Notebook: Roster Updates From Football Media Day
by Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com
After kicking things off with a walk-through Monday morning, the Oregon football team was scheduled to formally begin preseason camp for the 2015 season with the first official practice later in the day.
The Ducks will do so without a couple of veterans with eligibility remaining, running back Thomas Tyner and lineman Stetzon Bair. At media day following Monday’s walk-through, UO coach Mark Helfrich said Tyner won’t participate in preseason camp but otherwise didn’t elaborate on a timeline for his return to the team; Bair has opted to retire from football.
Oregon’s third-leading rusher as a sophomore last fall, Tyner was expected to form a 1-2 punch at running back with starter Royce Freeman. Helfrich said receiver Byron Marshall — a converted running back — along with several other players will be in the mix to get reps that might have been slated for Tyner.
“We’ll just experiment like heck in fall camp, just like we would have before,” Helfrich said.
Teams are limited to 105 players on the roster prior to the first game of the season, and the Ducks listed 103 as of Monday. Helfrich didn’t clarify when exactly Tyner might be added, but it won't be during preseason camp.
“We’d all love to have Thomas out there; he just provides one more weapon in our offense,” quarterback Jeff Lockie said. “But we’ve missed guys like that before. It’s next guy up.”
Bair began last season as a defensive lineman before switching sides of the ball due to a series of injuries on the offensive line. He adjusted well enough to have a presence on the two-deep and appear in games off the bench.
Two players who have signed aid agreements with the Ducks, quarterback Vernon Adams and linebacker Jonah Moi, aren't currently on the roster. But by announcing 103 players Monday, the staff left room for additions after camp opens.
Charles Nelson was listed as a receiver as camp opened, after practicing at cornerback during spring drills.
Helfrich said Nelson’s heart might lean with the offense, but he still could be a factor on defense. “He’s a guy that will be everywhere,” Helfrich said.
Quarterback Ty Griffin is another player whose versatility will be an asset. He practiced at receiver and on special teams in the spring, and Helfrich said the staff will continue to look for the role in which Griffin can become the most consistently productive.
Griffin’s younger brother, Taj, is “full-go” for the start of camp after missing most of his senior season of high school last fall with a knee injury, according to Helfrich.
Receiver Devon Allen is another player working his way back from missed playing time, and when asked about his status, Helfrich said “we’ll see.”
“He’s such a tough dude,” Helfrich said. “I have no doubt he’ll do everything he can — and has done everything he can this summer — to put himself in a situation to be back out there.”
It was just a walk-through, but Helfrich sounded encouraged by what he saw Monday morning, at least from a leadership and team chemistry standpoint.
Summer is the time for laying a foundation for those intangibles, and this was a key offseason for the Ducks after the loss of leaders like Marcus Mariota, Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Keanon Lowe, Hroniss Grasu and company.
Helfrich said the staff is looking to obvious candidates like Rodney Hardrick, Tyler Johnstone and Lockie for leadership this season, as well as for soft-spoken contributors such as Royce Freeman and Joe Walker to step into that role.
“Being out there at the walk-through and seeing guys operate, seeing things click from a signal standpoint, our veterans did a great job (over the summer),” Helfrich said.
The new walk-ons added for the start of camp include one with a conspicuous last name.
Outside linebacker Matt Mariota is among the newcomers, following in the footsteps of his Heisman Trophy winning older brother. Also new on defense are linebackers Kaulana Apelu, Jake Froehlich and Justin Hunter, and defensive back Sean Killpatrick.
The Ducks also invited kicker Jake Ford and punter Blake Maimone to camp.
