Are Oregon Athletics Losing Their Elite Status?
In league with Alabama, Florida and Ohio State, the University of Oregon has earned the right to be labelled an elite athletic school. Their football, cross country and track teams have long dominated, and the recent emergence of baseball, girls’ volleyball and men’s basketball has transformed Oregon into an all-around athletic college.
Since the turn of the century, the football team has participated in a bowl game every year except 2004. Of those 15 games, they won eight, including two Rose Bowls. They played in the BCS National Championship Game twice; however, falling short to Auburn and Ohio State respectively. In the same amount of time, Oregon cross country has won three NCAA Championships, two by the men’s team and one by the women’s. Additionally, men’s track went back to back in 2014 and 2015, while women’s also took the title in 2015 to complete the sweep.
This fall, however, Oregon sports aren’t living up to their reputation or full capability. Volleyball, a team boasting nine straight AIAW and NCAA Tournament appearances as well as a second place finish in 2012, snapped their 11 game win streak and have dropped three of the last five matches. Following two straight Pac-12 losses, Oregon bounced back to beat #20 Utah and therefore maintained their top 25 ranking. The girls showed fight, winning two straight sets after falling behind 2-1 to reach victory. Taylor Agost, Lindsey Vander Weide and Ronika Stone controlled the net, tallying seven more blocks than Utah, which proved key in pulling out the final few points to win the fifth set 15-11.
In their three most recent defeats to Washington, UCLA and USC, the Duck blockers were either evenly matched or outperformed by the opposing front line. They experienced troubles putting shots away as the backrow did well in terms of digs and assists. In all three losses, Oregon hit at a much lower percentage than their opponent. However, in the victory against Utah, Oregon hit over .200 in all five sets, while Utah only did so in three. If the trend continues, the Ducks could climb the NCAA rankings with victories over unranked Colorado, Arizona and Arizona State before a punctual rematch versus Washington.
Another Oregon team to snap their losing streak was girls’ soccer. They had lost seven straight games, with the last win dating back to September 11th against Cal State Fullerton. Finally, on October 20th, they found victory against the Arizona Wildcats, a win that also marked their first Pac-12 win this season. In all seven losses, the Ducks encountered possession issues, which enables opposing teams to see more shots on goal. The lack of possession also led to the failure to score more than one goal in a game, a feat they achieved only twice during the losing streak.
In the 1-0 win over Arizona on Thursday, Oregon’s defensive woes continued as they allowed ten corner kicks and eight shots on goal. Fortunately, goalkeeper Halla Hinriksdottir came to play by making six saves, her highest mark this season. The lone goal came off a deflection finished by Redshirt Senior midfielder Maryn Beutler, her second goal this year. Despite mediocre play from the Ducks, they managed to collect their first Pac-12 win. The team must now prepare for the final four games of the season, including the Civil War match on November 4th at home.
Perhaps the most notable and gut wrenching losing streak of Oregon athletics is the football team. Recording their fifth straight loss in Friday’s game against California in overtime helped the team obtain their most consecutive losses in the last 20 years. The blame for such uncharacteristic play is spread thinly over coaching, defense and the quarterback situation.
Despite their short tenures with Oregon, head coach Mark Helfrich along with defensive coordinator Brady Hoke find themselves on the hot seat. While Oregon losses can be attributed to several factors, all eyes are on these two. The defense is historically bad, conceding 43 points a game on average and nearly 50 in the past five losses including a 70 point thrashing by #5 Washington. While adjustments have undoubtedly been made, no positive outcome has resulted causing fans to demand a change in coaching. After the overtime loss to the Cal Bears, no such firing occurred, hinting a more tolerant approach by the higher-ups in the Oregon organization.
One player with the ability to save Helfrich and Hoke’s positions is true freshman quarterback Justin Herbert. In two games, he’s thrown eight touchdowns and two interceptions, a solid ratio for his first college games; though, both interceptions came at crucial points. His first college-level throw ended up in the hands of a Washington defender, starting a point-by-point landslide by UW. The second ended an Oregon comeback versus California in a possible turnaround game for the struggling Ducks. Despite recording losses in each game he’s started, Herbert’s starting position appears to be safe. Improved play by Herbert coupled with wins from the Ducks could save Helfrich and Hoke.
The football team’s next game is against Arizona State October 29th in Eugene, where they’ll look to secure their first Pac 12 victory. With only five games remaining in the season, the Ducks’ bowl chances look slim. 2016 could be the first year since 2004 that they haven’t played in a bowl and would certainly provide impetus for the firing of Helfrich and Hoke.
All is not lost for Oregon athletics. In the fall, Oregon’s volleyball has maintained their rank in the top 25 and the cross country team continues its domination with 1-2 finishes in Pre-Nationals. Looking ahead to the winter, both men and women’s basketball carry the potential to rejuvenate Oregon fans and students alike. Men’s basketball reached the Elite 8 in last year’s March Madness tournament, falling to Oklahoma and Wooden Award recipient Buddy Hield. They’re currently ranked #5 by USA Today’s Coaches Poll behind powerhouses Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and reigning champions Villanova. Returners Dillon Brooks and Chris Boucher are ready to lead the team to another March Madness tournament, where they hope to surpass last year’s milestone and make the Final Four.
