Oregon Ducks Head Coach Mark Helfrich Stuck In Holding Pattern

Oregon Head Coach Mark Helfrich answers questions during Media Day and the Opening of Fall Camp 2016Justin Phillips/KPNWSports
Oregon Head Coach Mark Helfrich answers questions during Media Day and the Opening of Fall Camp 2016Justin Phillips/KPNWSports /
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Oregon Ducks Head Coach Mark Helfrich set to discuss future ‘mid-week’ with Athletic Director Rob Mullens.

Watching Head Coach Mark Helfrich on Sunday Morning was painful. He looked like a man who had lost the war and had no sense of direction with where the ship was going. He lost the power to steer, but was at the wheel anyway answering questions from the media as best he could about his future and the future of Oregon Ducks Football.

When there is a decision to be made one would think that the decision maker would at least make an appearance, but Athletic Director Rob Mullens mailed it in instead. Mullens has an obligation to the College Football Playoff and will be out of town for several days. The plan is to meet ‘mid-week’.

"We are a very oung football team, a very injury riddled football team right now that played a tough schedule and all those things are going to be better.Helfrich recapping the 2016 Season"

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The Oregon Ducks held their end of year Banquet on Sunday afternoon. Following the festivities, the coaches headed out to recruit since the Oregon Ducks season is over at 4-8. It would have made sense for Mullens to have completed his evaluation of the team and made his decision right? My thought is he is either waiting for a better deal(as in Coach) to come to him or it may just be a matter of patting Helfrich on the back with the blessing of a better 2017.

My thought is for the latter. Why would you allow coaches to celebrate a bad season and then pick-up and recruit to just call them all back and fire them on the spot?

Helfrich deserved better. He handled the situation with total class, answering every question and admitting his own fault with the 2016 season in the process. He had a culpable moment or two. He showed vulnerability and possibly for the first time this season that he too is human, a side rarely seen from him.

The 4-8 season is now over for the Oregon Ducks and along with Helfrich we are also standing on the ship waiting to see he he returns to steer the ship into calmer seas.