Members of the Oregon women’s tennis team will once again have their work cut out for them this season. The Pac-12 is, after all, one of the stronger conferences in the country.

The Ducks finished last year with a 13-10 overall record, but struggled in conference play finishing 1-9. Stanford won the NCAA women’s national championship last season, although it was UCLA that finished the season first place in the Pac-12.

Junior Nicole Long, who transferred from the University of Oklahoma, finished 22-11 last season and holds the No. 1 singles spot on the team. Last season, Long tacked on 17-straight wins for the Ducks, which marked the squad’s longest streak of the season.

Entering this season as an upperclassman and her second year with Oregon, Long could lead the Ducks again.

In doubles, Long partnered with Patricia Skowronski. The duo went 16-10 overall last season and came up with big wins in doubles against highly ranked Stanford and UCLA. The Ducks will be without Skowronski this season due to graduation as she finished her career winning 58 singles matches and 45 doubles matches.

Oregon’s three seniors on the roster include Lana Buttner, Lena Macomson and Rabea Stueckemann. The team also picked up junior transfer Jasmine Minor from Georgia Tech. Minor completed her sophomore season with a 7-19 record in singles play and 7-18 in doubles.

Rounding out the roster are four freshmen. Two of the four rookies are twins Allie and Kadie Hueffner. The pair hail from Portland and both graduated from Lincoln High School. The sisters won back-to-back Oregon Schools Activities Association state championships in doubles play during their junior and senior years of high school.

In recent news, the team added a new addition to the team when signing Maja Salibasic, who will join the Ducks for the 2014 season.

“I had the opportunity to see Maja play and was impressed with her ability and potential,” head coach Paul Reber told GoDucks.com. “I think she is going to be able to come in January and help the team a great deal.”

Once again, the strong teams in the Pac-12 will create tough competition for Oregon this season. In the ITA team rankings released at the beginning of the year four Pac-12 teams were named in the top 10, with Stanford holding the top spot. UCLA was fifth, followed right behind by USC and California filled in at No. 8.

Starting on Jan. 18, the team will travel to Bloomington, Ind., for the University of Indiana Invitational.

The Ducks will kick off play in Eugene on Friday, Jan. 24 when they face South Carolina Upstate at 4 p.m. Oregon will then face Eastern Washington on that following Sunday. All women’s tennis home matches are held at the Student Tennis Center located on campus.

Follow Beth Maiman on Twitter @bethamaiman

As a student sports journalist this football season, I was no longer a fan.

I understand to some this might be a weird phenomenon, especially in today’s digital journalism world or bloggers and fan websites.

But yes, that’s correct, I haven’t screamed “Go Ducks” in a really long time.

I often hear, “You go to Oregon and you can’t root for the football team?” or “You can’t cheer in the press box when Marcus Mariota throws a touchdown?”

The answer is yes. Boston Globe sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy said it best, “I am here to write, not root.”

However, on Jan. 1, as I laid on my couch trying to remember my precious last moments of 2013, I got to be a fan again.

The Ducks were done playing, there was a great slate of games ahead and the scent of my mother’s home-cooking lingered throughout my family room.

It was something I missed fall term, as the football season meant work and travel. By no means is this a complaint. I am grateful for the opportunity I have as a student, but it was hard going back to the days of watching the game with no deadline or having to check Twitter constantly.

It was simplicity I missed. The chance to just watch the game.

There is an adrenaline rush, a passion unlike others that comes with watching college football.

From the underdog winning in the final minutes and the walk-on seeing the field for the first time in his career to the marching bands and diehard fans, there is an undeniable spirit about college football.

Although I have taken the role of a journalist instead of a fan, as the college season came to a close last night as Auburn faced Florida State in the BCS Championship, here is a look back on some of the best moments, games and stories from this past college football season.

1. Auburn vs. Alabama 

The way this bitter rivalry ended will certainly go in the college football history books. Auburn cornerback Chris Davis caught a missed 57-yard field goal as time expired and rushed to the end zone for a 100-plus-yard winning touchdown. It was epic to say the least and earned the Tigers a spot in the SEC Championship game.

2. Nebraska Hail Mary

A Hail Mary in football may occasionally work while playing Madden, but on the field the success rate is not that impressive. But Nebraska made it happen in the final seconds of its game against Northwestern. Quarterback Ron Kellogg found Jordan Westerkamp in the end zone to give the Cornhuskers the win.

3. The Civil War

For Ducks and Beavers fans this was a Civil War to remember. With 29 seconds left in the game, Mariota found Josh Huff for a 12-yard touchdown, giving the Ducks a 36-35 win over Oregon State. It was Huff’s final game at Autzen Stadium, and the senior broke the school record for most receiving yards in a season this year.

4. Feel Good Stories.

Every year there are great stories that reach surface and touch many people. Personally, one of my favorites this year was about Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron and equipment manager A.J. Starr.

Follow Beth Maiman on Twitter @bethamaiman

An hour before he was about to address the media for the first time in San Antonio, defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti had a big announcement to make.

The man who was been with the program for 24 years and held the position as defensive coordinator for 17, revealed that the Valero Alamo Bowl would be his last game as a coach.

Although he made clear during the defensive press conference right after the news broke that the focus should be on his players and their upcoming opponent, the attention could not be diverted from the coach who led Oregon’s defense to numerous successful seasons.

Under Aliotti, the Ducks led the conference in pass defense three times and in 2012 his squad led the nation in interceptions with 26.

This past season, Aliotti commanded the defense that topped the Pac-12 in pass efficiency defense and ranked fourth in total defense for the conference. With experience and talent, the Ducks’ secondary was noted as one of the best in the country, as the Ducks rank 13th in scoring defense this season.

Emotions were high from both coaches and players in the final days leading up to kick off, especially from senior and fellow Pittsburgh native Avery Patterson, who won the defensive MVP for the Ducks’ 30-7 victory over the Texas Longhorns.

“We wanted to do it for him. We wanted to send him out the right way,” Patterson said after the game. “He has done so much for this team and this program.”

The players seemed to accomplish just that, as Aliotti said after the game that his journey ended better than any dream he could have had.

Just as Aliotti said, the Alamo Bowl was his last rodeo, and the Ducks will once again go through a coaching change.

Although the final decision has not been made, head coach Mark Helfrich stated in San Antonio that the choice will be whatever is best for the program and that there is no timeline.

“His (Aliotti) contributions on and off the field have been immeasurable,” Helfrich said during an Alamo Bowl press conference.

However, Aliotti stated earlier this week on radio to 750AM that he hopes they hire within the program.

From the outside looking in, it would appear that secondary coach John Neal is in the running for the position of defensive coordinator, along with linebacker coach Don Pellum. But it’s been made clear by Athletic Director Rob Mullens that the final decision lies in the hands of Helfrich.

When Aliotti announced his retirement, Pellum stated, “I was surprised. I think we were all surprised,” after an Oregon practice in San Antonio.

Once again the team will have to go through a coaching change, just like they did this year with the departure of Chip Kelly to the NFL.

Junior linebacker Derrick Malone said that he wasn’t going to think about the coaching change till after the Alamo Bowl, but it will be a new experience for him, one that the Oregon offense went through this season.

“No matter what happens, who’s leaving, who’s staying between players or coaches, we have one common goal,” Malone said in a press conference before the Alamo Bowl.

One thing certain about Aliotti is that he had the players’ respect. Defensive lineman Taylor Hart referred to him as a father figure and cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu said his relentless passion is what makes him so effective.

Even though some fans might consider an Alamo Bowl trip a failure, the Ducks still snagged an 11-win season and with Marcus Mariota back, the future looks bright.

Although replacing Aliotti is not a simple switch. You couldn’t ignore the man’s personality, hunger to compete, and brutal honesty. It’s certain that the program is losing one big personality, along with a talented coach.

Follow Beth Maiman on Twitter @bethamaiman

Quarterback Marcus Mariota appeared healthy and was awarded the offensive MVP trophy in Oregon’s 30-7 victory in the Alamo Bowl.

In the press conference leading up to tonight’s game, both Mariota and offensive coordinator Scott Frost said that Mariota was ready to go and healthy.

Mariota finished the game completing 18-of-26, throwing for a total 253 yards and one touchdown.

But, it was what a healthy Mariota did on the ground that showed an elevated performance since dealing with his knee injury at Stanford.

Mariota led the Ducks in rushing tonight, picking up a season-high 133 yards off of 15 carries.

“I just wanted to go out there and play and instinctively play. I was able to do that today,” Mariota said.

When asked about the differences between his performance in the Stanford game compared to tonight, Mariota said that he felt more comfortable and had all the confidence in the team’s preparation.

It was evident that Mariota brought something a little more today than we saw in November, sparking Oregon’s offense and he agrees.

“I feel that just having that dimensions where I’m able to run really just helps our offense,” Mariota said.

Mariota also shared that Frost and him joked all week that the quarterback would run for 200 yards.

“In that first half watching him run I think he showed the whole country what he is capable of,” Frost said. “I have never seen a guy go from Heisman leader to out of the top 10.”

Frost also said he thought that Mariota was judged a little unfairly in the Heisman voting when the Ducks lost games this season. Although Mariota has constantly said that the winning the Heisman is not a top priority to him, it is undeniable that after tonight’s performance the hype will once again emerge at the start of next football season.

When looking back on the season Mariota said that the most memorable moment of the season would be pulling through adversity to get 11 wins.

Mariota may have finished the season on a high note, but there is no doubt his performance today will leave many thinking about what he can bring to the Ducks next season and maybe even a personal trophy of his own.

Follow Beth Maiman on Twitter @bethamaiman

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — As defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti walked through the tunnel for the final time after Oregon’s 30-7 victory in Monday night’s Alamo Bowl he turned to offensive coordinator Scott Frost and said, “We made a bold statement.”

In a game where the Oregon defense contributed with two interceptions run back for touchdowns, the coach who has been in the business for 36 years was undeniably overwhelmed in his final post-game interview as a coach.

However, looking back on what Aliotti has done with the Oregon defense combined with his memorable personality — one that players love and media or other coaches sometimes get the brunt of — it is fair to say he may of made the boldest statement as he closed out his coaching career tonight.

“This ended better than the dream I could have had,” defensive coordinator Aliotti said about Monday night’s game.

The man who has been with the Oregon program for 21 years said he guesses a shutout would have been better and went into detail of how he was mad about a couple of plays gone wrong. He spoke again about how this was for the kids and getting the W, just like he did at the press conference on the day he announced his retirement.

“I think they really wanted to get this one for me. There was a lot of love after the game,” Aliotti said.

Aliotti, an emotional guy, said he barely made it through the talk with his players and in a short speech said that he was proud of them, thanked them for the ride, the record and said there is no substitute for hard work.

The 59-year-old coach talked about how Oregon football has been his whole life and shared details about his start at Oregon; how he arrived to Eugene in 1978 in a green Volkswagen Beetle with $200 and no place to live and just the clothes he owned and former Oregon coach Rich Brooks gave him a chance.

Aliotti spoke about how he is proud about his long tenure with the Ducks and how far the program has come.

“It’s very important to me to see the ascension from the buildings we have now and the Taj Mahal that we have now used to be parking lots,” Aliotti said.

Aliotti also discussed safety Avery Patterson, who set the tempo for the game with a pick-six on the Texas’ opening drive and also happens to be from Aliotti’s hometown of Pittsburgh, Calif.

“It’s kinda neat when you recruit a kid from Pittsburgh,” Aliotti said. “You give him an opportunity, he graduates, he played a big part in our success throughout the year.”

Patterson admitted that his performance in Monday’s game was for his coach.

“We wanted to do it for him. We wanted to send him out the right way,” Patterson said.

The senior said he would remember this day for the rest of his life and that he was trying to hold back his emotions.

“He has done so much for this team and this program,” Patterson said.

Aliotti said once the game started it was like any other, but after the final touchdown on defense, he felt the goal was accomplished — they won the game.

“To win a game is the best drug in the world,” Aliotti said. “It’s the only drug I choose to take … there is no feeling like winning when you put so much blood, sweat, tears and time into something.”

Aliotti said his first activity as a retired man is to sit on the couch come Jan. 1, sleep and watch some football. Four days later he will head down to the Bay Area to go duck hunting with his brothers and after that — he hasn’t thought about it just yet.

“This game is bigger than me, it just so happens this is my last rodeo,” Aliotti said.

Follow Beth Maiman on Twitter @bethamaiman

With the Alamodome looking like a road game for the Ducks, Oregon holds a 20-7 lead at halftime over the Texas Longhorns.

It was the efforts of safety Avery Patterson and the Oregon defense who put the Ducks on the scoreboard first.

Texas quarterback Case McCoy’s pass was tipped off the hands of receiver Jaxon Shipley as Patterson was able to come up with the interception.

With solid blocking, Patterson found his way to the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown off the interception.

On Texas’ next drive the Longhorns went three-and-out, setting up the Oregon offense to take the field led by quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Mariota, who has struggled with a knee injury this season, hit the field running with his brace off as the Longhorn defense chased after him all over the field.

Mariota finished the half 132 yards on 12 carries, a season high for the quarterback.

As the Ducks made their way down to the red zone, Mariota’s helmet came off as he was tackled on Texas’ five-yard line.

Mariota was forced to sit out the next play, as back-up quarterback Jeff Lockie came in for the offense. A false start by Oregon and a fumble by Lockie set up the 25-yard field goal for kicker Matt Wogan and giving the Ducks a 10-0 lead.

On the Longhorns next offensive drive, running back Malcolm Brown helped Texas make their way down the field and McCoy rushed in the end zone for the one-yard touchdown. Brown finished the first quarter with 60 yards off of 13 carries.

An unfortunate moment occurred for the Ducks at the beginning of the second quarter, as starting offensive lineman Tyler Johnstone went down with a knee injury. Johnstone has been in the spotlight leading up to the Alamo Bowl because his match-up with All-American defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat.

Trainers were fitting Johnstone with crutches on the sidelines and he is unlikely to return. Replacing Johnstone is senior Everett Benyard.

After the injury, the Ducks were forced to settle again for a field goal. Wogan tacked on 32-yard field goal as the Ducks lead 13-7 with about  12 minutes to play in the half.

Oregon was able to hold off the Longhorn offense, forcing another three-and-out, but the offensive line for the Ducks struggled on the next series. Benyard’s false start and offensive guard Cameron Hunt’s personal foul forced the Ducks to punt.

Oregon’s defense was able to control the Longhorn offense and senior Josh Huff scored Oregon’s final score of the half with a 16-yard touchdown to give the Ducks a 20-7 lead heading into halftime. With that touchdown catch, Huff tied an Oregon schools record for most touchdown receptions in a season.

Things to watch for in the second half

– With Johnstone out due to an injury will Jeffcoat create havoc for the Ducks on offense?

– Huff is on track to break the Oregon single-season receiving mark that was established  by Bob Newland 43 years ago. Huff needs only 27 more receiving yards to break the record.

– Malcolm Brown has been a powerful force for Texas in the first half, rushing for over 113 yards off of 18 carries. Will the Ducks be able to control him in the second half.

Follow Beth Maiman on Twitter @bethamaiman

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – With kickoff fast approaching, here are a few keys to today’s game for both teams.

Oregon

1. Stay strong against the Longhorns’ defensive line. 

A major storyline heading into this bowl game is Oregon’s ability to match up against a strong Texas defensive line led by all-American and Hendricks Award-winner Jackson Jeffcoat. “Jackson Jeffcoat is one of the many, many things that make them really good on defense, two great corners that can cover anybody,” Helfrich said in Sunday’s press conference. In the spotlight for Oregon is offensive lineman Tyler Johnstone, who will have the challenge of containing Jeffcoat. Johnstone said early in the week that he believes facing talents like Stanford’s Trent Murphy and UCLA’s Anthony Barr have prepared him for today’s battle. In Saturday’s press conference both Marcus Mariota and Byron Marshall said injuries are not a concern for today’s game and if the Ducks can establish a run game they should have no problem getting on the scoreboard.

2. Run defense must step up. 

Texas’ offense is undoubtably a run-first. Although Texas lost its top running back Jonathan Gray to injury early in the season, junior Malcolm Brown has stepped up into the position for the Longhorns. “Somebody had asked how do you prepare for a Malcolm Brown, how do you prepare for the offensive line, like most people we don’t have those guys laying around,” Helfrich said on Sunday. “We don’t have a Malcolm Brown on our team let alone the third guy or fourth guy that can simulate that guy in a scout team situation.” The Ducks’ struggle against the run was a factor in their two losses this season. A possible disadvantage for Oregon today is the health of linebacker Derrick Malone, who was seen in a red non-contact jersey on Thursday’s practice and could be questionable today.

3. Discipline and Composure. 

Playing with discipline and avoiding crucial turnovers will help the Ducks secure a victory today. In Oregon’s two losses of the season, they committed two turnovers in each game. Smart and error-free play should make it easier for Oregon to be standing on the podium at the end of the game. Bowl games often mark the end for some players and coaches. The same can be said for the Ducks today with the announcement of defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti’s retirement and senior stand out wide receiver Josh Huff playing his final game in green and yellow. This will be the last game Aliotti will coach after 21 years leading the defense and Huff needs 88 yards to break the Oregon record for receiving yards in a single season. In addition, with Austin, Texas only about 80 miles away from San Antonio, the Longhorns are expected to have the bigger crowd, creating a road game atmosphere for the Ducks.

Texas

1. Keep Oregon’s running game in control. 

Many Texas defensive players stated in their press conference on Saturday that Stanford’s success against Oregon is something the Longhorns hope to achieve when facing the Ducks today.  “The Stanford d-line, they get to the quarterback,” defensive end Cedric Reed said. “They put Mariota in situations where he was very uncomfortable.” Oregon offensive coordinator Scott Frost said on Saturday: “Marcus is healthy and ready to go,” and if that is the case the Longhorns will need to control not only Mariota but the overall run game of the Ducks if they hope to be successful today.

2. Win third downs. 

Texas offensive coordinator Major Applewhite spoke on Friday about the talent and experience of Oregon’s secondary. “They have great players, very athletic, fast,” Texas offensive coordinator Major Applewhite said regarding Oregon’s defense. “When you look at third downs, they can be very effective in third-down situations and get some turnovers.” Texas quarterback Case McCoy agreed with his coach that Oregon’s secondary is a threat in today’s match-up. “They play together very well. They trust their safeties to make plays … and you can see they know what they’re doing back there,” McCoy said.

3. Avoid turnovers, control possession. 

For Texas to really be successful against Oregon they will need to slow down the high-octane Oregon offense and control possession. Turnovers while playing Oregon could haunt Texas when facing Oregon’s explosive offense.

Follow Beth Maiman on Twitter @bethamaiman

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — In Sunday’s final press conference, head coaches Mack Brown and Mark Helfrich answered questions from the media before both their teams take to the field Monday for the 2013 Valero Alamo Bowl.

Today was the first time Helfrich spoke about the retirement of defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti, who will coach his final game after 24 years with the Oregon football program.

Helfrich said that coach Aliotti had been talking about the announcement for a while and that Aliotti wanted to be able to control the message.

“He wanted to tell the team and he wanted to tell the staff before anybody else, and to do that you have to do that before Monday night,” Helfrich said.

Oregon’s head coach added that the timing of Alitotti’s retirement was his call and joked that it was time for Aliotti to just be playing golf.

“His contributions on and off the field have been immeasurable,” Helfrich said.

In terms of finding a replacement for Aliotti, Helfrich said that the priority is whatever is best for Oregon and that there is no timeline.

Helfrich said that compared to the other teams the Ducks have faced this season, Texas’ talent level ranks very high. Helfrich said it is difficult to prepare when facing a player like running back Malcolm Brown and the Longhorns’ offensive line.

“Somebody had asked how do you prepare for a Malcolm Brown, how do you prepare for the offensive line, like most people we don’t have those guys laying around,” Helfrich said. “We don’t have a Malcolm Brown on our team let alone the third guy or fourth guy that can simulate that guy in a scout team situation.”

It has been made clear that defensive lineman Jackson Jeffcoat will be one of the biggest threats for the Ducks and Helfrich referred to the Texas defense as outstanding.

“Jackson Jeffcoat is one of the many, many things that make them a really good on defense, two great corners that can cover anybody,” Helfrich said.

With the city of Austin only about 80 miles away from San Antonio, the Longhorns are expected to have the bigger crowd, creating a road game atmosphere. Although there was a similar storyline in last season’s Fiesta Bowl, Helfrich said he believes that tomorrow will be similar to a hostile Oregon versus Washington road game.

Follow Beth Maiman on Twitter @bethamaiman

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – One of the biggest questions for Oregon’s offense heading into the Dec. 30 Alamo Bowl is the health of key offensive players like starting running back Byron Marshall and quarterback Marcus Mariota, who both suffered injuries during the season.

“You get beat up during the course of the season and we’re no different than anybody else,” said offensive coordinator Scott Frost. “I talked to the Texas coaches last night and they talked about losing quite a few pretty good players to injury this year, so over the course of a football season you are going to get hurt. The bowl preparation gives you a chance for some of the guys with minor injuries to get back healthy again.”

Frost also stated that Mariota was completely healthy and the quarterback added that he feels prepared to go for Monday’s game.

“Right now I feel good,” Mariota said. “Since the last month, I feel probably the healthiest I’ve been.”

With his announcement that he would be returning to Oregon for next season, Frost said that the first step for the quarterback improving starts with this bowl game.

In today’s interviews Mariota agreed with his coach’s statement and said he was looking forward to next year.

“I am just going to continue what I’ve been asked to do and continue to distribute,” Mariota said. “Obviously you can get better at any standpoint, but for me I just want to take care of the ball and make sure I don’t put the offense in a bad situation.”

Mariota also spoke about his NFL evaluation, sharing that areas for him to improve on were ball security, accuracy, and passing consistency. He also added that those were all things he can work on during the offseason and once again reiterated that his focus is on this upcoming game.

Starting running back Byron Marshall, who suffered an injury early in the game against Arizona this season, said he is ready both physically and mentally for Monday’s game.

“I wouldn’t consider myself injured anymore,” Marshall said. “I didn’t lose any mental focus from it (his injury) and I didn’t lose any lack of confidence. I am just really excited to go out there are play again.”

Center Hroniss Grasu spoke about how having Marshall healthy is a big advantage for the offense as a unit.

“Even though he is a second year sophomore he is a leader on this team,” Grasu said. “He is a guy we all look up to and he brings some really great energy on the field and I am really excited to have him back”

Grasu also added that Marshall provides assistance to him and the o-line when it comes to blocking.

Marshall said that after the long break it is expected for the team to have a little bit of rust, but that the intensity of the Ducks’ practices will help the team be as prepared as possible for the game. Wide receiver Keanon Lowe agreed.

“As far as the time off it was a chance for us to get healthy and get back on track. We had great bowl preparation in Eugene and we had great practices in San Antonio,” said Lowe. “Guys are just excited, ready to go. You have a month off, a month off of hitting people in a sport like football – you are just ready to get back out there and get ready to compete.”

Lowe said that practices in Eugene consisted of stressing the fundamentals, such as ball security.

When the Oregon Ducks arrived in San Antonio on Christmas Day, head coach Mark Helfrich spoke about how the team needs to “fine-tune” things before hitting the field for Monday’s game.

Today, offensive coordinator Scott Frost stated similar thoughts.

“This week is really about gearing up after Christmas break and ironing out all the wrinkles and trying to get ready for the ball game,” Frost said.

With the Alamo Bowl now two days away, Monday will be the true test to see if Oregon’s preparations set them up for success.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — After practice at Alamo Heights High School in San Antonio Saturday, offensive lineman Tyler Johnstone talked about what he needs to do when facing All-American and Hendricks award winner Jackson Jeffcoat in the Alamo Bowl. He also discussed adjusting to practicing away from the Hatfield-Dowlin complex, the team’s activities in San Antonio and a possible future in front of the camera one day.

How has adjusting to Texas been, especially with weather similar to Oregon these past few days? 

“Yeah, it’s been cloudy and a little dreary. It makes me miss Arizona. My short stay there was nice in the sun.”

With the facilities being so nice at Oregon, would you say practicing at a high school before the bowl game has been an adjustment?

“It’s a little bit different. The turf is a little older. It’s a lot more compact in that locker room, that is for sure. I think that is just it, getting yourself organized in the locker room, getting ready for practice, putting all your stuff away in the bag everyday. The facilities are nice, the weight room is really nice here. It’s different but I think we are adjusting pretty well.”

You have been in the spotlight a lot for this game because of the talent of Jackson Jeffcoat, so mentally where are you now with the game now two days away?

“I’m ready,” Johnstone said. “Going into games like UCLA and Stanford when I was going against guys like Trent Murphy and Anthony Barr, those are guys of really high caliber, first round guys after this year and I think they have prepared me for this game. I am just really excited for the competition.”

What do you think is Jeffcoat’s biggest strength? 

“He is just really good at keeping your hands off of him. You extend your arms out to get him and he is really good at timing and he will get his hands off you and slap them away really quick. It’s hard to stay latched on a guy like Jeffcoat.”

What have you been doing in your off-time in San Antonio? 

“We have been pretty busy. We went to SeaWorld, which is cool but we have all seen Blackfish, so we were a little skeptical about that. We enjoyed the rollarcoasters. We had a good time after that. When we are at the hotel we are just relaxing and watching movies…We take a lot of naps and just relax.”

With coach Aliotti announcing his retirement yesterday, what was the impact it had on you and the team?

“Coach Aliotti has always been a constant variable, he has always been here. His heart lives with the Ducks,” Johnstone said. “He’s going on his terms, he is not getting forced out. He is going to finish his career where he wanted to finish his career and I think that is what we all hoped for so I am really happy for the guy.”

Do you see the announcement being a distraction for the team with the bowl game coming up?

“I don’t think so,” Johnstone said. “I don’t think coach Aliotti necessarily wanted to announce it beforehand anyway, but he figured this would be the time to do it and coach Helfrich figured this was the time to do it. Coach Al has made sure it is not about him. The first thing he said was ‘You guys I want you to know this isn’t to ‘win one for The Gipper’. This is about us, this is about you guys, and we’ll figure it out once the season is over.’”

Do you see his departure being a hard adjustment for the team?

“This team is really good at dealing with changes and circumstances. We have been used to it throughout the season or the past seasons. We accept change and we move on.”

So you have a little gig with Moose Time and yesterday you tested people on Oregon trivia outside of the Alamo, so do you see a career in television for the future?

“Yeah, I think it would be a lot of fun,” said Johnstone. “I think I would be good at being some kind of show host. It is easy for me to improvise and just talk to people and that is my strongest point. I would never want a job just sitting behind a desk or indoors all day, so I would like something fun like that, not necessarily journalism but just something on television.”

Follow Beth Maiman on Twitter @bethamaiman