It was almost like the real thing.
For the first time this fall camp, Mario Cristobal’s Oregon Ducks football team scrimmaged inside Autzen Stadium in front of the season ticket holders and other fans.
“It was great to have our fans out here because they’re a big part of what we do at Autzen Stadium. It was just great to see them,” Cristobal said after the practice under the lights. “We’re very grateful for them being here and we know they can’t wait to be a big part of Sept. 4.”
As expected, the defense out-performed the offense as this Oregon defense has a chance to become something special. Despite missing cornerback DJ James and safety Jamal Hill because of an earlier incident with law enforcement, the secondary came to play.
Redshirt freshmen Trikweze Bridges made a case to become a starter with some of his play. He’s 6-foot-3 with a wingspan of 7-foot-2, which should be considered a huge cornerback and is a big advantage.
As for the offense, it was a mixed bag, according to Cristobal.
“I thought Anthony (Brown) early had some pressure,” he said of the Ducks starting quarterback. “(He) delivered some good balls. Some were more accurate. Some were not. There were some bright moments and some you’d like to have back.”
To be fair, it’s going to be difficult to judge the offense’s ability to move down the field on a consistent basis early on this fall. At least offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead has three weeks to iron everything out before Fresno State comes calling.
Cristobal also gave praise to freshman quarterback Ty Thompson, who looks leaps and bounds better than he did in the spring thanks to a summer workout program and just being around his teammates and the facility.
“He was decisive tonight. When there was pressure, he found a way out most of the time,” Cristobal said. “Towards the end of the two-minute drill, he didn’t eat the ball. Sometimes a freshman with think, ‘I don’t want to throw an interception.’ He was very precise for most of the evening. I thought he made good decisions in the running game as well.”
Some of the other young players hoping to practice well enough to see playing time are linebacker Treven Ma’ae and running back Seven McGee, who might have the upper hand at being the starting punt returner.
The Ducks will take Sunday off from the field, but they’ll continue to weight train and have a speaker come talk to the team. Cristobal said he’s planning to have one or two speakers a week come in and share their insight on the topics they happen to specialize in.
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