T H U R S D AY, D E C E M B E R 3 , 2 0 1 5
D A I LY E M E R A L D . C O M
#COMEBACKKIDS
⚑ GAMEDAY
WEIGHING THE SEASON THE DUCKS GOT OFF TO A ROCKY START.
Opening the season at 3-3 with an injured quarterback, Oregon hasn’t seen the same heights as last year. But should rough beginnings stain the whole season?
ROYCE FREEM AN NAM ED 4TH IN RU SHING TDS
S C O T T F R O S T L E AV I N G O R E G O N F O R U C F
M O R E C O V E R A G E AT D A I LY E M E R A L D . C O M
PLUMBING ELECTRICAL HARDWARE TOOLS PAINT HOUSEWARES LAWN & GARDEN
2825 Willamette • Eugene, Oregon • 342-5191 facebook.com/ emeraldphotobooth @Emeraldphotobooth @emeraldphotobooth
Go Ducks! The University Florist Un i ve Own rsit ed y o by f O pro reg ud on Alu ms !
www.eugenesflowerhome.com
1313 Patterson, Eugene 458-201-8959 1193 Harlow, Springfield 541-485-3655
We bring the camera, lights, props and staff. You bring your fabulous self. Collision Repair autocraft-inc.com
We make events better.
Where quality comes first 2700 W 11th Ave | Eugene | 342-5501 | 1331 Main | Springfield | 747-1616
Still
Searching? LET US ASSIST YOU.
NO APPLICATION FEE • ASK ABOUT MOVE-IN BONUS SOME INDIVIDUAL LEASES AVAILABLE STUDIO, 1-2-3-4 BEDROOM UNIT
1301 Ferry #2 • 541-485-7776 • vonkleinrentals.com
PA G E 2
E M E R A L D G A M E D AY
T H U R S D AY, D E C E M B E R 3 , 2 0 1 5
⚑ GAMEDAY Sophomore Royce Freeman played an integral role for the Ducks this season, although he gained little national recognition. (Adam Eberhardt)
Royce Freeman now FOURTH for Oregon rushing TDs ➡ H AY D E N
K I M , @ H AY D AY K I M
B
efore every game, Vernon Adams Jr. tells his starting running back that he’s the best in the country. Last Friday, in the 119th Civil War — that finished in an unexpectedly close 52-42 score — Adams was speaking the truth. Royce Freeman, a Doak Walker semifinalist who eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the eighth straight game (school record), finished with 218 total yards and two touchdowns in Oregon’s (9-3, 7-2 Pac-12) sixth consecutive win. Once again, Freeman played the role of offensive coordinator Scott Frost’s workhorse in the red hot Oregon offense, carrying the ball 27 times with a 6.2 yards per rush average. “He’s really battled,” head coach Mark Helfrich said. “Tailbacks around the country are banged up. People don’t realize how much pounding those guys take.” Against the Beavers (2-9, 0-9 Pac-12), Freeman passed Jeremiah Johnson on Oregon’s all-time rushing touchdown list, taking sole possession of the fourth spot. Freeman didn’t take any time to shine the limelight on himself after the game. Instead, he simply acknowledged the feat and praised his team — specifically the offensive line — on the win. “As far as the record, I don’t really pay much attention to things like that,” Freeman said. “It is an honor to be a part of that group and I just have to thank the offensive line, past years and this year as well. Without those guys, it wouldn’t be possible.” Don’t buy it? Take his teammates’ routine descriptions of him that prove the do-all back is merely doing what is expected of him every game – nothing more, nothing less. The Emerald is published by Emerald Media Group, Inc., the independent nonprofit media company at the University of Oregon. Formerly the Oregon Daily Emerald, the news organization was founded in 1900.
NEWSROOM EDITOR IN CHIEF DA H L I A BA Z Z A Z X 3 2 5 PRINT MANAGING EDITOR COOPER GREEN D I G I TA L M A N A G I N G E D I T O R JACK HEFFERNAN HIRING AND TRAINING DIRECTOR K AY L E E T O R N AY MANAGING PRODUCER SCOTT GREENSTONE AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR KIRA HOFFELMEYER
“Royce is just a great guy, great player,” wide receiver Bralon Addison said. “We’re all happy for him. For a guy like him, for him to have those accomplishments, accolades, you can’t do anything but be proud as a teammate, as a friend.” “He’s a good back. As long as he stays healthy and continues to work hard, he’ll be real good for us,” wide receiver Dwayne Stanford said. This is just the type of player and leader that Freeman, a sophomore from Imperial, California, has been for the past two years. On the season, Freeman has 1,993 all-purpose yards and 16 scores with a 6.7 yards per carry average. He became the only player in the FBS to record over 100 yards from the scrimmage in all 12 games this season and is now just 99 yards shy of James’ 1,805 single-season rushing mark. Here’s how the other top-tier backs around the country stack up: Ezekiel Elliott (Ohio State, junior): 1,672 rushing yards, 139.33 yards per game, 6.28 yards per rush, 19 total touchdowns Leonard Fournette (LSU, sophomore): 1,741 rushing yards, 158.27 yards per game, 6.42 yards per rush, 18 total touchdowns Christian McCaffrey (Stanford, sophomore): 1,640 rushing yards, 136.67 yards per game, 5.71 yards per rush, 12 total touchdowns Derrick Henry (Alabama, junior): 1,797 rushing yards, 149.75 yards per game, 6.09 yards per rush, 22 total touchdowns. Compared with potential Heisman finalists, Freeman has been as good a back as there’s been nationally this season. This isn’t something that Freeman thinks about, but it is a reality that his teammates and coaches have taken notice of. “We have some special players on this team…
DESIGNERS RAQUEL ORTEGA JARRED GRAHAM GINA MILLS OPINION EDITOR TA N N E R O W E N S SPORTS EDITORS JUSTIN WISE H AY D E N K I M KENNY JACOBY NEWS EDITORS JENNIFER FLECK F R A N C E S C A F O N TA N A LAUREN GARETTO
A&C EDITORS EMERSON MALONE CRAIG WRIGHT DA N I E L B RO MF I E L D
Royce Freeman is obviously one of them,” Frost said. “He deserves a lot more accolades than he’s getting. I think our early season losses kind of took him out of the discussion for some things. I don’t know what his stats are compared with everybody else, but I wouldn’t trade him for any back out there.” For Freeman, last Friday marked nothing more than Senior Day for his teammates and his second Civil War game. He was going to do anything and everything to help his team win, with or without the spotlight. It would be the last time he’d play in Autzen Stadium with players like Tyler Johnstone, DeForest Buckner and Adams, and he wasn’t going to let it go to waste. Without Pac-12 title aspirations, this in-state rivalry game in late November for Freeman really was all about sending off the seniors on a high note and capping the season off with a sixth straight win. Even though Freeman isn’t a senior, he sure did play and lead like one tonight. While the rest of the country focuses in on McCaffrey and Eliott, who have undoubtedly earned every bit of their praise, Freeman will continue to run without worrying about the glamour. No one knows how much longer Helfrich and the Ducks will have the luxury of featuring Freeman in the backfield, but they sure aren’t thinking about it now. Instead, Oregon is appreciating what Freeman has given them game in and game out, knowing well that players like Freeman don’t come around very often. Said Buckner: “He’s going to be one of those guys that will be playing on Sundays. I’m glad I had the opportunity to play with such a great player like him.”
BUSINESS PUBLISHER, PRESIDENT & CEO C H A R L I E W E AV E R X 3 1 7 V P O P E R AT I O N S K AT H Y C A R B O N E X 3 0 2
PHOTO EDITOR COLE ELSASSER
VP OF SALES AND MARKETING R O B R E I L LY X 3 0 3
M U LT I M E D I A E D I T O R S TA C Y Y U R I S H C H E VA
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES NICOLE ADKISSON N I C K C ATA N I A BEN GILBERTS TYLER HORST E ST UA R DO P E R E Z TAY L O R B R A D B U R Y TE D DY L AC K S A L LY C A S E B E E R CAITLIN MONAHAN
PODCAST EDITOR A L E X A N D R A WA L L A C H Y COPY CHIEF ME L I S SA R H OA D S
ON THE COVER
The cover image was photographed by Adam Eberhardt.
GET IN TOUCH EMERALD MEDIA GROUP 1 2 2 2 E . 1 3 T H AV E . , # 3 0 0 EUGENE, OR 97403 541.346.5511 VO L . 1 1 7 , I S S U E N O. 3 8
T H U R S D AY, D E C E M B E R 3 , 2 0 1 5
E M E R A L D G A M E D AY
PA G E 3
đ&#x;“– COVER Oregon quarterback Jeff Lockie stepped in when starter Vernon Adams Jr. was injured. (Adam Eberhardt)
WAS OREGON
FAILURE OR
Off to a rough start but finishing with unpredictable this season. Four of the Em Ducks’ season and balanc
➥ JUSTIN
Oregon is no stranger to the injury bug. In a sport that is dominated by the mantra, “next man up,� the Ducks were a testament to it during their 2014 national championship run. Oregon was lucky in that its most dynamic playmaker, quarterback Marcus Mariota, avoided any setbacks on his way to a Heisman Trophy winning season. The team had no such luck with his replacement this season, and the production dropped off exponentially. When Vernon Adams Jr. was injured, Oregon looked like a shell of its former self, and virtually crawled to a 3-3 record. When he was healthy, the Ducks looked to have one of the best offenses in the nation and won six consecutive games. They finished 9-3, and appear to be heading to the Alamo Bowl for the second time in three years. And while anything short of a College Football Playoff is a failed season to many fans, this year can be written as a success in my book. The reason: Despite a consequential injury and despite the “the sky is falling� type of feeling in Eugene in October, the group turned it around and has formidable wins against No. 7 Stanford and No. 20 USC to show for it. In addition, Adams displayed why if he was healthy for an entire season, Oregon may be playing in this Saturday’s Pac-12 Championship game. So, a year after a national championship berth, this season will especially feel like a success if the Ducks are able to capture a bowl win and reach 10 wins. Injuries are hard to avoid, but when they happen to the most lethal star on the team, they become extremely difficult to overcome. Finishing the season, the Ducks appear to have overcome it fully, not to mention successfully.
Wide receiver Kirk Merritt breaks away during the Civil War game. (Adam Eberhardt)
PA G E 4
E M E R A L D G A M E D AY
WISE, @JUSTINFWISE
T H U R S D AY, D E C E M B E R 3 , 2 0 1 5
➥ KENNY
J A C O B Y, @ K E N N Y J A C O B Y
Oregon was dealt a tough hand with the departures of Jake Fisher, Hroniss Grasu, Arik Armstead, Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota. The board didn’t help the Ducks either; Byron Marshall suffered a seasonending injury and Pharaoh Brown and Thomas Tyner missed the entire year with injuries. My colleagues are 100 percent correct: Had Adams not broken his finger, Oregon could very well be 11-1 and in the driver’s seat for another berth in the College Football Playoff. This season was a success, given all the obstacles the Ducks had to hurdle. But one area in which they failed was preparedness. The drop-off between Adams and the other quarterbacks on the depth chart was enormous. Jeff Lockie and Taylor Alie were serviceable at best, and former four-star recruit Morgan Mahalak’s play was so far behind theirs that it didn’t merit a snap behind center. I have to believe Adams, a graduate transfer, was a back-up plan himself, and he only made the team with two weeks to spare. Oregon’s secondary was also depleted this season, which is why seven different combinations of defensive backs started for the Ducks in the first eight games. Oregon didn’t completely fill the shoes of the key players it lost from last year’s squad, but it did enough to finish with a respectable ranking despite a tumultuous first half of the season. The Ducks should be better set up for success next year, with the secondary having undergone its growing pains and Travis Jonsen and Terry Wilson coming up the pipeline at quarterback.
Oregon Ducks quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. was crucial to Oregon’s strong second half of the season. (Adam Eberhardt)
N’S SEASON A
R SUCCESS?
h a six-game win streak, Oregon was merald gridiron writers contemplate the ce the ups with the downs.
➡
➡ JOSEPH
H OY T, @ J OE J H OY T
There are two ways to look at Oregon’s season. First, there is the “What happened?” Injuries, a rotation at quarterback and a defense that surrendered 35.6 points per game through the team’s first six games forced Oregon into a 3-3 start. But then Vernon Adams Jr. and Darren Carrington’s return ignited the Oregon offense, and the team won six straight games to end the season, including wins over USC and Stanford — the representatives in the Pac-12 Championship game. Then there is the “What if?” What if Adams doesn’t break his finger? What if he completes that throw to Byron Marshall to essentially win the game against Michigan State in week two? While the latter is a tempting way to reflect on the season, it only holds value in the hypothetical. That leaves only one option, and under the circumstances, this season for Oregon was a success. Nobody thought life after Marcus Mariota was going to be easy, but the team has adjusted well. The Ducks still have a chance at a 10-win season with the possibility of a seven-game winning streak to end the year. Even though a trip to the Alamo Bowl might not be the same thing as making a NY6 bowl game, it’s not something to look down upon.
R YA N K O S T E C K A , @ R YA N _ K O S T E C K A
The answer to this question depends on who you ask. Fans will deem it a failure, while players and coaches will say success. It’s hard to argue with either group, but at the end of the day, the players and coaches know more than others. That’s why I say success. The reason this season might seem like a failure is because of the Ducks’ underwhelming performance in the first half of the season. It’s clear as day that Jeff Lockie and Taylor Alie were nowhere near the answers, and the coaching staff failed to have a backup plan if Vernon Adams Jr. couldn’t go for whatever reason. This was a definite failure but not season-defining. I’m a firm believer that the Ducks, with or without Adams, are TWO PLAYS away from being 11-1 and playing in the Pac-12 Championship game. What if Adams’s TD pass finds Byron Marshall at the end of the Michigan State game and the Ducks stop Washington State on its final drive? Those two plays have derailed Oregon’s season. With that being said, this season as a whole was a success. To have lost the best player in program history, undergo a major overhaul in the secondary (treacherous in the pass-happy Pac-12) and lose three other players chosen within the first two rounds of the NFL draft, the Ducks did a phenomenal job of sustaining success. Even with being 3-3 midway through the season, the Ducks have reeled off six straight wins and are ranked No. 15 in the nation. Yes, the season was a success. But it’s nowhere near the success expected from players, coaches and fans. The question “What if?” will be how others define this season for Oregon, but after everything the Ducks have been through, I’ll define it as successful.
Oregon running back Royce Freeman looks to the crowd after a touchdown in the Civil War game. (Adam Eberhardt)
T H U R S D AY, D E C E M B E R 3 , 2 0 1 5
E M E R A L D G A M E D AY
PA G E 5
Wisdom Teeth Dental Emergencies Dental Implants Oral Surgery Conveniently located near UO.
Photo by Cameron Christensen
Student discounts available and most insurances accepted.
MORE COVERAGE, MORE PHOTOS,
2233 Willamette Street Building G Eugene, OR 97405
MORE ARTS & CULTURE.
Phone 541.484.2136 Fax 541.484.0960 eugeneoralsurgery.com
Plus reader polls, videos, and reader comments.
John E. Villano, DDS, PC
UO Bagel Sphere “Proudly Boiling & Hearth-baking artisan bagels since 1995
Bagel Sphere features a full menu of breakfast and lunch items, as well as homemade baked goods, soups, salads, espresso, and coffee
We give you more, and that makes college better.
www.dailyemerald.com
PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
AMY PEDERSEN ’08, OD ’11
Optometry | OD “I had a really, really good education. There’s no question about that.” Pacific University took Amy Pedersen ’08, OD ’11 exactly where she wanted to go. An optometrist with Kaiser Permanente, she specializes in low-vision patients and evaluates candidates for a new implant treatment. “I knew that’s where I wanted to be.”
810 Willamette St. 4089 W 11th Ave Bagelsphere.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, D E C E M B E R 3 , 2 0 1 5
Where do you want to be? Get there with Pacific’s graduate and professional programs in business, education, health professions, optometry, social work and writing. 800-677-6712 gradadmissions@pacificu.edu pacificu.edu/optometry
⚑ GAMEDAY
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
SCOTT FROST NAMED UCF HEAD COACH ➡ JOSEPH
H OY T, @ J OE J H OY T
Scott Frost is heading to the Sunshine State. Early Tuesday morning, Rivals.com reported that Frost, Oregon’s offensive coordinator since 2013, would be named the University of Central Florida’s next head football coach. The school later confirmed the report. “UCF is an excellent opportunity for me because our student-athletes can succeed immediately, both competitively and academically,” Frost told the Central Florida Athletic Department. “We’ve had great recent success — I vividly remember watching the Fiesta Bowl victory.” Frost takes over for Danny Barrett, who was the interim head coach after George O’Leary resigned earlier this season. According to Sports Illustrated’s Pete Thamel, Frost is already en route to Orlando. UCF’s Vice President of Communications and Marketing, Grant Heston, also confirmed that a press conference to welcome Frost was scheduled for Wednesday.
Oregon’s offensive coordinator Scott Frost is moving to Florida for next season. (Adam Eberhardt)
“Scott is a winner and innovator who has directed one of college football’s most exciting offenses at the University of Oregon,” UCF Athletic Director Danny White said in the press release. “His attitude and experience are exactly what we need to ensure the Knights compete, and win, at the highest levels. I couldn’t be more excited to bring Scott and his fiancé, Ashley, to the UCF family.” Frost originally started out at Oregon in 2009 as the team’s wide receivers coach before becoming the offensive coordinator in 2013. Frost began his college playing career as a quarterback at Stanford in 1993. Two years later, Frost elected to transfer back to his home state of Nebraska. In his two years as a quarterback for the Cornhuskers, Frost threw 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Frost, despite walking into a program that hasn’t won a game since Dec. 4, 2014, is confident that he can turn the team around next season. UCF went 0-12 this season. The school lost by
one-point margins twice, including a home loss to FCS-level Furman, 16-15, on Sept. 19. “With our student-athletes, football staff, facilities, fans and supporters, I know we will bring exciting and winning football back to Orlando,” Frost said via the Athletic Department. Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich commented on Frost’s departure late Tuesday night. “We wish Scott all the best with his new opportunity at UCF,” said Helfrich. “Oregon’s proven track record of success and unique situation have led to many high quality candidates expressing their interest [in the Oregon vacancy]. “We will continue to recruit, prepare for our upcoming bowl game and support our studentathletes through finals as we move forward.” Frost received a strong endorsement from Oregon quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., too. The graduate transfer posted on Instagram congratulating Frost, while also thanking him for the opportunity to start in a Ducks uniform.
Evergreen
South and North Indian Cuisine $30 minimum purchase
Open 7 days a week Lunch: 11:30 - 2:30 Dinner: 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Lunch Buffet • Lunch boxes to go.
“Best All You Can Eat Buffet” by Eugene Weekly “Best Indian Restaurant” by Register Guard
1525 Franklin Boulevard Eugene, Oregon 97403
STORE HOURS: open 8am – 9pm
Call: 541-343-7944 • Fax: 541-343-7866 www.evergreenindianrestaurant.com
Valid at Springfield Grocery Outlet only. One coupon per person. Minimum purchase excludes alcohol. Not valid with any other offer. Duplicated coupons will not be accepted. Coupon must be surrendered at time of purchase. Expires: 12/31/15 T H U R S D AY, D E C E M B E R 3 , 2 0 1 5
E M E R A L D G A M E D AY
PA G E 7
NOW ADDITIONAL PARKING BEHIND CAFE YUMM.
NEVER A O C VER
NOTE: There is no longer parking across Broadway.
GLUTEN FREE PANCAKES!
6am-2pm MON-FRI 6am-3pm SAT & SUN
OPEN SINCE 1965
DANCER AUDITIONS Call 541-517-7196
Nude Hours
12pm - 2:15am Daily Lottery Champagne Room Outside Smoking Drinking Patio
1836 South ‘A’ St., Spfld • 541.762.1503 Only 5 minutes from campus! www.sweetillusions.biz
541-343-7523 • 782 East Broadway, Eugene Corner of Alder & Franklin Blvd.
Walking distance from campus!
tore on S k c u D ip e Flagsh apply—check h t t a y l sions lid on *Sale va aid. Some exclu l discounts or na inc 13th & K tails. No additio de store for apply. ons promoti
895 E 13th Ave • 541.346.4331 • UODuckStore.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, D E C E M B E R 3 , 2 0 1 5