Spring Practice Begins Tuesday For Oregon Football Team
By Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com
Not quite three months since playing for the first College Football Playoff National Championship, the Oregon Ducks kick off spring practices Tuesday morning.
A new era begins for the program, with Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota preparing for the NFL draft. Junior Jeff Lockie leads the crop of returning quarterbacks, who will compete for reps in April and await the anticipated arrival of transfer Vernon Adams later this year.
Also in the mix at quarterback is the newest freshman to arrive on campus, Travis Jonsen, who joins five classmates who enrolled over the winter. (The freshman QB, who went by Travis Waller in high school, will use his mother's maiden name going forward.) Jonsen has been assigned No. 11, defensive back Ugo Amadi will wear No. 14, running back Taj Griffin will wear No. 5, defensive lineman Canton Kaumatule will wear No. 99, receiver Alex Ofodile will wear No. 4 and offensive lineman Zach Okun will wear No. 75.
It’s a time of transition for veterans, too. Receiver Bralon Addison and offensive tackle Tyler Johnstone will continue working their way back from injuries that sidelined them in 2014. Addison will do so in a new number, No. 2. Other vets who have changed numbers include Devon Allen, back to No. 13, Kani Benoit to No. 29, Darren Carrington to No. 7, Ty Griffin to No. 10, Johnny Ragin III to No. 28 and Tyree Robinson to No. 3.
And speaking of transition, sophomore Charles Nelson will be listed as a defensive back to open the spring. He was an electric all-purpose runner as a freshman, but the Ducks have a need at defensive back, where Nelson took practice reps a few times over the course of last season.
The practice schedule includes three workouts a week for the next five weeks. The Ducks go Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday the first week, Monday-Wednesday-Friday the following three weeks and Monday, Wednesday and Saturday the last week, with that final Saturday practice the spring game on May 2 in Autzen Stadium (11 a.m. PT, Pac-12 Networks).
Here’s a quick review of each position group entering the spring, with players listed alphabetically.
QUARTERBACK
In the mix: Taylor Alie, So.; Ty Griffin, So.; Travis Jonsen, Fr.; Jeff Lockie, Jr.; Morgan Mahalak, RFr.
2014 in review: Click here
Summary: The lone guy with significant experience is Lockie, who backed up Mariota the last two seasons. Now he gets a chance to prove himself in a bigger role, though not without being pushed by the younger guys.
RUNNING BACK
In the mix: Kani Benoit, So.; Royce Freeman, So.; Taj Griffin, Fr.; Tony James, RFr.; J.J. Jones, Jr.; Jarret LaCoste, Sr.; Lane Roseberry, Jr.; Thomas Tyner, Jr.
2014 in review: Click here
Summary: A position of strength gets even stronger. To the one-two punch of Freeman and Tyner, the Ducks add one of last year’s MVPs on the scout team, James, and a dynamic newcomer in Griffin.
RECEIVER/TIGHT END
In the mix: Bralon Addison, Jr.; Devon Allen, So.; Evan Baylis, Jr.; Jeff Bieber, RFr.; Jalen Brown, RFr.; Pharaoh Brown, Sr.; Darren Carrington, So.; Austin Daich, Jr.; Casey Eugenio, RFr.; Will Genske, RFr.; Koa Ka'ai, Sr.; Chayce Maday, RFr.; Byron Marshall, Sr.; Jake McCreath, Jr.; Johnny Mundt, Jr.; Alex Ofodile, So.; Zac Schuller, Sr.; Dwayne Stanford, Jr.; Taylor Stinson, RFr.; Chris Tewhill, Jr.
2014 in review: Click here
Summary: Another position with a wealth of talent gets a boost. Not only is Addison working his way back, but redshirt freshman Jalen Brown and newcomer Ofodile are big, athletic young targets. Add them to the likes of Marshall, Stanford and Carrington, and that’s serious depth.
OFFENSIVE LINE
In the mix: Stetzon Bair, Sr.; Doug Brenner, So.; Tyrell Crosby, So.; Tanner Davies, RFr.; Braden Eggert, RFr.; Elijah George, So.; Cameron Hunt, Jr.; Tyler Johnstone, RSr.; Haniteli Lousi, Sr.; Matt McFadden, Jr.; Davis Miyashiro-Saipaia, RFr.; Zach Okun, Fr.; Matt Pierson, Sr.; Jake Pisarcik, So.; Evan Voeller, So.
2014 in review: Click here
Summary: Opportunity abounds in the absence of Hroniss Grasu, Hamani Stevens and Jake Fisher, with senior Andre Yruretagoyena also having departed. Johnstone, Hunt, Crosby, Brenner and Pisarcik all boast starting experience, though. And as elsewhere, there’s some intriguing young talent in Eggert, George and Okun.
DEFENSIVE LINE
In the mix: Alex Balducci, Sr.; DeForest Buckner, Sr.; T.J. Daniel, Jr.; Jalen Jelks, RFr.; Canton Kaumatule, Fr.; Austin Maloata, So.; Henry Mondeaux, So.; Jason Sloan, So.; Spencer Stark, RFr.; Tui Talia, Sr.
2014 in review: Click here
Summary: Buckner’s decision to stay in school gives this group a huge boost. With Balducci also back, the Ducks should be solid up front. Newcomer Kaumatule joins the likes of Daniel, Jelks, Maloata, Mondeaux and Talia as candidates to play in the regular rotation.
LINEBACKER
In the mix: Cody Carriger, So.; Tyson Coleman, Sr.; Ivan Faulhaber, So.; Christian French, Sr.; Rodney Hardrick, Sr.; Eddie Heard, RSo.; Justin Hollins, So.; Danny Mattingly, So.; Torrodney Prevot, Jr.; Johnny Ragin III, Jr.; Jimmie Swain, So.; Joe Walker, Sr.
2014 in review: Click here
Summary: Despite graduating two starters, there are a lot of familiar faces here. Hardrick and Coleman provide ample experience. French, Prevot and Walker were regular contributors last season as well, while Hollins, Mattingly, Ragin and Swain saw spot duty.
DEFENSIVE BACK
In the mix: Ugo Amadi, Fr.; Reggie Daniels, Jr.; Glen Ihenacho, RFr.; Michael Manns, Jr.; Mattrell McGraw, RFr.; Charles Nelson, So.; Khalil Oliver, RFr.; Tyree Robinson, So.; Chris Seisay, So.; Arrion Springs, So.; Juwaan Williams, So.
2014 in review: Click here
Summary: The loss of three starters opens the door for several newcomers to step into bigger roles. Daniels and Robinson provide experience at safety, and Seisay took a major step filling in for Ifo Ekpre-Olomu during the 2014 postseason. There are a host of athletic options to challenge for reps, including Springs, the newcomer Amadi, last year’s redshirts Ihenacho, McGraw and Oliver, plus the converted receiver Nelson.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
In the mix: Tanner Carew, So.; Alec Eickert, Jr.; Connor Johnson, So.; Jesse Kelly, RFr.; Devin Melendez, So.; Aidan Schneider, So.; Ian Wheeler, So.; Matt Wogan, Jr.
2014 in review: Click here
Summary: All the main contributors from 2014 are back. New to the mix is Eickert, who sat out last season under transfer rules and showed off a big leg with the scout team.
