Football Practice Report: Sept. 6 – GoDucks.com

The Ducks are preparing to play their home opener in Autzen Stadium vs. Eastern Washington on Saturday (5:30 p.m., Pac-12).
Rob Moseley
Venue: Outdoor practice fields
Format: Full pads

Following a day off Sunday, the Oregon football team resumed practice Monday and was back in full pads for another workout Tuesday morning.
The Ducks are turning the page following their season-opening loss to Georgia, and looking ahead to Saturday’s home opener in Autzen Stadium against Eastern Washington (5:30 p.m., Pac-12 Network). The trip to Atlanta didn’t work out the way Oregon had hoped, but it’s a new week. The relentless grind of a college football season doesn’t leave time to dwell on the past.
"I feel like all the guys are on track with flipping the page, making sure we move on," UO running back Sean Dollars said.
Emotionally, it’s imperative the Ducks quickly move on. Tactically, though, elements of the Georgia game are still resonating for Oregon.
If a team doesn’t fix an issue from one game, the next opponent is liable to try to exploit it. Georgia found success attacking the perimeter of Oregon’s defense, and so the Ducks have been taking steps this week to address that.
"You recreate those exact same moments that happened in the game, and you try and recreate them in practice," UO coach Dan Lanning said at his weekly press conference with local media Monday evening. "… So today we had ‘bubble’ drill; tomorrow we’re going to have ‘mod bracket’ drill. We’re going to add some elements where the ball’s thrown on the edge (and) we’ve gotta go win on the perimeter – strike, disengage blocks, be the difference – or make blocks to create those explosive plays."

Gonzalez Practice
Along with technical elements of the game, Lanning said the Ducks can also be better prepared in future weeks by raising the intensity in practice. He talks regularly of wanting to make practice harder than a game, but said it was apparent Saturday that hadn’t been the case last week.
So a goal this week, before the Ducks even take the field in Autzen to face Eastern Washington on Saturday, is to set the tone Monday through Friday in practice.
"Practice always has to be harder than the game," Dollars said Tuesday. "When practice is harder than the game, you go out there in the game and are comfortable. When you up the tempo in practice – hit harder (like) we’re supposed to, thud up like we need to – we’re going to have good results on Saturday."
Notable: Defensive lineman Popo Aumavae will miss this season due to a foot injury, Lanning said Monday. Aumavae didn’t play in Saturday’s season opener. … Offensive lineman Ryan Walk was injured in the game against Georgia, but that doesn’t appear to be a long-term issue, Lanning said. Marcus Harper II replaced Walk at left guard for the remainder of Saturday’s game. … Following Tuesday’s practice, Lanning offered a welcome handshake to the athletic department’s new Senior Associate Athletic Director for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, former Syracuse football student-athlete Da’Mon Merkerson, who began his new job at Oregon on Tuesday.

Kyler Kasper Practice


Quotable:
Sophomore running back Sean Dollars
On being one of five backs to play in the season opener

"I felt like I got in my groove when my opportunity was presented. When your name and number is called, you’re supposed to go out there and do your job. All practice we’ve been through this – fall, summer and spring – so I feel like it just came naturally."

On the 2019 team that bounced back from an opening loss to win the Rose Bowl
"That 2019 team had a lot of leadership, had a lot of guys who understand what it took to get to the top. That’s exactly what we need to display on this team as well. We’ve got a lot of young guys that haven’t necessarily been there yet. So it’s on us, the older guys on the team, to take part and push them to understand what it’s like."

Sophomore offensive lineman Marcus Harper II
On replacing Ryan Walk for the second half of Saturday’s game

"It was 1,014 days since the last time I really contributed to a game (as a high school senior). It was just fun getting back out there. I couldn’t do nothing but give all glory to God, because I’ve been in preparation for about three years."

Post-practice interviews:
Sophomore running back Sean Dollars

Sophomore offensive lineman Marcus Harper II

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