Spring Game Preview: Positions To Watch
04/20/18 | Football, @GoDucksMoseley
After battling it out for 14 practices leading up to Saturday, some key roles are still up for grabs in the Spring Game (2 p.m., Pac-12 Network).
The Oregon Spring Game kicks off Saturday in Autzen Stadium at 2 p.m., and will be televised and streamed by Pac-12 Network. The offense vs. defense scrimmage will be the 15th and final practice of this spring under first-year coach Mario Cristobal, who led the Ducks through a walk-though Friday before laying out his expectations for Saturday.
"Tomorrow has got to be the start of fall; it cannot be the end of spring," Cristobal said in the post-practice huddle. "It's an opportunity to raise the standard, and it's an opportunity to enhance the culture. It's an opportunity to honor the military. And more than anything I want to show that, that 'O,' it doesn't come off. We're a different animal."
Cristobal spent this spring instilling a physical, "practice-like-pros" tone in practice, and deepening bonds between players off the field. In quarterback Justin Herbert and linebacker Troy Dye, the Ducks have clear leaders on each side of the ball. The defense enjoyed continuity schematically for the first time in several years, under returning coordinator Jim Leavitt, while new offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo began to put his stamp on that side of the ball, with input from a staff that includes running backs coach Jim Mastro, a proponent of the Pistol offense.
The Ducks returned a veteran group on the offensive line, and senior running back Tony Brooks-James stepped in for the departed Royce Freeman in the backfield with Herbert. Receivers Johnny Johnson III and Brenden Schooler provide experience in the pass game. Defensively, Dye is joined by veterans Justin Hollins, Jalen Jelks, Jordon Scott and La'Mar Winston Jr. in the front seven, and there is a deep group at safety led by senior Ugochukwu Amadi. Inside linebacker Isaac Slade-Matautia and outside linebacker Keith Simms both had breakout springs and look like impact players come fall.
Among the biggest questions as spring comes to a close is depth at cornerback. Sophomores Thomas Graham Jr. and Deommodore Lenoir were solid all spring with the first unit, but there's no proven depth. Freshman Verone McKinley III, walk-on Dexter Myers and JC transfer Haki Woods have a chance Saturday to ease those concerns.
Here are five other positions to watch during the Spring Game:
RUNNING BACK
Brooks-James was the Ducks' offensive MVP as a sophomore in 2016, while Freeman battled injuries that fall, and now it's TBJ's time to truly shine. But with 2017 backup Kani Benoit also having graduated, there are other carries to be had in the backfield, and a handful of candidates to snap them up. Sophomore Darrian Felix was pressed into action at midseason last fall, and averaged 6.1 yards per carry on 30 touches. He was No. 2 on the pre-spring depth chart, but redshirt freshman CJ Verdell and senior Taj Griffin have made their cases for that spot too. Verdell is built like a bowling ball and lightning quick, and Griffin might be the most explosive, dynamic runner the Ducks have had since De'Anthony Thomas. Each back has a slightly different profile, giving Mastro an intriguing mix of players to employ.
QUARTERBACK
Herbert is starting to look in practice like Marcus Mariota did in 2014 – like an NFL quarterback playing with college kids. But as the Ducks discovered last season, a quality backup is invaluable. This spring, sophomore Braxton Burmeister has competed for backup reps with Tyler Shough, a true freshman who enrolled in January. Each has had his moments; Burmeister's athleticism is a difference-maker, while Shough has more of the classic, pocket-passer profile a la Herbert. Each should get plenty of run Saturday in the Spring Game, stating his case for the No. 2 job entering preseason camp.
TIGHT END
Jacob Breeland caught 18 passes as a sophomore in 2017, leading the Ducks in both touchdown receptions (five) and yards per catch (17.8). He was limited to open this spring, opening the door for sophomore Cam McCormick to get a ton of time with the No. 1 offense. And the Bend native took advantage, attacking the deep middle the way Breeland himself has so effectively the past few seasons. You can't have too many athletic, versatile options at tight end, and there will be ways to employ both for sure. But even in formations using only one, McCormick has made a case for chances this spring.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Between Scott at nose tackle and Jelks at one end, the Ducks have two proven performers on the defensive line. The job of replacing departed senior Henry Mondeaux at the other end looks like it has come down to junior Gary Baker and sophomore Austin Faoliu. Baker appeared in all 13 games as a reserve in 2017, and Faoliu started twice before also settling into a reserve role. Baker has made a strong push this spring, and has generally been with Scott and Jelks on the first-string defense, but Faoliu has rotated in with that group as well.
SAFETY
Amadi moved from cornerback to safety in the middle of 2017, and has been a leader on defense through the winter and spring. He's been part of a three-headed rotation with the first unit in March and April, alongside senior Mattrell McGraw and sophomore Brady Breeze. Figuring Amadi will start come fall, McGraw and Breeze have a chance Saturday to impress the defensive staff and vie for the other spot. Breeze is a big hitter and a ballhawk, a consistent thorn in Herbert's side in practice the last couple years. McGraw is a fifth-year guy looking to finish his career on a high note, and has positioned himself to do so this spring.
