Oregon Football: Ducks Return From Bye Week, Prepare For Arizona

Oregon Football returns off a bye week that was needed for players to heal and prepare for the home stretch of the 2017 season.

The Ducks returned to Practice on Sunday at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex as preparation began for the Arizona Wildcats and Quarterback Khlil Tate. Right now, he is the best signal caller in the Pac-12 Conference and he could keep the Ducks Defense busy into the night on Saturday at Autzen Stadium.

On Wednesday, Defensive Coordinator Jim Leavitt joked the unit could use a 12th player on the field, but Coach Willie Taggart knows Tate is disciplined, “I think he’s pretty good at what they ask him to do. They don’t ask him to throw it 20-30 times a game. The way they run the football they don’t have to.” As far as a game plan against the talented Arizona QB, the Oregon Head Coach offered one word response, “Pray. I mean no one has stopped him yet this year.”

Leavitt and the Defense will have to count on the Oregon Offense to keep ball control to a maximum and not turn the ball over. Speaking of Offense, Quarterback Justin Herbert is ‘close’ to returning according to Taggart, “Justin is doing well. His bone is healing really good, had a good week of practice last week.”

In the Tuesday Practice session Herbert dropped back and threw a 75-yard touchdown pass. His shoulder looked good and his velocity is solid from what I can see in practice. I expect that he will play on Saturday, but the Ducks Head Coach played coy saying if he did play we would all know at 3:59 pm. Kickoff is set for 4 pm.

While the conversation this week has been about the Wildcats Quarterback, the Arizona Defense should allow the Oregon Ducks to be competitive in the game. Arrion Springs is 16th in the Nation in Passes Defended and leads the Pac-12 Conference in the category as a Senior.

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Oregon Football kicks off against Arizona on Saturday at 4 pm Pacific Time on Pac-12 Networks.

Quotes obtained first hand at Oregon Football Practice