a prime example of this accountability; the group has been pushing each other to get better all season. They are a huge reason the Ducks are where they are, and they provide the weapons Justin Herbert needs to reach his potential.

Given the injury status of Mycah Pittman, they will need to continue to push each other.

Cristobal said Monday that Pittman will be out for six weeks with a broken right arm. Pittman left the game for good Saturday after he was tackled and an Arizona defender fell on top of his arm. The 5-foot11 freshman wide receiver has made a significant contribution to the Oregon offense this season, with 14 receptions for 197 yards and two touchdowns in six games. Cristobal didn’t rule out his potential return for a bowl game, but in the meantime, the Ducks will have to rely on players like Bryan Addison and Josh Delgado to step up for the rest of

the season.

Other than Pittman’s injury, the Ducks are relatively healthy. CJ Verdell continued his string of injuries from recent weeks when he hyperextended his right elbow and lost feeling in his arm in the first half of Saturday’s game. However, he regained feeling by the end of the game and is fully expected to play against Arizona State.

It’s easy to focus on the flashy plays from the weekend, such as the flea-flicker connection from Herbert to Juwan Johnson or the 73-yard touchdown pass on the second play of the game. But for Cristobal, part of accountability means placing value in all aspects of the game.

“We will never devalue one phase for another,” Cristobal said. “Special teams is as important as offense and defense. The moment you start treating it as ‘that other thing you do when you’re not playing offense and defense’ is the moment the culture of your team will rot from the inside out.”

Oregon’s Pac-12 schedule is winding down, with just Arizona State and Oregon State left to play before the conference championship game. Justin Herbert and his offense put on a dazzling show at Autzen this season, while the defense was rock solid. But that was only on Saturdays. Behind the magnificent play is an attitude of accountability that the Ducks need to carry at all times.

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Ducks tight end Spencer Webb (18) stiff arms a Stanford defender. (Connor Cox/Emerald)

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WEBB’S VALUES HAVEN’T CHANGED BY: Brady Lim @bradylim619

Preparation and patience.

Those are the two words that have defined the first 19 years of Spencer Webb’s life. There have been times when those values were tested, and being on his own for the first time while also playing football at the University of Oregon has amplified that pressure even more. But with the help of his faith and his family, Webb is experiencing a breakthrough season that was unexpected, but in a way, inevitable.

“My friends and family back home … those are the people [who keep me grounded],” Webb said. “My brother has a huge role in my life. He raised me from the eighth grade.”

To some, being raised by his brother in a non-traditional family could be seen as a negative. But for Webb, it taught him lessons in life that no other experience could have.

It’s part of his unique journey, and he wouldn’t change it for the world.

“Patience is key for me, honestly,” he said. “I was a young guy. I’m still a young guy, so just preparation and patience is everything to me. It means a lot.”

Webb attended Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, California. The school was founded in 1876 and has produced a total of just four NFL players in its 143-year span. Webb’s path to a successful football career, at times, appeared to be murky.

Even after he emerged as a fourstar recruit and the top high school

tight end in California in the class of 2018, the path still wasn’t clear.

Playing behind four tight ends on the Ducks’ depth chart, he redshirted his first season and appeared in just two games. But everything he learned back home in Sacramento prepared him for that moment. He saw it as an opportunity, not a setback.

“Your redshirt year is a big year for you,” he said. “A lot of people see it as, ‘Oh, I’m redshirting … I should be starting.’ No. This is a blessing in disguise. Yeah, you’re not gonna be playing as much as you want … but that’s when you get ahead — a jump start on all those other freshmen who are complaining. When you’re catching up, they’re sitting back.”

After a full season of being around the Oregon program and building relationships with his teammates and coaches, he thought he’d be ready to play a major role in his redshirt freshman season.

An offseason that included adding weight and familiarizing himself with the playbook strengthened that sentiment even further.

Then the organizational chart for the season opener against Auburn came out, and he was the fourth tight end listed. At this point, it seemed like the years of patience and hours of preparation weren’t yielding results.

“Going into the year, we didn’t expect him to be playing in the first game,” quarterback Justin Herbert said of Webb.

But in that very same game, with

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COVER

what I did wrong. Because I knew 2:10 left in the first quarter, I messed up,” Webb said. “It’s Webb’s breakthrough came. At important just to ask questions. that moment — Allen IversonI’m not the guy to be like, ‘Oh, I esque step-over and all — the know everything.’ That’s not me.” patience and preparation were Staying grounded got him to validated by a highlight-reel this point. Despite the fact that touchdown grab. Herbert said his role is increasing by the week that Webb was his fourth or fifth and the Ducks are in the top 10 option on the play, but much for the first time since 2015, his like his position on the depth values haven’t changed. After chart, Webb created his own catching his third touchdown of opportunity and made a play on the season against Arizona, all the biggest stage of his career.

Webb cared about was what his “He’s been kind of a swing guy family thought — because that’s for us,” offensive coordinator what he’s always cared about.

Marcus Arroyo said. “His role, “I still think the things about my he can do family every and applying single day,” himself he said. “Pray and being a about my weapon … family. I’m out Spencer’s done here on my a great job, own. I think it’s especially for a important to freshman.” make sure you But for Webb, call everyone, validation make sure didn’t mean he everyone’s had arrived. good. My sister His goals is here — my reached far pregnant sister. beyond a single I’m excited to touchdown go talk to her reception, and see how and with so SPENCER WEBB she’s doing.” much left for His football the Ducks to journey has accomplish, been a direct reflection of his despite the loss, he was just life journey. His patience and getting started. One highlight preparation never wavered play didn’t erase his patience, regardless of circumstances, and it certainly didn’t curb his and breaking through the odds preparation. has made the success that much Rather than resent the tight sweeter. ends ahead of him on the depth “In life we all got where we chart, Webb used them as tools. wanna go, and life is a tunnel In a sense, he welcomed them with obstacles, some good and into his preparation, because some bad,” Webb said. “There that’s all he’s ever known. will be a point where you see “I ask them questions. I asked the light at the end of the tunnel.

Ryan [Bay] … we ran a play and Everything you’ve ever wanted is I said, ‘Hey, what did I do wrong right there, right in front of you.” on that?’ And he told me exactly

“PATIENCE IS KEY FOR ME, HONESTLY. I WAS A YOUNG GUY. I’M STILL A YOUNG GUY, SO JUST PREPARATION AND PATIENCE IS EVERYTHING TO ME. IT MEANS A LOT.”

Ducks tight end Spencer Webb (18) warms up. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

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GAMEDAY

PLAYERS TO WATCH IN OREGON’S FINAL ROAD GAME OF THE SEASON AGAINST ARIZONA STATE BY: Charles Gearing @GearingCharlie

Oregon BRYAN ADDISON / WIDE RECEIVER / OREGON With highly touted senior quarterback Justin Herbert under center, the Ducks have proven time and again that they are a threat through the air no matter who’s lined up at receiver. The Oregon aerial attack features several weapons, and they will certainly be looking to build on last week’s performance against Arizona, when they threw for 333 yards and four touchdowns.

With impact freshman Mycah Pittman out for six weeks after

sustaining a broken right arm in last week’s matchup, the Oregon offense will be in need of another target to spread the field. That target could very well be wideout Bryan Addison.

Addison, a 6-foot-5 redshirt freshman, adds height to the Oregon passing game. Coming off an aggressive offensive game plan against Arizona last week, the Ducks will be looking to continue their success through the air. With this, an opportunity knocks for Addison.

Arizona State ENO BENJAMIN / RUNNING BACK / ARIZONA STATE Despite sputtering of late, the Arizona State running game has been a crucial part of its offensive success in 2019. Sitting front and center of the Sun Devils ground game has been junior running back Eno Benjamin. The Wylie, Texas, native has been successful in 2019, tallying 801 total yards, eight touchdowns and 4.3 yards per carry on 188 attempts.

Benjamin started the season strong, having his best games against conference opponents Cal and Washington State, when he rushed for 100 and 137 yards, respectively. His season high in scoring also came against Cal, when

the back found the end zone three times. Benjamin currently ranks fifth in the Pac-12 in rushing yards and fourth in rushing touchdowns.

Although he’s gained high praise from his Pac-12 peers, Benjamin has hit quite a rough patch. Over the last three weeks, the junior has fumbled the ball on four occasions, including twice in a 31-26 loss to USC. In the same period, Benjamin has been held to only one touchdown, coming last week against Oregon State.

Benjamin will look to bounce back this Saturday against Oregon. It will be no easy task as he will be facing the second-ranked run defense in the Pac-12.

JAYLON REDD / WIDE RECEIVER / OREGON JERMAYNE LOLE / DEFENSIVE LINEMAN / ARIZONA STATE After holding six of their last 10 opponents under double digits, the Ducks will look to resume their defensive consistency this week against Arizona State.

A massive part of their defensive success, with the help of a talented group of pass rushers, has been applying heavy pressure to the quarterback. Despite entering the lineup as a true freshman, Mase Funa has been impressive.

Funa is second on the Ducks in

terms of sacks, with four on the season. He had his season high early on against Nevada, when he brought quarterback Carson Strong to the turf on two occasions. Since then, the linebacker has played well, recording sacks in games against Montana and Washington State.

With only one sack in Pac-12 play, Funa will be looking to get after the quarterback this week when the Ducks head to Tempe.

While the Sun Devils defense sits in the middle of the pack in passing yards allowed, they’ve been extremely solid in preventing large rushing totals. A huge part of their defensive success has been a talented group of defensive linemen, including sophomore Jermayne Lole.

The 6-foot-2, 284-pound lineman has played a physical and punishing brand of football, with 55 total tackles and 3.5 sacks so far in 2019.

Lole has shown improvement as the season has gone on, having his best game of the year last week against Oregon State, when he gathered eight tackles and a sack on the day.

He will face one of his biggest challenges against Oregon’s explosive run game on Saturday and will have to perform at the top of his game in order to be sufficient against a dominant group of Ducks running backs.

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MATCHUPS BY: Oscar Duyck

Arizona State’s run defense vs.

Oregon’s run game

Ducks wide receiver Johnny Johnson III (3) celebrates his touchdown with Juwan Johnson (6).

(DL Young/Emerald)

The Sun Devils have been successful this season in limiting the run game. Arizona State owns the third-best run defense in the conference, surrendering just 109 yards per game. That puts them in an elite group — only Oregon and Utah concede fewer rushing yards.

Overall, Arizona State has an above-average defense. The Sun Devils are fourth in total defense in the conference, conceding 380 yards per game.

Their defense carried them to a 5-1 start to the season, including an impressive 10-7 win against Michigan State. However, the Sun Devils’ defense have struggled in losses to UCLA, USC and Oregon State. After playing two mediocre defenses in Washington State and Arizona in its last three games, Oregon’s offense will be challenged against Arizona State.

Sophomore linebacker Darien Butler is Arizona State’s best tackler, leading the team with 69 total tackles on the season.

Butler has a nose for the ball,

with three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. The Sun Devils’ defense also relies on linebacker Merlin Robertson and defensive lineman Jermayne Lole.

Arizona State’s stout run defense could cause problems for the Ducks. Oregon has yet to establish a consistent rhythm on the ground. Oregon’s run game looked unbeatable against Washington State, with CJ Verdell running for 257 yards and three scores. Against Arizona, however, the Ducks run game could not break through against a bottom tier defense, as Oregon gained just 138 yards on the ground.

Oregon’s running back committee of Verdell, Travis Dye and Cyrus Habibi-Likio will be challenged by the best run defense they have faced in conference play. In any case, somebody in the Ducks backfield will have to step up against a hungry Sun Devils squad looking to snap a fourgame losing streak.

ADVANTAGE: ARIZONA STATE Oregon’s special teams vs.

Arizona State’s special teams Arizona State is the best kick-returning team in the conference. The Sun Devils average 26 yards per kick return and have 586 yards total yards on kick returns this season.

Ducks running back Travis Dye (26) breaks free with a blistering run. (Connor Cox/Emerald)

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Special teams are sometimes overlooked in football, but Arizona State has shown its explosiveness all season.

Against Oregon State last Saturday, Brandon Aiyuk took

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The team emerges from the tunnel with excitement. (Connor Cox/Emerald)

a punt return to the house for a 63-yard score. Aiyuk dodged and weaved past Beaver defenders and tied the game at 21 apiece; however, Aiyuk’s heroics did not earn Arizona State the win as they fell to Oregon State 35-34.

Oregon has the second-best return unit in the conference, as the Ducks are averaging 25 yards per kickoff return. The Ducks excel in punt returns, and they have racked up 205 yards off punt returns this season.

The Ducks defining play on special teams was against USC,

ADVANTAGE: OREGON

when true freshman Mykael Wright burned the Trojans for a 100-yard kickoff return. Wright’s touchdown, with 20 seconds left in the first half, gave the Ducks a 2817 lead heading into halftime, and it was one of the plays that swung the momentum for the Ducks.

Although special teams touchdowns are rare in football, Big returns also give offenses a short field to work with, making life harder for the defense. Oregon will need to contain Aiyuk and the Sun Devils’ return game.

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GAMEDAY

The No. 6 Oregon Ducks will make their way down to Tempe, Arizona, and take on an Arizona State Sun Devils team that has lost four in a row since starting 5-1. The 9-1 Ducks defeated the Arizona Wildcats in their last matchup, and did so in dominating fashion — a 34-6 win crowned the Ducks Pac-12 North division champions.

Oregon will face the winner of the Pac-12 South on Dec. 6 in the conference championship game. But for now, Oregon has its sights set on a floundering Arizona State team.

Last year, Arizona State’s head coach Herm Edwards led the Sun Devils to a runner-up finish in the South Division with a 7-6 record. This season, however, the Sun Devils are 5-5 with just two wins in the Pac12. Edwards and Arizona State have now dropped their last four games in a row. ASU even lost to Colorado, giving the Buffs their lone conference win.

The ASU defense is giving up over 32 points per game in those losses, and opponents are doing most of the damage in the first half. Opposing teams have scored 28 points by halftime in each of the last three games.

The secondary is finding it hard to force turnovers and contain the passing game.

Their four interceptions this season are tied for last in the Pac-12, and conference foes are throwing for nearly 300 yards per game. Those opponents include Oregon State quarterback Jake Luton, who amassed 288 yards and four touchdowns in the Beavers 35-34 victory.

ASU’s run defense is more dependable when it comes to hindering other teams’ rushing

attacks. Opposing teams are gaining just 109 rushing yards per game — third best in the conference, behind Oregon and Utah.

While the run defense has shown the ability to get stops, the Sun Devils’ rushing game has been sub-par, with just 115 yards per game that puts ASU in the bottom quarter of the Pac-12. And running back Eno Benjamin can’t seem to find a rhythm for the Sun Devils — Benjamin has fumbled in each of the last three games and is averaging just 56 yards rushing over that span.

Injuries have hampered ASU as well. Most recently, they lost starting defensive lineman George Lea, who was leading the team in sacks. The Sun Devils have had trouble keeping their quarterback corps healthy. Starting quarterback Jayden Daniels injured his leg in the loss to UCLA, which led to him to miss the USC game as well.

Freshman backup Joey Yellen is also questionable with a shoulder injury. Yellen threw for 292 yards and four touchdowns in the 31-26 loss to USC. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has been the favorite target all year. Aiyuk leads the team with 53 receptions, 964 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches. Aiyuk was also named Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week after he returned a 63-yard punt for a touchdown against Oregon State.

A loss will without a doubt exile Oregon from the College Football Playoff. The Ducks can’t start thinking too far into the future, with ASU and rival Oregon State still on the regular season schedule.

DEEP DIVE INTO

ARIZONA STATE BY: Noah Noteboom @noah_boom23

Oregon running back Travis Dye gains yards. (Devin Roux/Emerald)

Arizona State looks to gain yards. (Devin Roux/Emerald)

T H U R S D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 9

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E M E R A L D G A M E D AY

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PA G E 1 5

EST. 2017

GAME DAYS

FOOTBALL WATCH PARTIES Nov. 23rd VS.

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ARIZONA STATE

Dec. 8th

PAC 12 CHAMPIONSHIP

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