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CORVALLIS – Wounded quarterback Justin Herbert was outfitted about the time the Oregon Ducks started the second half of the Civil War football game.
The opening disk of the Ducks ran like this: precipitation, precipitation, precipitation, precipitation, precipitation, precipitation, precipitation, precipitation, precipitation, precipitation, precipitation, precipitation, precipitation, precipitation, touchdown.
I was waiting for someone to throw a cigarette at Mario Cristobal.
Oregon beat the Oregon State 55-15 in the most Cristobal match ever held Friday at the Reser Stadium. Oregon completed a pass in the second half and won the game. All questions now will deal with Herbert's status. He was injured late in the first period on a sack and heavily injured his right shoulder. The Ducks do not say much more, but a program source said that Herbert would have an MRI on Eugene 's shoulder and that they would leave from there. The doctors on the team made the decision to hold Herbert for the second half.
"He fired," said Cristobal.
More on this in a little bit. But first, after the match, an unusual scene in a pouring rain deserves our full attention. Because the Ducks were leaving the field and getting ready to climb the ramp and get to the locker room on the other side of the street, UO Sports Director Rob Mullens, s & # Is positioned at the foot of the ramp and began to hug people.
He hugged his team, Cristobal, who was soaked to the bone, but who broke an 8-4 record in his first season as a Ducks coach. He hugged elders Ugo Amadi and Haki Woods. Then senior Devin Melendez. And Mullens was also looking for Tony Brooks-James, whom he would find later, with his right leg tied, crossing the corridor of Gill Coliseum with a pair of crutches.
"These seniors have been coached by three senior coaches in three seasons," Mullens said. "They gave so much to the Ducks, I'm very grateful to them."
It was a refreshing scene to see the guy accused of generating $ 115 million in revenue for the sports department, stopping to thank the workers who were leaving the factory. Mullens is the chair of the selection committee for the university football playoffs. He presided over the most successful period in the history of the OU Sports Department. But in the end, it's a guy who must be right to call on Cristobal.
Cristobal gave Mullens an elegant look on Friday.
Consider that the offensive line of Cristobal was destroyed. In addition, consider that Herbert played less than two quarters. Everyone in the stadium knew that Braxton Burmeister (1 against 2) was not a threat to toss the ball. In addition, receiver Dillon Mitchell (Discipline) played but was essentially a parade sitting on the floor with a towel on his head at one point in the second half.
In the middle of that, the state of Oregon would definitely charge the defense and try to beat Burmeister. Before the kickoff of the second half, Cristobal brought the offensive line closer and barked.
The Ducks were going to run the ball.
Do not try. They were going to do it. This kind of speech.
Oregon rushed for 392 yards in the game. Travis Dye was 199. Judge Verdell added 187. The defensive front of the state of Oregon has been reduced to shreds.
Some moments of the season have made you wonder about the program's trajectory. Performance in the first period against the state of Washington and Arizona, for sure. The victory that has somehow turned into a defeat against Stanford, maybe. But Friday, Cristobal proved he was able to win a convincing victory in the pouring rain, with a patchwork team, against a rival who wanted to ruin his season.
Oregon had a lot of energy on the sidelines. His game plan was smart. And the players executed.
"You must like this rain," Cristobal said as he emerged from the field, winning.
When Willie Taggart left for Florida State, Mullens interviewed Cristobal, Defense Coordinator Jim Leavitt, Bryan Harsin of Boise State and Arizona coach Kevin Sumlin. He also spoke on the phone with Cal's coach, Justin Wilcox. Given that Taggart and his agent Brian Sexton played against Mullens during his trip to Florida, and that Mullens missed the trial by granting a $ 17.5 million extension to Mark Helfrich before dismissing him 22 months later, Mullens needs a favorable outcome.
He bet on Cristobal. Then we doubled our budget by sending $ 1.7 million a year to Leavitt to make him happy not to get the job. It was a strong game of an AD who knew he had to make one.
Mullens said Friday after the match: "I love his leadership, he's recruiting the right kind of kids, on and off the pitch, he has an excellent long-term vision."
Cristobal beat Washington, interrupting a two-part program by losing his skate. He survived Chip Kelly's return by defeating UCLA by three touchdowns. And now, he now has a victory of the Civil War. This is not yet a conference title. Oregon will not participate in a big game of bowls, but that's exactly what Cristobal and Mullens needed during the first year of their rebuilding.
Yes, their rebuild. Cristobal and Mullens are in the same boat now. This is evident with the visible presence of Mullens after the match. In one season, Cristobal (eight wins) beat Taggart (seven) in the Ducks.
So what's left of Cristobal?
Win a bowl game. After a season of nine wins for the first time in his coaching career. Also hold this recruiting course and perhaps persuade Herbert, who is now a question mark for the bowl game, that it's worth returning for another season to Eugene.
The injury to Herbert is an interesting development. Because it underlines the fragility of his situation. This is a lottery ticket and a first-round pick from the NFL. And while I think there's a huge development opportunity for next season, I'm not convinced that offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo will be of benefit to Herbert unless he leads the way. And we all just remember that Herbert is human.
It's an injury to the shoulder, be sure. Duck coaches did not think it sounded like a sideline. But Herbert grimaced and the team's doctors looked at it and felt that it was best to avoid any further contact.
Herbert, however, did not escape a gentle hug from Mullens.
The AD Ducks all kissed them on Friday.
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