9/22/16 Emerald Media - Gameday

⚑ GAMEDAY

DECIDING TO GO FOR

TWO OREGON OFFENSE IS UNIQUE FOR ITS FREQUENT

ATTEMPTS AT TWO POINT CONVERSIONS. Sometimes

the risk pays off, but when it doesn’t, the cost of being wrong can mean the game.

D E VO N A L L E N T E A R S H I S AC L A N D I S O U T F O R S E A S O N



T Y R E E R O B I N S O N C A N P L AY O F F E N S E A N D D E F E N S E



H OW T H E D U C K S C A N I M P R OV E A L L OV E R T H E F I E L D

114 West Broadway

Downtown Eugene

Open 10 am - 2 am Fri, Sat EST.

2015

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

|

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

|

PA G E 3

Sweet Cheeks Winery New Tasting Room

NOW OPEN at the fifth street public market

Join Us Mon. - Wed. 11am - 7pm Thurs, - Sun. 11am - 8pm live music Fri. & Sat. 5:30 - 7:30 248 E. 5th Avenue Suite 25 Eugene, Oregon 458-215-4990

PLUMBING HOUSEWARES ELECTRICAL HARDWARE LAWN & GARDEN TOOLS PAINT

2825 Willamette • Eugene, Oregon • 541-342-5191 PA G E 4

|

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

|

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

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 1222 E. 13th ave., #302, Eugene, OR 97403 541.346.5511 | dailyemerald.com

NEWSROOM

BUSINESS

Cooper Green

President & Publisher Charlie Weaver x317

Art Director

Vice President, Operations

Editor in Chief Raquel Ortega

Print Managing Editor

Kathy Carbone x302

Braedon Kwiecien

ADVERTISING

Sports Editors

Director of Sales and Marketing Lindsey Smith x303

Designer

Account Executives Greg Butler Taylor Bradbury Carson Bieraugel Kyle Besa Ruben Estrada

Kenny Jacoby Jonathan Hawthorne Jarrid Denney

Emily Garcia

Writers

Jack Butler Gus Morris Kylee O’Connor Ryan Kostecka

ON THE COVER

Wide receiver Charles Nelson scores in the endzone during Oregon’s game against UC Davis.

WEEKLY STACK-UP

OREGON VS. UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO Written by: Jack Butler @Butler917 | Photo by : Kaylee Domzalski

It is Pac-12 season now, and both Colorado (2-1) and Oregon (2-1) are coming off losses games in which they suffered significant injuries.

Both teams fell to Big Ten opponents on the road. Oregon dropped a 35-32 fight

against No. 20 Nebraska while Colorado’s upset bid slipped away in the second half of a 45-28 loss to No. 4 Michigan.

Both teams want to bounce back to winning ways and avoid two straight losses.

Here’s how the teams stack up.

OREGON OFFENSE: Advantage: Oregon

The Oregon offense will enter Saturday banged up, but not broken.

The Ducks lost two stars for the season in left tackle Tyrell Crosby and wide receiver Devon Allen. Royce Freeman suffered a shin injury against Nebraska, which may force him to sit against Colorado.

With Crosby out and Freeman’s health a question mark, the challenge for the offense is to maintain the powerful running attack. The Ducks have the best rushing offense in the Pac-12, averaging almost 300 yards per game. Most of the stress will fall on the offensive line, which will start four redshirt freshmen and may be missing senior Cameron Hunt, who has been criticized for his penalty-happy play this season.

Quarterback Dakota Prukop may have to carry more of the load with his arm this week.

DEFENSE:

Through three games Oregon’s defense is allowing 29.7 points per game, while giving up around 400 total yards. Both stats rank in the lower half of the Pac-12, but the run defense has been particularly poor, allowing opponents to rush for 170 yards per game on 4.2 yards per rush. The Ducks, however, seem to have found consistency at the defensive line positions with Henry Mondeaux, Auston Moalata, Rex Manu and Justin Hollins.

The linebacker and defensive back positions seem to be unsettled.

Albeit partially due to injuries, the two position groups are still being messed with by the coaches. Cornerback Arrion Springs is a member of the secondary who has his spot secure and will need to lock down a Colorado receiver to slow down the Buffs’ quality passing game.

COLORADO OFFENSE:

The Buffalo offense is no joke in Mike MacIntyre’s fourth year as head coach. Through three weeks, it is averaging 42.7 points per game (right behind Oregon at 43) with a potent passing attack leading the way. Quarterback Sefo Liufau, however, suffered an ankle injury in the third quarter of Colorado’s game against Michigan last week and is considered day-to-day.

Wide receivers Devin Ross and Shay Fields are some of the top receivers in the conference. Fields is averaging 85.3 receiving yards per game, while Ross has six receptions per game, ranking third and fourth in conference, respectively. They’ll have to get open with either a backup or hobbled quarterback throwing to them.

DEFENSE: Advantage: Colorado

The Colorado defense has been good at limiting opposing teams’ long scoring drives. Colorado tops the conference in fewest yards allowed per game, and opposing teams are averaging 19.7 points per game against the Buffs.

The Buffaloes suffered a big loss when their best outside linebacker and pass rusher, Derek McCartney, was ruled out for the season with a torn ACL. It’s a big loss for the front seven as opposing quarterbacks will have more time in the pocket. Colorado’s pass defense ranks first in the conference, but that may drop if pressure on the quarterback decreases.

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

|

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

|

PA G E 5

startatlane.com PA G E 6

|

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

|

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

GAME PREVIEW

PLAYERS OREGON to watch WIDE RECEIVER-

#7 DARREN CARRINGTON

Awuzie was an all-conference second-team selection last season and is one of the top returning defensive backs in the country. He has been tabbed by several different sites as a potential second or third round pick in the upcoming NFL draft, and could be the lockdown corner the Buffs need to stop Oregon’s high-powered passing attack this weekend. At six feet, 205 pounds, Awuzie has the size to matchup with Oregon’s physical receivers, such as Darren Carrington and Dwayne Stanford, but is also agile enough to drop into the slot and hold his own with speedsters such as Charles Nelson.

WIDE RECEIVER-

RUNNING BACK#5 TAJ GRIFFIN

LEFT TACKLE#66 BRADY AIELLO

The redshirt freshman was thrown into the fire during Oregon’s week-one win over UC Davis, and like Oregon’s other young starters along the offensive line, he struggled at times.

Crosby returned for the Nebraska matchup and looked to have taken back the starting spot, before exiting the game with a foot injury. From here on out, the Ducks will likely start four redshirt freshmen along the offensive line for the remainder of the year, and Aiello could have the greatest impact of the group. Oregon quarterback Dakota Prukop was sacked just once during the Nebraska matchup, but he was consistently working in a messy pocket and often forced to scramble before he could progress through his reads. Aiello and Oregon’s other young linemen will need to give Prukop more time if the Ducks hope to avoid a similar result.

CORNERBACK-

#4 CHIDOBE AWUZIE

One of the top receivers in the conference, Carrington was Oregon’s leading receiver in the Ducks’ week-one win, pulling down seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. He had a 32-yard reception against Virginia in week two, but disappeared during the Nebraska matchup and had just three catches for 36 yards. When Allen was healthy, he and Carrington provided Prukop a nice pair of deep threats who could keep opposing defenses honest, but that role now falls solely on Carrington. Through Oregon’s first three games, Carrington has averaged nearly 14 yards per-catch. If he can continue to break loose and beat defenders over the top, that will go a long way towards opening up Oregon’s rushing game and clearing up space for the Ducks’ group of speedy backs.

Allen and Crosby aren’t the only Ducks who suffered injuries last week. Oregon running back Royce Freeman left the Nebraska game in the first quarter with an apparent leg injury and spent the remainder of the game on the sideline, ice strapped to his leg. Freeman was seen limping after practice earlier this week and may be held out of the Colorado game if Oregon coaches don’t feel he is ready to go. With Freeman out last week, Oregon’s backup running backs proved that they are more than capable of carrying the load on offense, and they may need to do so again. Griffin may not get the starting nod for the Ducks, but after breaking loose for a 50-yard touchdown last week, he has proven he may be Oregon’s most electric offensive weapon. Griffin’s big-play potential will be pivotal for the Ducks this weekend if Freeman can’t go.

COLORADO

#4 BRYCE BOBO

Here are the players to watch as Oregon and Colorado each attempt to overcome their injury woes: BY: JARRID DENNEY, @JARRID_DENNEY PHOTO BY : ADAM EBERHARDT After suffering its first loss of the season against Nebraska last week, Oregon will now face Colorado for its Pac-12 opener and do so without two of its top offensive players. Devon Allen and Tyrell Crosby both suffered season-ending injuries during the Nebraska game, forcing the Ducks to replace one of their top wideouts, and starting left tackle, in the same week.

Meanwhile, Colorado is dealing with injury issues of its own. The Buffs could be without starting quarterback Sefo Liufau, who sustained an ankle injury during Colorado’s 45-28 loss to No. 4 Michigan last week. Liufau is listed as questionable at this point, but his performance could be hampered by the injury even if he does play. Colorado will also be without its starting placekicker, Diego Gonzalez, and starting outside linebacker Derek McCartney.

From 2011 to 2015, Colorado quarterbacks had the luxury of throwing the ball to former all-conference first-team selection Nelson Spruce. Now with the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, Spruce is gone and Bryce Bobo has filled his role as Colorado’s go-to deep threat. A 6-foot-2 junior, Bobo broke into the Buffs’ starting lineup this year and has made an immediate impact.

He caught five passes for 99 yards in Colorado’s week one victory over Colorado State, including an acrobatic one-handed, 46-yard reception. He is averaging 20 yards per catch this year, and his breakaway speed could give Oregon’s cornerbacks a challenge this weekend.

KICKER-

#15 CHRIS GRAHAM With the loss of starting placekicker Diego Gonzalez due to a torn achilles, the Buffs will look to Graham to solidify the kicking game.

The sophomore kicker has handled kickoff duties for the past two seasons and is also the team’s backup punter. Gonzalez provided solid play and went 18-of-29 on field goal attempts last year, while Graham is 0-1 so far on attempts this year. The Buffs have converted third downs at a 48-percent clip this season and been one of the best teams in the country at continuing drives. If that efficiency dips, though, Graham could be tested early this weekend if the Buffs are able to work their way into solid field position against the Ducks.

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

|

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

|

PA G E 7

STILL LOOKING? WE CAN HELP YOU!

Back to School Sale!

September 23-25

Specially Marked New LP’s 258 EAST 13TH, EUGENE | 541.342.7975

FIND YOUR NEW HOME Individual leases

St.Vinnie’s

All Utilities Included

We have great stuff at low prices!

7 LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU:

(Name brand clothing & accessories)

2. 2345 W. Broadway, 541-284-5024

Irving Rd. 5

(Furniture, appliances, housewares)

Beltline

NW Expressway

Friendly & resourceful staff Like us on Facebook!

3. 705 S. Seneca, 541-345-8036 River Road

Beltline

Delta Hwy

(Clothes, furniture, books, housewares)

Beltline

I-5 Hwy. 99 N 6

(Clothes, furniture, books, housewares)

Seneca

6. 1175 Highway 99 N, 541-607-4541

Hwy. 99 N 3 126

LLC

5. 201 Division Ave, 541-762-7837 105

Bertlesen Rd.

4. 1870 W. 11th, 541-683-8284 (Clothes, accessories, furniture & books)

Coburg Rd. Royal Ave.

1. 555 High St., 541-344-2115

Studios - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 bedrooms

2

1

W. 6 4

www.svdp.us

W. 11 W. 13 W. 18

(Our huge used car lot)

7 High St.

Washington St.

126

7. 100 East 11th Ave. 541-868-0200 (Name brand clothing & accessories)

(541) 485-7776 1301 FERRY ST, EUGENE, OR 97401 VONKLEINRENTALS.COM

Hilyard St.

Taste of India

2495 Hilyard St. | (541) 485-9560 Open Tues-Sun for Lunch (11:00-2:30) & Dinner (5:00-9:30) View our menu online at: tasteofindiaoregon.com PA G E 8

|

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

|

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

GAMEDAY

RUNNING BACKS

NO ROYCE FREEMAN? NO PROBLEM FOR OREGON RUNNING BACK RESERVES

Oregon Ducks running back Tony Brooks-James (20) tries to avoid the tackle of UC Davis Aggies safety Ryan Parenteau (28).

Written By: Gus Morris | Photo : Adam Eberhardt When running back Royce Freeman went down with a leg injury in the first quarter of Oregon’s 35-32 loss to Nebraska last Saturday, Oregon’s back-up running backs called an impromptu meeting among themselves on the sideline. They wanted to reassure Freeman that they had his back and would pick up the slack in his absence. “[We wanted] just to let him know that we had to rock and go,” redshirt junior running back Kani Benoit said at practice Monday. “We knew what we needed to do and we took care of it.”

Freeman did not return to the game. But Benoit, along with redshirt sophomore Tony BrooksJames and sophomore Taj Griffin, combined for 205 yards and all five of Oregon’s touchdowns.

They averaged 10.2 yards on a combined 21 carries. On the season, Freeman is averaging 8.8 yards per carry on 35 attempts.

It’s a smaller sample size for the backups, but Benoit was not wrong in saying they “took care of it.”

The Ducks did not win that game, but they proved how deep they are at the running back position. They can carry the load if Freeman will indeed miss more time.

As Oregon heads into conference play against Colorado this Saturday, questions still remain about Freeman’s health and availability against

the Buffs. But so far this week, there have been encouraging signs.

Freeman was seen on Monday with a slight limp but no braces, wraps or boots on his leg.

On Tuesday, Freeman left practice carrying his pads, an indication that he at least suited up for practice.

Griffin said Freeman was out taking a couple reps, but mainly doing “rehabilitation type things.” Griffin is confident Freeman’s absence will be short.

“He’ll be back soon — real soon,” Griffin said.

Oregon doesn’t comment on injuries, so the coaches haven’t said much regarding Freeman’s timetable for return. When asked about how Freeman was doing after practice on Monday, running back coach Gary Campbell said, “Well, he’s walking,” adding that he was “day-to-day.”

Head coach Mark Helfrich said that he “looked great” in practice on Tuesday, but remained vague about Royce’s outlook for the Colorado game.

“We’ll see,” Helfrich said regarding Freeman playing on Saturday.

As far as Oregon’s running game approach for the match-up against Colorado, don’t expect much to change. Oregon will still rely on a similar running approach as it did against Nebraska.

“I think what’s going to happen is kind of what happened on Saturday,” Campbell said.

“All those guys are going to come in and do their part to make up for Royce’s absence.”

“It’s gonna be the exact same as Nebraska,” Benoit said. “[Freeman] has full, 100 percent trust in us and we know we just need to get the job done.”

For most of their careers at Oregon, the reserve running backs have played second fiddle to Freeman, who has had a solid lock on the starting job since stepping on campus in 2014.

Now it could be their turn to shine in the spotlight.

Oregon is looking for a bounce-back performance after its loss to Nebraska, but Colorado will be no cakewalk. The Buffaloes gave No. 4 Michigan three quarters of trouble at the Big House.

Not having Freeman in a game like this could prove disastrous, but Campbell is not worried.

“Obviously we’d love to have Royce in there,” Campbell said. “But I think we’ve got capable guys who can make up for his absence.”

Campbell went on to say that, “We want to get the rushing yardage; we don’t really care who does it.”

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

|

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

|

PA G E 9

FEATURE

THE METHOD

BEHIND

2 OREGON’S

POINT MADNESS

BY: JARRID DENNEY, @JARRID_DENNEY Photos : ADAM EBERHARDT & KAYLEE DOMZALSKI

Ducks head coach Mark Helfrich waits for officials to review a play..

Charles Nelson (6) runs down the field in an attempt to score on a two-point conversion.

Oregon football has had no trouble finding the end zone early this season, but the plays after the touchdowns are the ones being scrutinized.

The conversation started when the Ducks came up three points short of a tie in their marquee nonconference game at Nebraska last weekend. Oregon went for two-point conversions on all five of its PATs and was successful only once. Oregon and Nebraska each scored five touchdowns, but the Ducks’ failure to convert extra points decided the game.

The Ducks attempted 11 two-point conversions in their first three games of the season, which is more than they have in any full season since 2009.

This season, junior wide receiver Charles Nelson has been given full control of Oregon’s two-point conversion unit. With the ball in his hand, he can option to run, pass or leap across the pylon. The idea is that when Nelson sees an advantage or weak point in the defense, the Ducks attack. If that advantage isn’t there, they shift back to their field goal formation.

The issue, however, is that Oregon hasn’t been getting the numbers advantage it wants, yet continues to relentlessly attempt two-point conversions — to varied results.

“We line up in different formations every time and

PA G E 1 0

|

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

|

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

just read the defenses they give us. It’s like [playing] quarterback: You read defenses and make plays,” Nelson said.

When Oregon attempts a PAT, it’s up to Nelson, who has never played a down at quarterback, to diagnose the defense and decide whether Oregon should go for two or shift back to a field goal formation.

“We’ve done it for many years,” Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich said. “A lot of teams do what we do in terms of trying to get an ideal look: If it’s there, run it, and if it’s not, shift back in and kick it.”

Oregon coaches began experimenting with Nelson as the two-point conversion point guard during spring practices earlier this year. They gave Nelson more reps at the position throughout spring and fall camp before eventually feeling comfortable enough to hand him the keys to the special teams unit.

But the end zone looks a lot different at practice than it does under pressure in Nebraska.

“In front of 90,000 fans, it might be a little different sometimes. He’s a sharp guy and we’ve got a lot of trust in him,” special teams coach Tom Osborne said.

The Ducks are 4-for-11 on two-point tries this season.

On nine of those attempts, Nelson has led the attack. On the other two attempts, Dakota Prukop and Oregon’s offense took the field and failed to convert.

When Nelson is pulling the trigger on the Ducks’ twopoint attempts, he has worked from two different looks.

One is a traditional “swinging gate” formation that Chip Kelly brought to Oregon and used in the same aggressive manner that Oregon’s current coaches do.

Oregon’s second point-after formation features Nelson lined up as a shotgun quarterback with three traditional linemen and a tight end staggered to the right side. On each sideline, Oregon has three players lined up in staggered sets, one of which is Oregon kicker Aidan Schneider.

The Ducks are 4-for-6 on conversions in which they line up in the swinging gate formation, 0-for-2 going from the second formation, and 0-for-2 when they send out their traditional offense. The other attempt came on a fake field goal, in which Nelson received the ball on a fly sweep and failed to score in the third quarter against UC Davis.

P L AY # 1 : SW I N G I N G G ATE

QB CHARLES NELSON

P L AY # 2

QB CHARLES NELSON

The swinging gate formation has proved to be successful, but the second formation seems to need some work.

“We need to coach it better,” Helfrich said. “The mindset of that is like, if we throw an incompletion, we’re never going to throw the ball again. That’s not how we operate.”

Of the eight attempts in which Nelson has lined up as quarterback, the Ducks have found the right positioning to attack the opponent’s defense three times, scoring on each occasion. All three of those instances came against UC Davis.

On the other five occasions, however, Nelson ran the ball to an unbalanced side that featured more defenders than Oregon blockers, and the Ducks failed to convert on four of those attempts. On the lone instance that they did convert, two defenders broke free and bottled up Nelson, but he flipped over them into the end zone.

Despite Nelson and Helfrich’s affirmation that the Ducks are getting the looks they want, they have been at a number disadvantage on 64 percent of Nelson’s attempts. Nelson has free reign to shift the Ducks back

into field goal formation but has chosen to do so just once this year, which resulted in a successful PAT. The other issue with Oregon’s consistent two-point approach is that it leaves kicker Aidan Schneider, one of the Ducks’ most consistent players, ineffective.

Against Nebraska, Schneider didn’t attempt a single field goal or PAT. When the Ducks have opted for a normal point-after with Schneider kicking, they’ve had a high success rate. His field goals have been good 98.2 percent of the time over his three years at Oregon.

He also hasn’t missed a regular PAT since his freshman year. The Ducks have attempted two field goals this year, and both have been successful.

Schneider said staying fresh is one of the more difficult tasks for a collegiate kicker.

“When you haven’t been scoring touchdowns or field goal attempts or it’s by choice, it’s just a tough thing to do for anybody really,” Schneider said, “to be on the sideline and constantly warm yourself up and not know when you’re going to go in.”

Taylor Alie, Oregon’s listed holder, said it was frustrating to see the Ducks unable to convert at a high rate.

When previous head coach Chip Kelly unleashed a flashy collection of two-point conversion formations upon his arrival at Oregon, it was seen as innovative and was often successful because it took defenses by surprise. The Ducks’ current display isn’t fooling anybody, though.

Allie was frustrated that Oregon successfully converted so few times, especially when Schneider was waiting for a shot.

“That was the biggest frustrating thing,” Allie said.

“I wish I could have seen one of the best kickers do his thing.”

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

|

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

|

PA G E 1 1

5

$

OFF

STORE HOURS: open 8am –- 9pm 9pm

ALL YOU

purchase of $25 or more

CAN EAT

Easy to find. Easy to save!

only

Just 3 miles east of campus 160 South 14th St., SPRINGFIELD

Valid SpringfieldGrocery GroceryOutlet Outletonly. only.

One coupon person.

Minimum purchase Valid at Springfield One coupon perper person.

Minimum purchase excludes alcohol. offer.

Duplicated coupons will will not be excludes alcohol.Not Notvalid validwith withany anyother other offer.

Duplicated coupons not be accepted. Coupon at at time of of purchase.

Expires: 12/31/16 accepted.

Couponmust mustbebesurrendered surrendered time purchase.

Expires: 12/31/16

Follow your feet to Footwise for

Selection of BBQ meats and seafood cooked on a griddle table in front of you Vegetarian options include bibimbap served cold or on a hot sizzling stone pot and soft tofu stew *Tofu can be substituted into most of our meat dishes

Downtown Eugene • 181 E Broadway • 541.342.6107 Facebook/footwiseeugene • Mon-Sat 10-6 & Sun 11-5

|

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

|

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

• • • •

Handmade Tofu Soft tofu Stew Aged Kimchi Stew Homemade Fried Dumplings • Seafood or Kimchi Pan Cake

Lunch Specials Starting at

$7.99!

TUES - THURS 11:30 - 8:30 FRI - SAT 11:30 - 9:30 SUN 1:00 - 8:00 2130 West 11th Ave. Eugene 541-505-8744 fourplus3.com

• 10% DISCOUNT FOR STUDENTS • NO MORE WAITING ON HOLD • WATCH IN REAL TIME AS YOUR CAB APPROACHES

PA G E 1 2

$19.99!

Fresh Pork Belly and Beef Brisket!

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

|

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

|

PA G E 1 3

CLOSE TO AUTZEN STADIUM PRE ORDERS THEPEOPLESWELLNESSCENTER.COM 71 CENTENNIAL LOOP O P E N D A I LY 8 A M - 1 0 P M

Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of marijuana. Keep marijuana out of the reach of children.

THE SORORITY HOUSE 588 E 11TH Ave. (541) 600-8185 EUGENE, OR

MAIN STREET 2600 Main Street (541) 246-8615 SPRINGFIELD, OR

Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of marijuana. Keep marijuana out of the reach of children.

PA G E 1 4

|

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

|

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of marijuana.

Keep marijuana out of the reach of children.

GAMEDAY

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dakota Prukop (9) hands the ball off to Oregon Ducks running back Royce Freeman (21). (Adam Eberhardt)

Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Austin Maloata (50) celebrates after a quarterback sack. (Domzalski)

HOW THE DUCKS CAN IMPROVE ALL OVER THE FIELD BY: JACK BUTLER @BUTLER917 Photos by : ADAM EBERHARDT & KAYLEE DOMZALSKI

The change from nonconference play to Pac-12 competition can serve as a natural breath as teams reassess and re-evaluate. That holds true for a program like Oregon, which prides itself on adapting and embracing change.

Despite being a quarter of the way through the season, the Ducks still feel as though they are in learning mode, especially after the 35-32 loss against Nebraska.

‘We’re so much just in the day-to-day of trying to make everything better,” head coach Mark Helfrich said. “Nothing is where it needs to be or totally beyond where it should be, and we’re kind of just in improvement mode across the board.”

First on the coaching staff’s list are penalties. Oregon has 33 penalties for 304 yards this season while their opponents have 24 for 202 yards.

Personal fouls, pass interference and holding penalties hurt Oregon against Nebraska, and the coaching staff highlights them every week.

“You always have to take advantage of the teaching… we have a team meeting after every game, win or lose, and we talk about why things happened,” Helfrich said. “It kicks you in the gut a little bit more in the face of a loss but the teaching, that occurs every single day.”

Defensively, the main focus is to stop the running game. The Ducks are allowing 4.2 yards per carry, but in the last two games against FBS competition they’re allowing 4.9 yards per carry. Henry Mondeaux, Austin Moalata, Rex Manu and Justin Hollins appear to be the established starters on the defensive line, and several inexperienced players have rotated through the linebacker positions.

It is possible the defensive front is still adjusting to the new 4-3 scheme.

The players may know the system and know what to do, but in its first year, players may not yet play with instinct.

“I think everyone knows the defense now,” linebackers coach Don Pellum said. “We’re trying to settle into it.”

Offensively, the development of quarterback Dakota Prukop in the offense is a major focus heading forward. Oregon leads the Pac-12 in rushing, but with a season-ending injury to left tackle Tyrell Crosby, the Ducks may have to lean more on the passing game. For the offense to reach its potential, Prukop must be efficient throwing the football.

Quarterbacks coach David Yost still sees room for improvement in Prukop. “[We will] continue to work on using his feet in the pocket,” Yost said.

“Staying balanced so we can make the throws when you get back to the third and fourth reads so that you can make those throws — we had a couple that came up short.”

Against Nebraska, Prukop was 14-23 passing for 146 yards with no touchdowns. His longest throw was for 25 yards.

“He’ll continue to improve, and every game is adding to his database of information,” Yost said. “He’ll be a better quarterback at the end of the season than he is now, but we’ve got to get him there as fast as we can.”

The No. 24 Oregon Ducks play the UC Davis Aggies for the season opener at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. on Sept. 3, 2016. (Adam Eberhardt) T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

|

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

|

PA G E 1 5

You Know What Time It Is!

NEVER A COVER

DANCER AUDITIONS

$5 Grams & $15 1/8ths*

Call 541-517-7196

*While supplies last. Add 25% sales tax for recreational.

Nude Hours

12pm - 2:15am Daily

off purchase DUCK 10% BUCK with this ad

Lottery Champagne Room Outside Smoking Drinking Patio

Proudly serving our community, with alternative pain management, and helping reduce the dependency on pharmaceuticals.

LOCATION: 420 Blair Blvd.

HOURS: Sun: 10am-9pm Mon-Thurs: 10am-10pm Fri-Sat: 10am-10pm

PHONE: 541-393-6820

1836 South ‘A’ St., Spfld • 541.762.1503 Only 5 minutes from campus! www.sweetillusions.biz

Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of marijuana. Keep marijuana out of the reach of children.

Go Green!

Go ducks! medicinal or recreational, we’ve got your strain!

10% DISCOUNT WITH STUDENT I.D.!

Monday-Saturday: 10am-9pm Sunday: 11am-7pm Located just off W. 11th and Baily Hill Rd. at 1000 Obie St. • 541-505-7275

Do not operate vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. For use by adults 21 years of age or older. Keep out of reach of children.

PA G E 1 6

|

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

|

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

GAMEDAY

New nonstop EUG to San Jose

DUCKS

Connecting the Silicon Shire to the Silicon Valley

LOSE STARTERS

ALLEN AND CROSBY

wide receiver Devon Allen (13) holds the ball up after a catch for a first down. (Kaylee Domzalski)

BY: KYLEE O’CONNOR @KYLEETHEMIGHTEE After losing to Nebraska last Saturday, the Ducks are trying to look past the tough defeat and focus on the upcoming game against Colorado.

But looking ahead has been harder than expected, after news Monday that both Tyrell Crosby and Devon Allen are out with season-ending injuries.

“That’s like getting struck by lightning twice,” Helfrich said Tuesday about Allen’s second ACL tear. “Very unfortunate for him, personally. He’s a guy that is revered around here and he’ll bounce back.”

Despite not being on the field this year, Helfrich said both Allen and Crosby will be “integral parts of rallying everybody up.”

“The credibility he has on the team and the type of guy he is — he’s got to be an emotional leader for us,” Helfrich said of Allen. “With a bunch of young guys, a bunch of immature guys at various spots that he kind of has influence with — we need that and we need his impact, still.”

Royce Freeman was also sidelined early in the Nebraska game, but was walking out of practice on Tuesday without crutches, braces or support of any kind.

When asked of his availability Saturday, Helfrich said, “we’ll see.”

If Freeman remains out, running backs Kani Benoit, Tony Brooks-James and Taj Griffin will assume a larger role.

“Royce being dinged-up — we’re going to have to step up a little bit,” Griffin said.

Helfrich and the Oregon special teams received criticism for their four failed two-point conversions during the Nebraska game. Despite going one for five,

Helfrich said completely dismissing twopoint conversions would be like throwing an incompletion and never throwing the ball again.

“That’s not how we’re going to operate,” he said.

“Especially in the Nebraska game, we wanted to put pressure on their quarterback,” Helfrich said. “We wanted him to have to have the psychological pressure of a lead, and again, the first two looks we had were perfect. The second one we obviously need to coach better.”

It can be hard for a team to bounce back after a close loss, but Helfrich is happy with how his team has performed in practice so far this week.

“Our guys worked very, very hard yesterday and today. I liked their urgency, I liked their volume — a lot of times after a loss it’s very quiet in terms of when you get back out there, but they have stuck together and competed really well.”

Colorado is a team that usually doesn’t trouble Oregon. Last year the Ducks beat the Buffaloes 41-24 and in 2014, they won 44-10. This year, however, the Buffaloes look like they are starting to turn a corner.

They even gave No. 4-ranked Michigan a scare, jumping ahead 21-7 after the first quarter this past weekend.

“Defensively, [Colorado has] been outstanding,” Helfrich said. “They’re really good defensively and have been for the last several years. This year I think they’re significantly different and better both offensively and in special teams … They’re playing with a bunch of confidence.”

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

|

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

|

PA G E 1 7

DEPTH CHART

Ducks are unranked after 35-32 loss at Nebraska

Written by: Jonathan Hawthorne @jon_Hawthorne

Oregon football is no longer ranked in the latest edition of the AP Top 25 Poll, which was released on Sunday morning.

The Ducks lost 35-32 at Nebraska on Saturday in a marquee nonconference game between two former rivals in Mark Helfrich and Mike Riley. The win earned Nebraska a No. 20 ranking in the AP Poll.

Alabama remains atop the rankings, followed by Ohio State, Louisville, Michigan and Clemson. Louisville jumped from No. 10 to No. 3 after it routed Florida State 63-20 on Saturday.

Other Pac-12 teams appearing the rankings include No. 7 Stanford, No. 9 Washington and No. 24 Utah, which entered the poll for the first time in 2016 after a 34-17 win over San Jose State.

Here’s a look at the entire poll:

1. Alabama 2. Ohio State 3. Louisville 4. Michigan 5. Clemson 6. Houston 7. Stanford 8. Michigan State 9. Washington 10. Texas A&M 11. Wisconsin 12. Georgia 13. Florida State 14. Tennessee 15. Miami 16. Baylor 17. Arkansas 18. LSU 19. Florida 20. Nebraska 21. Texas 22. San Diego State 23. Mississippi 24. Utah 25. Oklahoma

OREGON DEPTH CHART

GAME 4 ­— COLORADO DEFENSE DE DT DT DE WILL MIKE SAM CB S S CB

92 HENRY MONDEAUX 91 T.J. DANIEL 47 REX MANU 74 ELIJAH GEORGE 50 AUSTIN MALOATA 90 DRAYTON CARLBERG 11 JUSTIN HOLLINS

|

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

|

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

WR

88 DWAYNE STANFORD 4 ALEX OFODILE

WR

6 CHARLES NELSON 82 CASEY EUGENIO

28 JOHNNY RAGINIII 54 DE’QUAN MCDOWELL

7 DARREN CARRINGTON 15 JALEN BROWN

WR LT

97 JALEN JELKS

66 BRADY AIELLO 70 ZAC MORGAN

LG C

55 AJ. HOTCHKINS 46 DANNY MATTINGLY 35 TROY DYE 3 JONAH MOI 2 TYREE ROBINSON 14 UGO AMADI

26 KHALIL OLIVER 8 REGGIE DANIELS

68 SHANE LEMIEUX 57 DOUG BRENNER 55 JAKE HANSON 75 ZACH OKUN

RG

78 CAMERON HUNT 76 JAKE PISARCIK

RT

54 CALVIN THROCKMORTON 79 EVAN VOELLER

TE

85 PHARAOH BROWN 81 EVAN BAYLIS

QB

43 BRENDEN SCHOOLER 17 JUWAAN WILLIAMS

RB

1 ARRION SPRINGS

9 DAKOTA PRUKOP 10 JUSTIN HERBERT 21 ROYCE FREEMAN 29 KANI BENOIT 20 TONY BROOKS-JAMES

23 MALIK LOVETTE

SPECIAL TEAM PK

41 AIDEN SCHNEIDER

KO

49 MATT WOGAN

P

38 IAN WHEELER

49 MATT WOGAN

42 BLAKE MAIMONE

KR

6 CHARLES NELSON 20 TONY BROOKS-JAMES

PR

6 CHARLES NELSON

LS

58 TANNER CAREW

H

PA G E 1 8

OFFENSE

7 DARREN CARRINGTON

12 TAYLOR ALIE 6 CHARLES NELSON

WALKING DISTANCE FROM CAMPUS!

NOW USING HUNGRY DUCKS

GLUTEN FREE PANCAKES!

NEW HOURS! 6am-8pm WED-SUN (6AM-3PM MON-TUE)

OPEN SINCE 1965

541-343-7523 • 782 East Broadway, Eugene Corner of Alder & Franklin Blvd.

NOW ADDITIONAL PARKING BEHIND CAFE YUMM! WEEKENDS ONLY LOOK FOR SIGN

FUTURE. Want to gain experience for your desired career?

think Check out dailyemerald.com/apply to learn more about gaining experience the EMG way.