Football Practice Report: Dec. 10

Photo by: Andy McNamara/GoDucks.com

12/10/17 | Football, @GoDucksMoseley

Mario Cristobal juggled putting the Ducks through another Las Vegas Bowl practice Sunday while also hosting several recruits and their families who were visiting this weekend.

By: Rob Moseley

Venue: Moshofsky Center
Format: Full pads

After easing into an extended Las Vegas Bowl practice week with a shorter workout Saturday, the Ducks went full-tilt Sunday. Players were in full gear, the script called for a full slate of 21 periods of work, and the pads were popping.

During an 11-on-11 drill focused on run plays, Darrian Felix got to the second level but was slowed by a linebacker and then tackled from behind by hard-pursuing defensive end Austin Faoliu. Felix was stopped right at the line by Elijah George later in the drill, but on the next play bounced a run outside for a long gain.

Oregon's new head coach, Mario Cristobal, would have to go back and watch that period on film in order to appreciate it. While his staff of assistants put the Ducks through team drills on the Moshofsky Center practice field, Cristobal spent extended time on the sideline chatting with recruits and their families, in town for one of the program's biggest recruiting weekends of the year.

"It's not much of a change," Cristobal said after practice. "If you're doing it the right way as an assistant coach, you're doing a lot of that stuff as it is. And I think it's important, when you're a head coach, you galvanize your staff by letting each assistant know, you're the head coach of your position. There's so many good people here that are impactful, and are going to continue to be."

Cristobal allowed himself time to mingle with the recruits and their families during team periods, while offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo called plays. But the head coach was fully engaged in practice during the first few period, when the position groups were split up and doing drills on their own.

Oregon's offensive line coach for the past year, Cristobal intends to keep wearing that hat while also serving as head coach.

"I come from a very unique offensive line school, that I just will not compromise," he said. "Those guys, when they're unified and playing at a high level, when they can dictate the tone and tempo of a game, it's a different ballgame."

Saturday's practice was like Oregon's typical Sunday in-season, and Sunday's practice was like a typical Tuesday or Wednesday. To that end, it included a conditioning period, and the Ducks also lifted weights Sunday afternoon. But Cristobal told the team that's the last conditioning session they'll have prior to the bowl game, one of a few subtle tweaks he's instituting this week.

In another, the offense bounced between 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 more frequently while facing the scout team than it had in practice prior to Cristobal's promotion.

"There's some subtle changes right now," Cristobal said. "We don't want to change much right now, because we're in a rhythm. And to me, the most important thing is keeping them doing what they've been doing.

"But we added some situational football team. Boise State has got a pretty good mix of pressures, and our guys have got to get used to blocking them, and receivers have to get used to reading certain coverages, and quarterbacks finding them. So it was good. It was positive."

Other highlights: After throwing an interception in the opening team period Saturday, Justin Herbert capped the same drill Sunday with a touchdown pass to Dillon Mitchell. … Tony Brooks-James busted loose for long runs during each of two different team periods. He's showing no ill effects from his Civil War injury. … Herbert had touchdown throws of about 40 yards to both Brenden Schooler and Johnny Johnson III in quick succession during a drill.

On the other end of the Mo, scout-team QB Mike Irwin and Daewood Davis connected for a couple long completions that had even members of the defense dapping them up. … In the last team period of the day, Taylor Alie rolled to his left and lofted a pass over a defender that Jacob Breeland hauled in with his fingertips. Herbert and Breeland connected a couple times when the tight end got matched up against a linebacker, once on a deep ball and on an intermediate route. … Troy Dye jumped a short route and intercepted an Irwin pass late in practice.

Other observations: Mitchell scored that early touchdown in the back corner of the end zone, and his momentum took him into the corner of the Mo were a bunch of large pads are stored — so he finished the play by doing a somersault onto the pads. … Aidan Schneider hit a field goal of 52 yards to cap his series of work during placekicking drills. … Demetri Burch is still wearing a red non-contact jersey and doing QB drills, but he played some receiver with the scout team, for the first time since changing positions midseason.

Pre-practice interviews:

Head coach Mario Cristobal

Freshman nose tackle Jordon Scott

Freshman cornerback Thomas Graham Jr.