[jwplayer EadSMBst]
It didn’t take long for Bo Nix to proclaim that he’s at Oregon for a reason and it’s not to hold a clipboard on the sideline.
With the first play of the game, Nix signaled he means business in the competition to be the starter heading into fall camp with a perfect throw to Seven McGee on a crossing route for a cool 70 yards. Nix found McGee a couple of plays later for a five-yard touchdown and the Yellow Team was already rolling.
In the end, it was a fun day had by all as an estimated 42,000 Oregon fans came out to watch the Ducks on a sunny day at Autzen Stadium.
Officially, the Yellow Team defeated the Green Team 31-21, but the final score doesn’t matter on this day. What Oregon fans and players alike will remember from this day is seeing their favorite stars from the past, present, and future.
Arik Armstead, De’Anthony Thomas, LaMichael James, and Haloti Ngata were on the sidelines calling plays in the fourth quarter as well several notable past Ducks in the stands.
Nix threw for 230 yards and three touchdowns and after a slow start, Ty Thompson had a nice day with 168 yards through the air and a score. Dont’e Thornton caught three passes for 116 receiving yards and a touchdown and while Chase Cota didn’t find the end zone, he had six catches for 100 yards.
The transfer from UCLA and the son of an Oregon legend, Cota showed what kind of season he’s primed to have in 2022. He was open all day and the Duck quarterbacks, mainly Thompson, found him.
In the first half, yellow scored again to make it 14-0 and this was when Thompson began to settle down and make plays. He found Kris Hutson for a 40-yard completion to set up a seven-yard touchdown pass to Troy Franklin.
Quarterback Jay Butterfield made his presence known early in the second quarter with a 36-yard pass that found Josh Delgado in the right corner of the end zone to tie the game 14-14. Butterfield finished the game 263 yards playing for both teams.
Green was up 21-14 thanks to transfer running back Noah Whittington’s 47-yard touchdown run down the right side that the offensive line sealed off the defense and left a running lane open.
Whittington led all rushers with 84 yards. Sean Dollars added 49 yards on nine carries. Byron Cardwell was held out of the game for precautionary reasons. The only in-game injury scare came when Jackson Powers-Johnson was rolled up from behind after a play. According to Lanning, both players are fine.
“Yeah, it was precautionary there with Byron. With JPJ, it looks like he’s gonna be okay,” he said. “We’re gonna continue to get the medical professionals evaluation on it but it sounds like he’s okay. I got to see him right there in the locker room after.”
Yellow’s defense made an impact early in the third quarter on Twikweze Bridges Pick-6 where the corner took the ball away from the intended receiver and followed a convoy of yellow jerseys before spinning his way into the end zone.
Nix ended his day just as he began it … with a bang. His last pass was a 70-yard strike to Thornton midway through the fourth quarter.
Contact/Follow us @Ducks_Wire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinion.
Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.
[mm-video type=video id=01g1afztn0p9jvvevfps playlist_id=01f27mq9z7hjgk6vc6 player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g1afztn0p9jvvevfps/01g1afztn0p9jvvevfps-94362e3d7206f80155777dbc0906d027.jpg]
[vertical-gallery id=23293]