After beating rival Washington 45-24 in their toughest game of the season thus far, the Oregon Ducks are already looking to next week against Washington State.

During Sunday evening’s conference call, head coach Mark Helfrich hinted that the Cougars appear better than what the stat sheet displays.

“They are a lot better from a talent point and scheme point than what their numbers indicate, certainly on defense,” Helfrich said. “Coach Leach has done a great job running their system. They have done a great job in the special teams.”

In regard to the Ducks’ game against Washington, Helfrich mentioned the physicality throughout the game and was impressed with how his team responded to it.

“It was definitely a very physical game. I thought as the game wore on that was something that would come to our advantage. Wade Keliikipi really showed up big,” Helfrich said. “He kept bringing it and eventually broke through. DeForest Buckner did the same thing. As a group I thought our offensive line played their most intense game of the year so that’s a good thing.

The Ducks had a scary moment in the second quarter on Saturday when senior wide receiver Josh Huff injured his right ankle and needed to be helped off the field by two offensive linemen.

After the game, Huff said that it was suggested that he didn’t go in the second half, but the wide receiver opted to, anyway. Helfrich said that a situation like that often depends on the nature of injury.

“If Josh has an option and a say he is going to do everything he can,” Helfrich said.

Heading into the game against Washington, one of the biggest questions surrounding the Ducks was if they could handle pressure situations, which they had yet to face in their five previous games. Helfrich said that it was the team’s preparation in practice that helped it stay composed on Saturday.

“I think that hopefully you just trust your training,” Helfrich said. “We try to make things as uncomfortable in practice but have fun still, work hard, compete and be tough, all the things that need to show up in a game and I think those were all things that showed up in the third and fourth quarter of that game.”

The biggest shocker in the Pac-12 this past weekend was No. 5 Stanford falling to unranked Utah. Although some could suggest that the Cardinal loss could imply that Oregon has an even better shot at clinching the Pac-12 North, Helfrich said that it doesn’t change anything for his team heading into the rest of the season.

“It doesn’t change our mentality at all. If anything it just reinforces that you have to handle your business,” Helfrich said. “We have to prepare to play our best regardless of who we are playing. You can’t worry about anyone else but yourself.”

Kickoff time for Oregon’s game against the Washington State Cougars is set for 7 p.m. at Autzen Stadium.

Resilience is a trait that some athletes possess.

Today, in Oregon’s 45-24 victory over the Washington Huskies, Josh Huff proved he is that type of football player.

In the second quarter, Huff collided with teammate and offensive lineman Hroniss Grasu and appeared to be in severe pain while grabbing his right ankle. Huff couldn’t even put weight on his leg and was helped off the field by his teammates.

As the senior wide receiver approached the sideline, there were multiple trainers attending to him, as well as many coaches and players checking on him.

From the looks of it, Huff would not be returning.

“I just thought the worst possible scenario. Even they didn’t know what was wrong with it at first,” Huff said.

To the surprise of many, Huff returned to the game and instantly made a statement.

After a 60-yard touchdown rush from Bishop Sankey, putting the Ducks only ahead by one touchdown, Huff helped Oregon’s offense respond with a 65-yard touchdown catch, giving the Ducks a 28-14 lead.

When asked about how he felt coming back onto the field Huff said, “100 percent mentality but not physically.”

Initially, Huff stated that he was alarmed when he heard a pop as he was out on the field.

“Anytime you hear a pop, it normally doesn’t go well,” Huff said. “I just had God on my side. I just had faith that if I was able to move my ankle and get it mobilized and do cuts and sprint out the ball, then I was able to go.”

Huff did have an x-ray as he went into the locker room and the results were negative, giving him the clearance to go out to battle again.

With today’s game marking the last time he would ever face the Huskies, the Texas native said that played an important role in his return.

“I didn’t want this to be my last game versus the Huskies and the way I went out, I didn’t want it to be like this,” Huff said. “I sucked it up … I was able to come in and contribute to the team.”

Although many were shocked to see him back on the field, a few people weren’t, one being his teammate and fellow wide receiver Bralon Addison.

“I wasn’t surprised at all. That guy is a fighter” Addison said. “He came in the sideline in pain and we were all praying for him … He’s so tough mentally and physically, I knew he was going to come back.”

Addison also added that Huff often practices through injuries instead of resting for the game.

“He’s something special,” Addison said.

In the post-game interviews, head coach Mark Helfrich echoed a similar statement.

“Nothing surprises me with that guy,” Helfrich said. “He’s a tough, tough dude. He’s grown up so much since he’s been here.”

Huff finished the game with six catches for 107 yards and one touchdown.

“Anytime I get injured or anytime I deal with an injury I just made a commitment to my team and that I was going to give it my all,” Huff said. “I wanted to compete in this game, compete with my teammates and take care of the dawgs.”

Every week during football season, our sports staff will discuss different topics around an upcoming game. Today, sports editor Beth Maiman and sports reporters Andrew Bantly and Jonathan Hawthorne discuss Saturday’s matchup between Oregon and Washington.
1) What mascot head will Corso put on?
Beth Maiman – I think Corso will pull a fast one and be sporting a Husky on his head. Although I believe the Ducks will take home the “W,” Corso loves to ignite a crowd and that’s exactly what will happen on the heart of UW’s campus come early Saturday morning.

Andrew Bantly – With this game being in Seattle, Lee Corso has a tough decision to make. After seeing Washington play Stanford as well as one could without getting the win it makes predicting this game even harder. But with that said, Corso’s past picks show he has no problem with picking teams on the road. So expect to see the Oregon Duck mask Corso on Saturday.

Jonathan Hawthorne – Corso will reach for and pull out the Duck mascot head much to the dismay of thousands of Washington fans gathered in Red Square on the campus of UW.

2) Score Prediction?

Beth Maiman – Oregon should be able to pick up the win, but it won’t be an easy task. The Ducks often come out a little slow in the first quarter, as seen in Colorado, and they can’t afford that on Saturday playing their toughest competition so far this season on the road. I think it will be close the whole first half, with the Huskies having the lead heading into the locker room at halftime. However, Oregon will have a strong second half and win 45-38.

Andrew Bantly – Washington scored 28 points against Stanford and though the Oregon Defense practices with the fast paced offense all week long, I can’t see Washington scoring less than they did when they played Stanford. In addition their Stanford game was in Stanford, CA. With my prediction I expect the Oregon offense to continue their success they’ve had all year. Oregon wins 42-31.

Jonathan Hawthorne – Oregon will continue its Pac-12 rampage and dominance with a win over the Huskies in their new stadium. The Huskies will be able to keep up with the Ducks until the fourth quarter, but the Ducks will prevail. Final score: Oregon 42, Washington 35.
3)Who will throw for more yards, Price or Mariota?
Beth Maiman – After Price’s gutsy effort in Stanford, it will be hard to have another outstanding performance like that. Although Price is more than capable of throwing for 300 yards, Mariota will edge him out in this battle. The offense of Oregon will be too much to contain for the Huskies come the second half and Mariota will shine then making some big plays.

Andrew Bantly – Keith Price threw the football 48 times against Stanford completing 33 of those passes, by far the most he has thrown this year. Meanwhile Mariota has thrown over 30 times just once this year (33 vs Tennessee), but Mariota typically doesn’t finish the games he starts due to the large lead they usually have early into the game. Mariota will be tested against his first ranked opponent, while Price has already faced two top 25 teams. I expect Mariota to throw around 375 yards and Price throwing about 325.
Jonathan Hawthorne – Price will throw for more yards because Washington will be playing from behind and forced to air it out. Price is averaging 278 passing yards per game this year, and will find himself adding to that total. Oregon’s defense will intercept Price and give Mariota and the offense great field position. Washington and Oregon are ranked 24th and 25th in the nation in total passing yards, respectively.

4) Which freshman will have the biggest game?

Beth Maiman – I think kicker Matt Wogan will be put in some pressure situations and come through. Also, I wouldn’t be surprised if Thomas Tyner had a few explosive moments if De’Anthony Thomas is sidelined.
Andrew Bantly – In a game that can come down to just a few points in a high pressure situation every play will be under the spotlight. Though this freshman won’t have the biggest game, he might have the greatest impact on the game when it is all said in done. Freshman kicker Matt Wogan could get the call to kick a game winner. Matt Wogan has only one field goal attempt this year where he made a 38-yarder against Tennessee.
Jonathan Hawthorne – Tight end Johnny Mundt will step up as the starter in place of Colt Lyerla. Mundt will continue to be an offensive threat for Mariota and impress Duck fans as a freshman.
Will De’Anthony Thomas play? 

Beth Maiman – Yes. Although it is up in the air if Thomas will play on Saturday, having his appearance in the game “questionable” might be to keep Washington guessing. After practice on Wednesday, Thomas stated that he wants to play and won’t make an appearance on the field until he feels 100 percent. However, in a big rivalry game like this I would be surprised if Thomas didn’t at least attempt to see some playing time.

Andrew Bantly – No. Though it might be considered “playing it safe,” I don’t think that the Oregon Ducks are willing to lose Thomas for possibly longer if he did play and injured himself again. I think the Ducks will wait until Thomas is fully recovered. To lose Thomas against Washington is one thing but to lose Thomas against Stanford would really hurt Oregon’s chances at the National Championship. Washington has a strong defense but backups Byron Marshall and Thomas Tyner are very good running backs themselves, averaging around 6 yards-per-carry.

Jonathan Hawthorne – In the Ducks’ biggest game of the season, Oregon will rely on its superstar, the speedy De’Anthony Thomas to ignite its offense and make game-changing plays down the stretch. There’s no doubt that Thomas will play, even if he’s not 100 percent healthy.

**Editor’s Note: Each week during football season we will feature an essay from the opponent’s student newspaper on how Oregon will lose. This week’s edition is from Kevin Dowd, @KevinDowd, sports columnist, at Washington’s The Daily.** 

Let us return to Aug. 10, 2013, when the Emerald published a story headlined, “How will the coming Oregon football season unfold?” Therein lay predictions for each of the Ducks’ games this season. (Predictions that have proven startlingly accurate so far, by the way — is there a forecasting major down there they don’t mention in the brochures?)

At the bottom of the section describing Saturday’s “ever-so appealing” hatefest between the Ducks and Huskies lies the following scoreline:

Washington: 48. Oregon: 45.

You don’t need me to tell you why the Huskies will beat the Ducks. You already know.

Bishop Sankey is the finest running back in the nation. Shaq Thompson’s dreadlocks have healing powers. Steve Sarkisian’s boat is called Noah Sark not because that is a cute pun, but because he is the globe’s only hope in the face of rising sea levels. Justin Wilcox might actually be a sorcerer. Kasen Williams can leap buildings (or, at least, Washington State cornerbacks) in a single bound.

Or so it seems to UW fans, whose collective starvation for a winning team has led to these Huskies being treated like manna from heaven, even after a close loss to Stanford last week. Sure, the wattage from Keith Price’s smile doesn’t actually power the lights at Husky Stadium, and the only magic being performed by Wilcox is that weird thing he does with his tongue on the sideline. But the UW does have its best shot in a decade at upending Oregon.

If it happens, it will start with the Husky front seven, which will simply have to get penetration into the Oregon backfield to have any chance at slowing down the Ducks. If Thompson and Travis Feeney can knife through the line of scrimmage like they did against Stanford, Oregon will be forced into second- and third-and-longs. Getting the Ducks off schedule is the best hope to stop a tidal wave of points.

Offensively, the Huskies should assume they need a touchdown on every single drive. This will be no day for punts from midfield on fourth-and-four. Sankey must play like he has the past 10 games, in which he’s averaging 150 yards per outing. The size and brawn of receivers Kasen Williams and Kevin Smith could give the UW an advantage outside on Oregon’s slightly undersized secondary.

Oregon has been the third most-potent offense in the nation thus far on a per-play basis, but the UW has boasted the third stoutest defense in the country by the same measure. Marcus Mariota may actually be this good, but odds are he’ll see a dip in production against what is by far the best defense he’s faced. And if the sophomore has a true off game, the door could open for Price to again flash the late-game heroics he showed against the Cardinal.

It’s all ifs and buts for the UW, though, because if Oregon plays its best, the Ducks should win running away.

But the Huskies just might do it, because 10 years is a very long time, and because, lo, it hath been foretold: Washington 48, Oregon 45.

The folks at The Emerald seem like smart people.

After cruising to a 5-0 record with a win against the Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday, the Ducks are already looking ahead to their next match-up against Pac-12 North rival Washington.

Saturday night at Stanford Stadium, the Huskies were able to hold their own against the No. 5 Cardinal due to the valiant efforts of quarterback Keith Price.

“They are playing really well, in all three phases,” head coach Mark Helfrich said in Sunday’s conference call. “They had some break downs special-teams wise that I think will get cleaned up, played really hard, played really well, and it will be two really good teams on display.”

Yesterday it was announced that ESPN College Game Day would be heading to Seattle, adding more buildup to an already huge showdown between two ranked teams.

However, even with the added hype heading into Saturday’s game, Helfrich said that he doesn’t think the veterans on the team will be fazed.

“We have had a bunch of guys that have been in a bunch of big games,” Helfrich said. “Obviously for our newcomers who haven’t played a ton there will be some element of newness. You package that with a new stadium, the history of the rivalry and it will be a certainly different flavor.”

In addition, Helfrich said the wide receivers will have their hands full in Seattle.

“We try to prepare the same for everybody. Our guys have set a very high standard and our expectations and their expectations are extremely high,” Helfrich said. “Anytime we are not knocking those standards over we want to improve and that will start with how we prepare and that but the actual structure of how we do things will not be any different.”

Tight end Colt Lyerla, who didn’t travel with the squad for violating team rules, missed the game against Colorado.

Helfrich stated in Sunday’s conference call that Colt returned to team activities and participated in treatment. However, it was announced Sunday night after the conference call that Lyerla is no longer with the team. With Lyerla gone, tight end Pharaoh Brown saw action after coming off an injury he suffered all fall camp.

“It’s nice to be back after sitting out the whole month of fall camp of watching football and not being able to play. It’s good to just be able to be back and just running around again,” Brown said.

Helfrich echoed that Brown has the ability to be a solid tight end for the Ducks.

“Pharaoh has all the tools. He’s got size, he’s (got) good speed, he’s got good hands. He can be a complete player, he’s one of those guys that needs to play,” Helfrich said. “He played some last year as a true freshman. His ability and desire are in the right direction.”

A concerning note for the Ducks after Saturday’s game was at the back-up quarterback position, where Jake Rodrigues and Jeff Lockie had moments to prove themselves in the game and fell short, both throwing interceptions.

“It’s frustrating when anybody turns the ball over,” Helfrich said. “It’s always tough in that position for those guys, because it’s kinda their time to shine and I think by human nature that is something we have to prepare against sometimes … they want to force things a little bit of make a spectacular play instead of just running the show.”

Heading into Oregon’s game today against Colorado, one of the biggest match-ups to watch was star wide receiver Paul Richardson against the Ducks’ secondary, led by cornerbacks Terrance Mitchell and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu.

And all it took was Colorado’s first offensive play of the game to prove why.

The junior wide receiver, who leads the nation in receiving yards per game with 162.3, beat Mitchell down the sideline to catch a 55-yard pass from quarterback Connor Wood to put the Buffaloes in scoring position at Oregon’s 30-yard line.

The talent of Richardson appeared to be the first true challenge for Oregon’s secondary so far this season.

“We got tested, they did make a few plays, we just got to learn from them,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell said that after what happened in the first quarter today, the team will take this as a learning experience coming into the next game and the rest of the season, but both Oregon cornerbacks couldn’t deny that Richardson’s talent was some of the best they have ever faced.

“I can’t knock him, he did good,” Mitchell said. ”He (Richardson) was a little better than I expected.”

Mitchell also stated that he couldn’t even make up an excuse for the first play to Richardson and said he needs to be locked in.

Mitchell was able to redeem getting beat on the first play of the game by picking off two of Wood’s passes today. However, the junior from Sacramento, Calif. wasn’t completely satisfied.

“As a competitor, I rather have zero completions than picks. Picks are important but I would of rather held him to zero catches,” Mitchell said.

Ekpre-Olomu agreed and stated that Richardson was one of the best down-field receivers he has ever faced.

“I thought he was a good receiver. They put him in ways that he can get the ball in the open field and made it difficult on our defensive backs. He is a good receiver, so far one of the best that I have played this year,” Ekpre-Olomu said.

Defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti echoed that the team did not come out as focused as he would of hoped.

“We didnt start very well,” Aliotti said. “I don’t know if we had their full attention, there’s no excuse about that.”

However, Aliotti stated that at halftime he had some words for the team, urging them to wake up and reminding them that this is not how they play.

“I was not happy with the way it started, but all in all … the third down defense was really good … the red zone defense was really good. We settled down and we got their attention.”

Allioti said that he always encourages his unit to not even get into red-zone situations and to shut every team down, but realized that in the tough game of football that is not always realistic.

“I’d love for us to think that we want to shut everybody out and not let them score at all, but in today’s football game it’s hard … it’s such a spread game that all it takes is one great athlete beating another great athlete, and that Paul Richardson was a really good football player. He had a really great game and he played well.”

In the Ducks’ first Pac-12 road game of the season, Oregon leads the Colorado Buffaloes 43-16 at halftime at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo.

In a match-up where many predicted the game would be over before it started, the Colorado Buffaloes had the No. 2 Oregon Ducks appearing rattled, at least for the first five minutes of the game.

Colorado attempted to catch the Ducks off-guard with an onside kick for the start of the game, but the Ducks were not fazed and started their first offensive drive at the 50-yard line. However, with running back Byron Marshall not finding any room and Mariota throwing two incomplete passes, Oregon couldn’t take advantage and were forced to punt.

As Colorado’s offense took the field, all eyes were on star wide receiver Paul Richardson, who proved instantly why he leads the nation in receiving yards per game.

Richardson raced down the sideline for a huge 55-yard reception, setting up the Buffaloes with a 33-yard field goal.

Oregon’s offense took the field again and with the help of wide receiver Josh Huff’s big 39-yard reception the Ducks got their first touchdown of the game with a two-yard rushing touchdown from quarterback Marcus Mariota. With tight end Colt Lyerla not traveling with the team for today’s game, back-up Pharaoh Brown ran in for the two-point conversion, giving the Ducks a 8-3 lead.

Colorado was able to answer back with a 75-yard trick play with Richardson throwing to D.D. Goodson for a touchdown, bringing the fans of Folsom Field on to their feet screaming and giving the Buffaloes a 10-8 lead.

Providing a spark on defense for the Ducks, was cornerback Terrence Mitchell, who picked off two of Connor Wood’s passes in the first quarter.

With running back De’Anthony Thomas out with an ankle injury, freshman Thomas Tyner saw action today and exploded as soon as he touched the ball, running for 28 yards and picking up a touchdown in the first quarter.

Also contributing to Oregon on offense were wide receivers Keanon Lowe, with a 17-yard touchdown, and Bralon Addison, who had an impressive game on special teams last week versus Cal, caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from Mariota, which was the quarterback’s career-high.

With the help of Richardson, the Buffaloes were able to tack on two more field goals and keeping themselves in the game and trailing Oregon 29-16 halfway through the second quarter.

Rounding out the scoring for the half, was Mariota, who picked up another rushing touchdown, this one for one yard and Huff who caught his 100th reception of his career just before picking up the Ducks last touchdown of the half, giving Oregon a 43-16 lead.

What to look for in the second half

Running game and tight end.

With injuries and absences at both positions, the second half could provide opportunities for both the back-up running backs and tight ends. Freshman running back Tyner looked and tight end Brown has seen the most action so far this season, coming off an injury.

Richardson against the secondary. 

There is no doubt the Richardson is a stellar wide receiver. The junior had three receptions for 114 yards. The battle of his talent versus the strong secondary of Oregon should continue to be a match-up to watch for the second half as well.

When aumni return to their alma mater for a football weekend, activities usually include reminiscing around campus and hitting up the bar where they spent most nights (or mornings.) Come game day, the itinerary calls for tailgating and catching up with old friends before kickoff. While most Colorado alumni will be in the stands cheering for the Buffaloes on Saturday, Cha’pelle Brown will be on the sidelines, wearing the opposing team’s colors. 

Saturday’s game against Colorado isn’t just another day on the job for Brown, it’s a reunion for the Oregon defensive backs graduate assistant coach. He’s looking forward to the trip Boulder, Colo., and isn’t losing sleep over having to face off against the school he once called home.

“It’s fun to go back and see some friends and some family,” Brown said. ” Torn? No, I’m a Duck.”

Brown was a standout cornerback at Colorado from 2006-2009, recording 257 career tackles for the Buffaloes and finishing 26th on Colorado’s all-time defensive list. Brown played in a total of 46 games for Colorado and was named the team’s most valuable player his senior year, earning honors as an all-Big 12 conference selection.

Originally from the Los Angeles area, Brown was a graduate assistant last season at Colorado. He found his way to Oregon through connections with head coach Mark Helfrich, who was the offensive coordinator at Colorado when Brown played there.

“The craziest part is not really that he coached me, but more that he was an offensive coach and I was a defensive player,” Brown said. “So that was a cool thing to be able to take care of business and do things right to get the opportunity to get on this staff.”

Only four years removed from being a student-athlete, Brown said he is really only familiar with the players, since Mike MacIntyre is in his first year as Colorado’s head coach.

“I just know the players. I don’t know the system or the coaches,” said Brown.

Despite his time as a Buffalo being formative in his career, Brown is glad to be part of the Oregon coaching staff and hopes to use his experience to positively affect the Ducks’ performance on the field this year.

“Colorado was a huge part of my growth,” Brown said. “I miss some of the experiences with the teammates, but I am glad to be here.”

On a day-by-day basis, Brown works frequently with secondary coach John Neal and his responsibilities lay within helping the defensive backs.

“It’s a great opportunity to work with a great coach,” Brown said. “[Neal] allows me to be hands on with him and I just work with the defensive backs.”

Coaching has always been something in the cards for Brown. Even when he was still playing football he knew he’d end up on the sideline coaching younger men, making the transition fairly seamless.

“I think I always knew I wanted to be a coach. As a player that was the type of player I was,” he said. “So I just knew when it was done. Greg Brown asked me to coach and it was something we all knew that I was all going to be a coach afterwards, so it wasn’t a long journey. It was easy.”

After keeping in contact with some of Colorado’s players, Brown is excited to reunite with a few old friends, but he’s committed to not letting the memories and former teammates distract him from this weekend’s goal: walking away with a win.

**Editor’s Note: Each week during football season we will feature an essay from the opponent’s student newspaper on how Oregon will lose. This week’s edition is from Jillian Arja, @JillianArja, sports editor, at Colorado’s CU Independent.** 

Have you ever seen a duck fight a buffalo? Probably not because it would not be much of a show. The buffalo would stomp on the duck, and that would be the end of it.

That is how this weekend’s football game between the Oregon Ducks and the Colorado Buffaloes is going to go. By the end of the fourth quarter, there will be no ducks left.

I am not going to deny that Oregon is a good football team. The stats will show you they are. But when it comes to fight and courage, my Buffaloes will outmatch the Ducks in every category.

Oregon does have some great competitors on the bench. But come Saturday, they will be heading where the buffalo roam. These little ducklings better have more than a good running game to score and win as they enter Folsom Field.

With Oregon’s leading rusher De’Anthony Thomas sitting out from a leg injury, Oregon is going to have to come up with a Plan B for this weekend’s game.

Colorado does have weapons of its own on the field. Running back Paul Richardson and quarterback Connor Wood lead a great offensive attack. They have combined for some impressive touchdowns, 82 yards, 75 yards and 55 yards respectively.

Oregon comes into this game, ranked third in the Pac-12 and undefeated. They average 332.5 rushing yards per game, which is the most in the nation.

These Ducks will be entering the land of the Buffalo, however. After a perfect start to the season, the Ducks will earn their first loss of the season Saturday afternoon.

If you’re one of the millions who watch ESPN’s SportsCenter nightly, you would probably recognize Oregon alumus Neil Everett, who has been anchoring the show since 2000.

Everett, who worked in Hawaii before ESPN, is known for adding a little Hawaiian flare into his broadcasting style and coining the catchphrase “Bartender, Jack!” in reference to home runs during baseball highlights.

In 2009, Everett moved from ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn., to a new studio in Los Angeles to host the 1 a.m. airing of SportsCenter with Stan Verrett.

Everett stopped by the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication on Saturday before heading to Autzen Stadium for the California game. He talked about his experience as a student and a professional, as well as to offer advice.

“Don’t ever be afraid to be yourself because that’s what you got,” Everett said.

The Oregon native also spoke about one of the highlights of his career: interviewing John Wooden for the basketball coach’s last television interview.

After the discussion, the Emerald sat down with Everett to discuss how the UO, along with the football program, has changed since he was a student.

“[The campus] just seems so much bigger now when I walk through it than I remember. The colors seem more vibrant, but maybe that’s because my eyes are clearer,” Everett said. “As I was walking here today I was just thinking, ‘God, what a beautiful place this is to go to school.’”

The anchor also spoke about how the football team is radically different in its recent years of success compared to when he was a student. Everett stated that although he would go to Oregon football games, most students would not be as interested.

“People who have expectations that are if Oregon doesn’t play in a BCS game then it’s been a failure of a season, they need a history lesson in Oregon football. If Oregon goes to the Holiday Bowl … or if Oregon goes to a bowl game that is not the Rose Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl, the Sugar Bowl … that doesn’t mean it’s been a disappointing season,”  Everett said.

“We are the only team that has been in a BCS bowl game for four straight years. That’s going to end at some point. I don’t think that necessarily means it’s a disappointing season,” Everett said.

Everett went on to say that fans should have high expectations but should be flexible about lowering them at the same time. He touched upon how football has altered the identity of UO.

“You could get into a whole conversation with athletics and academics,” Everett said. “The matter of the fact is that the football team has helped spread the image of the University of Oregon, for the most part in a positive light, so that’s good for everybody.”

Although, if the Ducks do make it to Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 6 for the BCS championship game, Everett hopes to be in attendance — only, of course,  if SportsCenter will give him the day off.

“I hope [ESPN] would give it to me,” Everett said. “They wouldn’t give me the Rose Bowls off when I asked for it, so we would go and then we would have to leave in the third quarter. I hope they would, but I can’t guarantee it.”

When asked if hosting SportsCenter is as fun as it appears, Everett said yes but also relayed that there are some challenging moments.

“When we are on the air that’s fun, pretty much. I mean there are some stories that aren’t fun to talk about, but they have to be talked about. For the most part it is very fun to be on the air. Sometimes the preparation is not what you wish it was. It’s a great gig … I am a 50- year-old guy talking about sports. I am very blessed that that is my job.”