Eugene, Oregon is known for its cold and wet climate for 8-9 months out of the year, but natives of the area know that the summer months are good enough to make all of that worth it. It doesn’t get too hot, with temperatures often hovering between 75 and 85 degrees, and the clean air and vibrant nature scene make outdoor summer activities ripe for the doing.
This coming week, however, things are going to change a little bit. With temperatures expected to reach into the triple digits — Sunday’s high was 103 degrees, while Monday is expected to be 108 degrees, Tuesday 103 degrees, and Wednesday 101 degrees, according to AccuWeather — there’s a good chance that those active Eugene natives will be heading inside to set up shop near their air conditioning units.
While Oregon Duck fans may be heading indoors, Dan Lanning and the Ducks will be looking to take advantage of the heat and use it to get them ready for the coming 2023 season.
In Week 2, less than a month away, Oregon will travel to Texas Tech for a likely top-25 matchup with Tyler Shough and the Red Raiders. You can bet that the forecast will show temperatures in the upper 90s, and there’s a chance triple-digits will be present for the early-September game.
So does practicing in that heat now help the Ducks later?
“Most definitely,” wide receiver Troy Franklin said on Friday. “If we were practicing in the morning, when we get out there (to Texas Tech) we would be exhausted and cramping up and all of that stuff. So I think it’s good that we are practicing in the afternoon right now.”
Of course, the aspect of getting used to the heat is certainly encouraging, you have to worry about player safety, as well. With the Ducks utilizing afternoon practices to start fall camp this year, they are getting onto the field at about 3 p.m. each day — one of the hottest parts of the afternoon.
Lanning says that they are being mindful of player health over everything so far, but they’re taking advantage of the opportunity being presented.
“There are rules and regulations about what we can practice in,” Lanning said of the upcoming heat. “The reality is we’re going to play in hot games really early, so it’s probably good for us to get the experience.”
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