Photo by: Rob Moseley/GoDucks.com
Football Practice Report: April 25
04/25/23 | Football, @GoDucksMoseley
The Ducks began the final full week of spring drills with practice in full pads Tuesday.
Venue: Outdoor practice fields
Format: Full pads
The Oregon football team was in full pads for practice Tuesday, and won't be again until Saturday's Spring Game.
So there was no reason to hold back on the hitting Tuesday, and the Ducks sure didn't. Linemen battled in the trenches, safeties came up and whacked running backs, and running backs lowered their pads to return the favor. They were careful not to tackle to the ground, but there was no denying the physical nature of Tuesday's practice.
Come Saturday, when the Spring Game kicks off in Autzen Stadium at 1 p.m., fans hopefully will get the same impression.
"I think you're gonna see a really physical team," UO coach Dan Lanning said Tuesday. "… We have been much more physical as a team this spring than I think we were last year."
By the numbers, Saturday will be practice No. 14 for the Ducks this spring; between now and then is No. 13, on Thursday morning, a lighter workout leading up to the Spring Game.
But Saturday isn't just another practice. The stands in Autzen will be packed, and coaches will see which players rise to the occasion.
Lanning will be watching for that, and more.
"We'd like to be penalty free, pre-snap and post-snap from a penalty standpoint," he said. "We want to do a good job taking care of the ball, but we also want to attack the ball. And then ultimately, you just want to see that competition – guys go out there and treat it like a game. Have an opportunity to go get better, and take advantage of it."
The Spring Game also is a chance to welcome alumni back to campus, with Marcus Mariota and Jevon Holland on hand as guest coaches, and many other UO football alumni also invited back. And the program's future will be impacted by Saturday as well, with the Ducks scheduled to host several recruits over the weekend.
Hopefully, those recruits come away from the Spring Game eager to one day play for Oregon in Autzen Stadium themselves.
"Everybody here at Oregon needs to realize that they have an impact," Lanning said. "We're gonna have great players here on campus, (and) they have an impact for what that experience looks like. So they can help create that experience from a fan standpoint, from an administrative standpoint, from our staff standpoint, making that experience really unique and special for the guys that we have here on campus."
Notable: Tuesday's practice included a competition period of 1-on-1 special teams reps, with a blocker taking on a coverage player in tight space. It was an intense, physical drill that got the whole team juiced up, not only the handful of guys called upon to participate but the rest of the roster as well. … In attendance for part of practice was staff from Oregon Accelerator, a campus group that provides NIL support and strategy to UO student-athletes. Among those on hand was the group's strategy director and student-athlete insights and playbook liaison, Justin Johnson, a former UO offensive lineman who took a medical retirement.
Quotable:
Junior running back Noah Whittington on the benefits of adding size and strength this winter
"More power, and definitely more speed. The ability to break more tackles."
Senior cornerback Khyree Jackson on what compelled him to transfer to Oregon
"The relationship I had with coach Lanning; before I made my decision to go to Alabama, Georgia was in my top five. So I felt like we had a good relationship, and it's been a pretty seamless transition."
Post-practice interviews:
Head coach Dan Lanning
Special teams coordinator Joe Lorig
Junior running back Noah Whittington
Senior cornerback Khyree Jackson
Format: Full pads
The Oregon football team was in full pads for practice Tuesday, and won't be again until Saturday's Spring Game.
So there was no reason to hold back on the hitting Tuesday, and the Ducks sure didn't. Linemen battled in the trenches, safeties came up and whacked running backs, and running backs lowered their pads to return the favor. They were careful not to tackle to the ground, but there was no denying the physical nature of Tuesday's practice.
Come Saturday, when the Spring Game kicks off in Autzen Stadium at 1 p.m., fans hopefully will get the same impression.
"I think you're gonna see a really physical team," UO coach Dan Lanning said Tuesday. "… We have been much more physical as a team this spring than I think we were last year."
By the numbers, Saturday will be practice No. 14 for the Ducks this spring; between now and then is No. 13, on Thursday morning, a lighter workout leading up to the Spring Game.
But Saturday isn't just another practice. The stands in Autzen will be packed, and coaches will see which players rise to the occasion.
Lanning will be watching for that, and more.
"We'd like to be penalty free, pre-snap and post-snap from a penalty standpoint," he said. "We want to do a good job taking care of the ball, but we also want to attack the ball. And then ultimately, you just want to see that competition – guys go out there and treat it like a game. Have an opportunity to go get better, and take advantage of it."
The Spring Game also is a chance to welcome alumni back to campus, with Marcus Mariota and Jevon Holland on hand as guest coaches, and many other UO football alumni also invited back. And the program's future will be impacted by Saturday as well, with the Ducks scheduled to host several recruits over the weekend.
Hopefully, those recruits come away from the Spring Game eager to one day play for Oregon in Autzen Stadium themselves.
"Everybody here at Oregon needs to realize that they have an impact," Lanning said. "We're gonna have great players here on campus, (and) they have an impact for what that experience looks like. So they can help create that experience from a fan standpoint, from an administrative standpoint, from our staff standpoint, making that experience really unique and special for the guys that we have here on campus."
Notable: Tuesday's practice included a competition period of 1-on-1 special teams reps, with a blocker taking on a coverage player in tight space. It was an intense, physical drill that got the whole team juiced up, not only the handful of guys called upon to participate but the rest of the roster as well. … In attendance for part of practice was staff from Oregon Accelerator, a campus group that provides NIL support and strategy to UO student-athletes. Among those on hand was the group's strategy director and student-athlete insights and playbook liaison, Justin Johnson, a former UO offensive lineman who took a medical retirement.
Quotable:
Junior running back Noah Whittington on the benefits of adding size and strength this winter
"More power, and definitely more speed. The ability to break more tackles."
Senior cornerback Khyree Jackson on what compelled him to transfer to Oregon
"The relationship I had with coach Lanning; before I made my decision to go to Alabama, Georgia was in my top five. So I felt like we had a good relationship, and it's been a pretty seamless transition."
Post-practice interviews:
Head coach Dan Lanning
Special teams coordinator Joe Lorig
Junior running back Noah Whittington
Senior cornerback Khyree Jackson
Players Mentioned
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