Oregon Ducks Media Day 2016 saw players and coaches take a quick glance back before moving forward to the 2016 season.
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The Oregon Ducks opened Fall Camp on Monday with a little fanfare. Head Coach Mark Helfrich and Running Back Royce Freeman spoke about last season and moving forward to 2016. Both were excited about the upcoming season. Helfrich said the first day of practice saw the Defense taking control and getting more interceptions from the Offense, but of course it is the first day.
Helfrich took some time to talk with the media about expectations. There is a clear veteran experience on this team and they want to make sure what happened the end of last season does not happen again – at least to the best of their ability. Running Back Royce Freeman also spoke to the experience of ending the season with a loss against TCU, but he also said he is looking forward to this upcoming season.
"If we’re playing fast, we’re going to be in pretty good shape.Brady Hoke on The New Look Oregon Defense"
Freeman is hoping to see the field more, “I want to make bigger plays, want to go for longer rushes…when I come out it hurts me. I like to improve and be out there for as many plays as I can this year. ”
Several of the Quarterbacks were also anticipating the upcoming season. Dakota Prukop has the experience of being here for a Spring and Fall Camp which should clearly benefit him entering the season. Last year, Vernon Adams was still over a week out from joining the Oregon Ducks in Fall Camp.
Defensively, it will be some of the same faces, with some new in the mix with a new Defensive Coordinator in Brady Hoke who will install the 4-3. That process has begun. Early results were good, but again keep in mind it is only the first day of Fall Camp. “We’re putting a little more on their plate each day and if it’s too much I have to be smart enough to pull back. That would be part of judging where we’re at and if we’re playing fast. If we’re playing fast then we’re going to be in pretty good shape.”
Mark Helfrich summed up the day best comparing it to a common play in basketball when discussing the Quarterbacks. “Make one-hundred layups in a row and you’ll be the greatest player of all time. Don’ try to do a 360, don’t try to do a reverse layup…..handing the ball to Roye Freeman, getting the ball to Charles Nelson in space..that’s kind of making a layup for those guys.”
Fall Camp will run through August 26th with the week of August 29th leading up to the first game of the year against UC Davis inside Autzen Stadium(2pm Pacific Time, Pac-12 Network)