Oregon Football Practice Report: Dec. 2
by Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com
Venue: Moshofsky Center
Format: Full pads
Mark Helfrich and Marcus Mariota didn’t have to travel far following practice Tuesday to see just how many potential distractions exist outside the UO football bubble. Oregon is preparing to face Arizona on Friday in the Pac-12 title game, but numerous other storylines are swirling around the team.
After practice wrapped up in the Mo, Helfrich and Mariota made their way to the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex for their weekly pregame press conference with media. That was dominated by Heisman Trophy questions, for both coach and player.
Both were polite, and Mariota even acknowledged being honored to be in the Heisman discussion. But, Helfrich said firmly, “Our total focus, and Marcus’ total focus, is on today and our team and now.”
Helfrich was asked as well about reports linking UO offensive coordinator Scott Frost to the Nebraska head coach opening. Frost said Monday he owed it to the Ducks to remain focused on the task at hand, and Helfrich added today that, “He is focused, as is the rest of the team, not on bronze statues or other jobs, but Arizona.”
That wasn’t just lip service. Helfrich also told the players, following practice, that he liked the mindset they brought to the two full-pads practices this week, Monday and Tuesday. The offense moved the ball crisply in a late-game scenario early this morning, there was good physical work when the travel squad went head-to-head a few periods later, and then the offense, defense and special teams did extensive work against the scout teams drilling the schemes they’ll use Friday against the Wildcats.
In his press conference afterward, Helfrich was asked a few questions about how the Ducks might be different now compared to the last time they played Arizona, the only loss of the season for Oregon. The answers all came back to attitude, particularly in practice.
“You don’t want to find out what it’s like to come back from a loss,” Helfrich said. “But what we learned about each other and what we learned about our team’s resiliency is nothing but impressive and positive.”
Notably, the Ducks have also maintained that edge through the seven straight victories that have followed. “Dealing with success is sometimes harder than dealing with defeat,” Helfrich said. “I think that's been as impressive.”
Highlights: Practice began with a "clutch" scenario, and for about the third week in a row for this weekly period, Mariota watched as the other two QBs operated the offenses. Jeff Lockie drove the ones to a touchdown, caught by Devon Allen. Lockie also had a couple completions to Byron Marshall on the drive, another to Darren Carrington and a long scramble. Taylor Alie completed two balls to Jalen Brown with the twos, but they had to settle for a 47-yard field-goal attempt by Matt Wogan, and Dior Mathis came off the edge to block it. …
In a "good on good" period, Royce Freeman started it off for the second straight day with a run to the second level of the defense. Joe Walker made a tackle at the line of scrimmage on the next rep, and Walker teamed with Christian French to limit another run to minimal yardage a bit later. Johnathan Loyd had a nice block to spring Tony James for extra yardage, and Tyrell Crosby pushed a linebacker all the way out of bounds on one rep. Late in the period, Johnny Ragin III dropped back, tipped a pass into the air and then caught it with one hand for an interception.
Other observations: Receivers coach Matt Lubick saw something immediately from the coverage on the touchdown play in clutch, because he had his hands in the air signaling Allen's touchdown before the ball even was thrown. … It's late in the year and everybody's sore and tired from the rigors of the regular season, but the Ducks still have their edge. There was some pushing and shoving after a snap in clutch, soon after the start of a 9 a.m. practice when I saw still wiping sleep from my eyes. … In the post-practice huddle, Helfrich also hammered home the need to stay focused on school as well, with the university's fall quarter winding down. "Everybody's on a mission to finish strong, on the field and off," he told the players. … B.J. Kelley has taken reps with the travel squad the last couple days. The travel party expands from 70 to 85 players for the title game.
