Ducks Make Strong Impression In Entertaining Spring Game
04/21/18 | Football
The offense topped the defense under new coach Mario Cristobal's scoring system, and the Ducks made several statements Saturday about the progress they made this spring.
EUGENE, Ore. – The first spring for Oregon football in the Mario Cristobal era was capped Saturday by a Spring Game in sun-splashed Autzen Stadium marked by big plays on both sides of the ball, a solemn tribute to the United States military and proof positive of the progress made by the Ducks over the last several weeks.
Under a scoring system devised to accommodate an offense vs. defense format, the UO offense came away with a 59-34 victory over the defense before 27,317 fans eager to get a look at the stamps Cristobal has put on the program. They saw few penalties or turnovers, but a bunch of big plays highlighted by a 100-yard pick-six from linebacker Kaulana Apelu, on a deflected pass that he hauled in with one hand.
A sneak peek of what's to come. Check out some of the top highlights from the 2018 Oregon football Spring Game #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/eaJsbSs0LC
— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) April 21, 2018
The offense got two touchdowns apiece from a pair of redshirt freshman, running back CJ Verdell and receiver Daewood Davis, who have been standouts all spring. True freshman quarterback Tyler Shough threw a pair of touchdown passes, and the 2017 two-deep of Justin Herbert and Braxton Burmeister had one each. Apelu led the defense with nine tackles, and another breakout spring star, Keith Simms, added eight.
Here are five key takeaways from Saturday's action:
THE CLASS OF 2017 CONTINUES TO IMPRESS
Last fall, seven members of the recruiting class of 2017 started as true freshmen, and six others played. On Saturday, three more members of that class – cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, linebacker Isaac Slade-Matautia and offensive tackle George Moore – were starters for the Spring Game, and class members Verdell and Davis were the leading rusher and receiver, respectively. Their fellow redshirt freshman, Cyrus Habibi-Likio, also had a receiving touchdown, and Cristobal twice mentioned offensive lineman Alex Forsyth as a standout from the scrimmage.
"When guys graduate, when guys leave and move in, it's nothing but an opportunity," Cristobal said, and the class of 2017 is taking advantage. Of the 25 signees, 22 remain on the roster, and at least 20 look like potential impact players for the 2018 season. That's a remarkably high success rate for any recruiting class, let alone one that had to be held together through a coaching change before signing. "It feels great to be out there," Verdell said. "First real game in Autzen, it felt good to show what I got."
PHYSICALITY HAS IMPROVED …
If the theme of the year 2017 for Oregon football was "juice," Cristobal most definitely wants it to be "physicality" in 2018. He signed a bruising class of offensive linemen who will arrive over the summer, and loves the smashmouth tone being set in the trenches by the likes of powerful offensive guard Shane Lemieux and massive nose tackle Jordon Scott.
"That's where we've made the biggest advance," Cristobal said. "Getting our feet in the ground, playing with a flat back and playing with good pad level. Getting our hands inside, playing with better technique and moving the line of scrimmage, both ways. That's where we've made the biggest advancements."
… AND SO TOO HAS DISCIPLINE
Last season, Oregon was the most penalized team in the nation, and its turnover margin was barely positive. Both reflect discipline, and while Cristobal has encouraged aggressive, physical play by the Ducks, he's also demanded they be more disciplined as well. That showed most of Saturday afternoon, as the offense didn't have a fumble, and the only interception was a deflected ball on an attempted quick slant by Herbert in the red zone.
The offense was whistled for four penalties, the defense five. Those came over the course of 95 snaps, a ratio of one flag to every 9.5 plays that is far greater than what Cristobal wants to see. "We don't want to have more than one penalty every 40 plays," Cristobal said. "That was a big goal." One silver lining: After crushing penalties in a scrimmage the week before, one of which wiped a long TD run off the board, none Saturday was so significant.
THE TIGHT ENDS WILL BE A FACTOR
The receiving numbers Saturday didn't exactly pop – one catch each for veteran tight ends Jacob Breeland and Cam McCormick, two each for Matt Mariota and Hunter Kampmoyer. But Cristobal spoke highly of the impact from the position group throughout the spring, particularly at the line of scrimmage. "These guys played physical," he said. "They really took that next step as a physical group of guys, and we need that. We need guys that can knock back the 'C' gap, run routes, stretch the field." The Ducks ask their tight ends to be part slot receiver and part fullback at times, too, so they have a lot of responsibilities to handle, and are doing so at a high level.
TO CRISTOBAL, THE MILITARY TRIBUTE WAS PERSONAL
Cristobal's father is a retired officer, and his brother in law is on active duty. When he spoke Saturday of continuing the UO tradition of honoring the military during the Spring Game – including a pregame flyover, halftime flag-holding ceremony and postgame exchange of mementos between players and troops – he did so with emotion in his voice, and a glint of tears in his eyes. "The freedom that we have and all the things we take for granted every day, a lot of that is due to their battles and their sacrifices and what they compromise," Cristobal said. "I know it's been a tradition here for a long time; I was blown away last year when I saw it for the first time in person. To take part in that today … that'll hit you hard. It's an emotional moment."
