The Ducks have won 10 or more games in six consecutive seasons, so Oregon players and coaches have come to expect greatness. Running back De’Anthony Thomas and wide receiver Josh Huff both said this season that the national championship was their ultimate goal, and after practice on Saturday, running back Byron Marshall said his team must try to be perfect.

“I mean, 10 wins by any means is not a bad season at all but we needed those extra two wins just to get to where we wanted to go,” Marshall said.

Tight ends and special teams coach Tom Osborne looks at the situation slightly differently. He’s baffled that fans are disappointed with Oregon’s 10-2 record and an Alamo Bowl appearance (Oregon’s first non-BCS bowl since 2008).

“The expectation of perfection is completely way out of control,” Osborne said. “It’s just mind-boggling to me.”

Osborne remembers when fans got excited for eight-win seasons. In this elite era of Oregon football, even Oregon’s 2012 season – a 12-1 record, a BCS bowl win and a No. 2 final national ranking – are viewed by some as falling short.

“I’ve got people telling me, ‘That’s too bad, maybe next year,’” Osborne said. “And I’m like, ‘What? We just won 12 games. We lost one game in overtime by a field goal. That’s it.’”

Osborne said striving for perfection isn’t a bad thing, and he and other coaches constantly try to obtain it. But he said that goal is too lofty.

“I want my kids to get straight A’s and 100 percent on every test,” Osborne said. “I don’t know if anyone’s ever done that before.”

When asked if Ducks fans have been spoiled by the recent dominance, Osborne said, “You kidding me? No question.”

Right now, Osborne is solely focused on winning the last game of this season. He said losing the national championship in 2010 stung the program for a long time, so tasting victory to end 2013 is crucial going into the next season.

“It doesn’t matter what year or what game,” Osborne said. “When you win the last game, when you win the bowl game, everybody in the program feels better about themselves. That kind of springboards us into the offseason.

Head coach Mark Helfrich also stressed the importance of beating Texas to finish the season strong. 10-2 might not be exactly what the Ducks wanted, but their fate has already been sealed. They’re in the Alamo Bowl, facing what Helfrich said is a tough Texas team.

“They’re a huge challenge and there’s certainly not a lack of talent,” Helfrich said.

Talent is especially plentiful on defense for the Longhorns, according to Helfrich.

“They’re incredibly talented, especially up front,” Helfrich said. “They’re long, they’re fast and physical. They’ve always been.”

The Ducks will likely be heading into hostile territory, as well. San Antonio is only about 45 minutes away from Austin, where the University of Texas is located. Helfrich said Ducks fans travel well, but they can’t overcome the geographical advantage Texas fans have.

“Naturally, it will be a partisan crowd,” Helfrich said.

One reporter asked Helfrich after Saturday’s practice if he has any concerns about his team being motivated for a non-BCS bowl game. It’s been five years since they’ve been in such a game, after all. But Helfrich said there are plenty of reasons why the Ducks should be thrilled to play Texas on Dec. 30.

“There are so many things to play for,” Helfrich said. “You get to play another game. This will be the last game of a bunch of guys’ careers. It’s the last game of this team’s existence. Ending with a win always makes for a much better off-season.”

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After Saturday’s practice, Oregon running back Byron Marshall talked about running backs coach and mentor Gary Campbell, the high expectations of Ducks fans, his team’s visit to Sacred Heart Medical Center on Thursday and his thoughts on suspended Ducks tight end Pharaoh Brown.

What has running backs coach Gary Campbell meant to you?

“Coach Cam’s a great guy, not even just as a coach but a great man, in general,” Marshall said. “I’ve got so much respect for him. Just all the stuff he had going on earlier in the year at fall camp (dealing with his son’s death). … He really just doesn’t take life for granted. He’s been here for so long and still just tries to do something to make the program the best. Every day, he’s has a different coaching technique or a different point to make or a different conversation, just to see how everybody’s doing. He’s hands down one of the greatest guys I’ve ever met.”

What’s Campbell’s style like?

“Smooth,” Marshall said. “Coach Cam’s an OG, for real. That’s the best way to explain it. He’s just smooth and handles everything. He’s always calm, for the most part.”

Many Ducks fans look at this 10-2 season as a disappointment. Do you think expectations are too high for you and your teammates?

“You have to strive for perfection in the NCAA if you want to win a national championship,” Marshall said. “You have to be. That’s the only way. I mean, 10 wins by any means is not a bad season at all but we needed those extra two wins just to get to where we wanted to go.”

On the team’s trip to Sacred Heart

“That was great,” Marshall said. “I’m not too good with hospitals, really. They just give me a weird feeling. But sometimes you’ve just got to put that aside. Those kids in there, they seemed to love it. We gave them some gifts and everything like that. It feels really good to give back. We saw a man, who didn’t have much longer to live, with cancer. They said this was the first time he’d smiled in a couple of days, so it kind of makes you feel good that someone cares about the team that much to where you show up and it can kind of lift their spirits.”

How the visit was set up

“It was organized,” Marshall said. “They sent out a text a text saying we could all go out to the hospital and give back. We were like, ‘Yeah, we’ll do that in a second.’”

How do you think Pharaoh Brown feels now after the snowball fight drama and subsequent suspension?

“I know how he probably feels but you’d probably have to get him to give you that exact answer,” Marshall said.

On negative comments online to football player’s role in the snow controversy

“We’re all getting some negative stuff, you’ve just … all that stuff does not matter,” Marshall said. “These people don’t know you, what kind of person you are. They don’t know your background, where you come from, how you are. They see one thing and they’re like, ‘Oh, that’s how he is.’ If that’s how they want to be, then so be it. It’s irrelevant, really. They just don’t know you at all. They can have their opinions like that and just (reply), ‘Alright, I hear you,’ and just brush it off. In one ear, out the other.”

Impact Brown’s suspension will have on the field

“It’s gonna hurt,” Marshall said. “Pharaoh’s a huge part of our team. A great blocker, a good receiver out there. That’s definitely going to hurt, we’re going to miss him, but I think Johnny Mundt and Evan Baylis will be able to step up and play well.”

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During Saturday’s media session, Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota discussed the Hawaii Bowl, conclusion of finals week and preparation for the Ducks’ matchup against the Texas Longhorns in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Dec. 30.

Mack Brown started his college coaching career in 1973, the year Mark Helfrich was born. Brown arrived at Texas — his latest of 11 coaching gigs — in 1998, the year Helfrich began coaching. On Dec. 30, Brown and Helfrich will face off in the Alamo Bowl. For Helfrich, this will be his first career bowl game as a head coach. For Brown, it might be his last.

In many ways, the Oregon and Texas football programs have about as much in common as their current head coaches. Since Texas lost to Alabama in the 2010 national championship game, the Longhorns haven’t won more than eight regular games per season. The Ducks ascended into college football’s upper class during that time, earning BCS bowl bids so frequently (four straight from 2009-12) that this season’s 10-2 record looks pedestrian to many Oregon fans.

“It says a lot when a team goes 10-2 and it’s kind of disappointing,” Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota said. “That says a lot about where we’ve come as a program and where we want to be.”

For the first 105 years of Oregon football, the Ducks never reached double digits in the win column. Then, in 2000, Oregon reached that milestone with a 35-30 win over Texas in the Holiday Bowl.

That season might’ve marked the beginning of the Oregon football renaissance. Brown and Texas, on the other hand, were simply experiencing another successful season and gearing up for one of the most prosperous runs in the program’s history.

Brown took over for John Mackovic in 1998 and set Texas’ floor at nine wins. Literally. Until 2010, the Longhorns never finished worse than 9-5 under Brown. From 2001-2009, they never won less than 10 games and won a national title in 2005. The run turned Brown into a legend in Austin, Texas.

“Our guys will be very excited to take on an iconic program and an iconic coach in Coach Brown,” Helfrich said.

But Helfrich and the Ducks won’t be facing the same program and coach. Texas has only reached nine wins once (last season) since 2009 and needed an Alamo Bowl win to do so. After this season, many expect Brown to step down.

A win in the Alamo Bowl likely won’t satisfy the Longhorns fan base, as Texas’ current 8-4 record is a far cry from its dominance in the 2000s.

Many Oregon fans will feel the same way regardless of the Alamo outcome, but if the Ducks win, it will be their fourth-straight season with 11 wins or more. Not even Brown’s Longhorns have accomplished that feat.

“Maybe some people are disappointed but I don’t think anyone’s disappointed,” Oregon center Hroniss Grasu said. “It’s an honor to play in a bowl game against Texas and getting a bowl win in the Alamo Bowl would be a big boost in the offseason getting ready for next season.”

Brown also mentioned the importance of winning a bowl game.

“You need to win your last game, regardless of where you’re coaching,” Brown said.

While Brown was referring to the last game of any season, the 2013 Alamo Bowl will likely be his last game.

Helfrich, meanwhile, is preparing for what could be the first of many bowl games during his tenure at Oregon. Who knows? Maybe Brown will be on his couch this next decade watching Helfrich lead the Ducks on a 15-year run of excellence nearly identical to the Brown-led Longhorns.

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Offensive line recruit Haniteli Lousi committed to Oregon on Tuesday, according to multiple recruiting analysts and football writers.

Four-star JC OL Haniteli Lousi confirms to me he has committed to Oregon http://t.co/7aMqaGOKwy

— Matt Prehm (@Prehmmr247) December 10, 2013

College of San Mateo (Calif.) four-star offensive lineman Haniteli Lousi said he has committed to Oregon… (@Teli_Tubby75)

— Brandon Huffman (@BrandonHuffman) December 10, 2013

Just confirmed with him, Junior College Guard prospect Haniteli Lousi (6'5/295) has committed to Oregon. 4-star on multiple sites.

— Tony Di Francisco (@TonyDiFrancisco) December 10, 2013

JUCO OL Haniteli Lousi has committed to #Oregon (FREE) http://t.co/lDUuaq42yt @JCShurburtt

— Justin Hopkins (@JHopkins247) December 10, 2013

Lousi played for the College of San Mateo, a junior college about 20 miles south of San Francisco. The 6-foot-5, 295-pound offensive lineman is a four-star recruit, according to multiple websites and is rated the No. 1 offensive guard in the 2014 class, according to 247Sports Composite.

Arizona State, Colorado, Hawaii and Kansas were the other teams to present offers to Lousi, who also visited Texas Tech last weekend. Oregon offensive line coach Steve Greatwood recruited Lousi.

Lousi is the first offensive guard recruit to commit to the Ducks for 2014. Offensive tackles Braden Eggert (three stars, according to 247Sports) and Tyrell Crosby (also three stars) are the other two offensive line commits.

Shortly after the announcement, Lousi expressed his excitement on Twitter about coming to Eugene and he’s recruited other players, such as JUCO wide receiver Eric Lauderdale, to join him:

@TonyDiFrancisco hope I start a trend and get others on board!! #eugenebound

— Haniteli Lousi (@Teli_Tubby75) December 10, 2013

@e_lauderdale good time to hop on that express train up north!! #eugenebound

— Haniteli Lousi (@Teli_Tubby75) December 10, 2013

@e_lauderdale yes sir!! Just think about next yrs heisman finalist throwin you the roc!! #majorexposure

— Haniteli Lousi (@Teli_Tubby75) December 10, 2013

UPDATE (7:39 p.m.):

Lousi tweeted an Instagram picture of him with Greatwood and Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich, as well as his new Oregon jersey:

"Everyone who doubted me is asking for forgiveness, and if you ain't been a part of this at least you… http://t.co/JMsnrWRrzF

— Haniteli Lousi (@Teli_Tubby75) December 11, 2013

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Pharaoh Brown took to Twitter on Monday to express his displeasure with Oregon’s decision to suspend him for the Alamo Bowl. Brown didn’t directly tweet that he disagreed with the decision, but he retweeted many people who did and lashed out at Twitter users who criticized him and said he should have been suspended.

The University of Oregon’s athletic department released a statement from Brown around 4 p.m. on Monday. Brown apologized and said he would accept the consequences of his actions.

A retweet from Brown:

They did @Callme_P_RO wrong… just a snow ball fight…

— Daniel Speckert (@danspeckert) December 9, 2013

@JamieHStewart u should be ashamed of yourself

— Pharaoh Brown (@Callme_P_RO) December 9, 2013

Retweet:

@Callme_P_RO @JamieHStewart last time I checked the professor himself isn't pressing charges. Also said at our age he would've done it too..

— Brandon Meier (@brandon_meier) December 9, 2013

“@danspeckert: @JamieHStewart @Callme_P_RO I wasn't there but no one got hurt… let them freakin be kids..”true statement

— Pharaoh Brown (@Callme_P_RO) December 9, 2013

@Johnnydlong u can say that again

— Pharaoh Brown (@Callme_P_RO) December 9, 2013

Retweet:

Suspending @Callme_P_RO over a snowball fight is just ridiculous. The whole thing got blown way out of proportion. #noharmnofoul

— Jesse Nichols (@Jesse_Nichols7) December 9, 2013

Retweet:

@Callme_P_RO Hey man student to student, that could have been any of us. Thanks for the fun parts & I'm sorry this happened to you. #GoDucks

— Ryan (@Dogisfrank) December 9, 2013

Retweet:

Can't believe they suspended my dawg @Callme_P_RO for a snowball fight! Lol

— Alex Brooks (@Brooks_7Teen) December 9, 2013

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The University of Oregon’s athletic department just released a statement from tight end Pharaoh Brown about the snowball fight incident and his suspension.

“I was one of the many UO students involved in the snowball fight on Friday and my actions escalated to an inappropriate level and for that, I sincerely apologize,” Brown said.  “We never should have engaged innocent people and I deeply regret my actions and will accept the consequences.”

In the press release, Assistant Athletic Director Andy McNamara added: “All football student-athletes involved in the incident have been disciplined and like the other students involved are subject to further discipline from the Dean of Students.”

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The Oregon men’s basketball team slipped to No. 15 in the latest Associated Press poll, despite picking up a win over Ole Miss on Sunday to maintain their undefeated record (8-0). The Ducks did need overtime to overcome Marshall Henderson and the Rebels, which might’ve caused voters to drop them below last week’s No. 13 spot (the Ducks did move up to No. 11 in the coaches’ poll).

One of the teams jumping ahead of Oregon was Baylor. The Bears jumped six spots to No. 14 after their upset victory over Kentucky, which was ranked third at the time (now No. 11).

The other team that surpassed Oregon in the polls this week was Villanova (from No. 14 to No. 10). The Wildcats, who rose 23 spots last week, were idle in week six but benefited from losses to Kentucky and previously sixth-ranked Kansas (now No. 13).

The Jayhawks lost on a buzzer-beating three to Colorado’s Askia Booker on Saturday. The miraculous shot catapulted Colorado into the top 25 from No. 35 to No. 21 — the biggest jump of any team in the top 25 this week.

Arizona might’ve made the biggest jump of any team, in terms of national attention. The Wildcats, who were idle last week, are now No. 1 in the AP poll after former-No. 1 Michigan State lost to North Carolina 79-65 on Wednesday, Dec. 4 (the Spartans are now ranked No. 5).

Here is the complete AP top 10 for week six (first-place vote in parentheses):

1. Arizona (63), Pac-12, Record: 9-0, Previous Ranking: 2

2. Syracuse (2), ACC, 9-0, PV RanK; 4

3. Ohio State, Big Ten, 8-0, PV Rank: 5

4. Wisconsin, Big Ten, 10-0, PV Rank: 8

5. Michigan State, Big Ten, 7-1, PV Rank: 1

6. Louisville, American Athletic Conference (AAC), 8-1, PV Rank: 7

7. Oklahoma State, Big 12, 8-1, PV Rank: 9

8. Duke, ACC, 7-2, PV Rank: 10,

9. Connecticut, AAC, 9-0, PV Rank: 12

10. Villanova, Big East, 9-0, PV Rank: 14

You can view the entire AP top 25 here.

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Oregon tight end Pharaoh Brown has been suspended for the Alamo Bowl, two university sources told the Oregonian, due to the role he played in Friday’s snowball fight where multiple students were seen on video pelting cars with snowballs and pouring snow on the windshields.

Head coach Mark Helfrich handed out the suspension on Sunday after he spoke with players involved in the incident. One of the sources said the other players in the video have been punished internally and have not been suspended for the bowl game. However, the source left open the possibility that others could be punished.

Brown appeared to be the one pouring snow on the windshield of the first car in the video and on retired Oregon professor, Sherwin Simmons, in the second car after Simmons opened his car door.

Helfrich spoke with Simmons on Sunday, according to one of the sources, and set up a meeting with Simmons and the players involved.

On Sunday night, Helfrich released a statement saying the behavior in the video was “completely unacceptable and dangerous” and that “disciplinary actions have begun.”

Brown is a 6-foot-6, 241-pound sophomore from Brush High School in Lyndhurst, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. Brush’s current varsity coach, Josh Wells, worked with the defensive backs and wide receivers when Brown played there but said he knew Brown well (Wells helped coordinate the defense when Brown, a defensive end for Brush, was there).

Wells hadn’t seen the video as of Monday afternoon but told the Emerald he was disappointed in Brown’s actions and thought Helfrich took the right approach in suspending him.

“The message needed to be sent,” Wells said. “I’m not going to say I disagree with it but it’s unfortunate for Pharaoh that he got himself in that situation.”

Wells also said that Brush would’ve handled the situation like Oregon did.

“That’s not what we preach,” Wells said. “There would’ve been consequences if he did that with us.”

Wells said Brown’s suspension isn’t just unfortunate for the athlete himself, but also for the players at Brush who look up to him.

“It’s always nice to have your school and your program represented in big bowl games,” Wells said.

Brown’s actions also seemed to surprise Wells. He described Brown “as a typical teenager” who liked to goof around and have fun in high school, but he never saw or heard Brown do anything as serious as throwing snow on someone in a car.

“He was practical joker when he was around us, but nothing – that I had knowledge of – to that extent,” Wells said.

Brown caught 10 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns this season for Oregon.

Freshman Johnny Mundt and redshirt freshman Evan Baylis are Oregon’s other two tight ends on the active roster and might split time during the Alamo Bowl when the Ducks take on Texas on Dec. 30 in San Antonio, Texas.

Brown is the second tight end to be suspended this season. Former starter Colt Lyerla, who withdrew from the school on Oct. 6, was suspended for Oregon’s game against Tennessee on Sept. 14 and against Colorado on Oct. 5.

Oregon defensive lineman Sam Kamp posted this tweet on Monday afternoon regarding Friday’s incident:

The Snow Incident should NOT reflect upon the Oregon student body or Student Athletes as a whole… That is not our standard

— Samuel Kamp (@sammuriah) December 9, 2013

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After weight lifting this morning, University of Oregon football players took to social media to invite the student body to a snowball fight. Senior wide receiver Josh Huff, as well as other football players, used their Twitter accounts to spread the word.

The battles took place on the Student Recreation Center fields on 15th Avenue and in front of the Collier House on 13th and University.

At the Rec fields initally, students and athletes gathered on field No. 1. Kenon Lowe stood in the middle of the field with his dog, Kyrie, and a small group of people congregated to play with the 7-month-old pup. Asked if he named Kyrie after NBA star Kyrie Irving, Lowe said, “Most definitely.”

Lowe added later that part of the reason he brought Kyrie was to avoid getting attacked.

“Nobody threw snowballs at me,” Lowe said.

Up to 12:44 p.m., the players and students playfully threw some snowballs back and forth. Tensions were cool. People were chatting, smiling, looking calm. Then, at 12:45, all hell broke loose.

Fight commences http://t.co/fGiuNGPImL

— Victor Flores (@vflores415) December 6, 2013

Players and students fired snowballs back and forth, running to attack each other or running to avoid the rampage. Two of the most vocal players were linemen Karrington Armstrong and Tyler Johnstone, but dozens of players participated in the action. Armstrong said the students and athletes were basically fighting against each other. The students vastly outnumbered the athletes.

“It’s not going too well,” Armstrong said shortly after the fight started.

Later, Armstrong yelled an apology to all of the attacking students.

“I am sorry for Arizona!” he screamed, referring to Oregon’s loss to the Arizona Wildcats On Nov. 23.

Several players got pelted with snowballs. At one point, a girl poured a box full of snow on running back Thomas Tyner’s head. He looked miserable as he brushed the mountain of snow off his head and back.

Tyner: "I'm pretty damn cold."

— Victor Flores (@vflores415) December 6, 2013

Running back Byron Marshall, who was at the Collier House fight, might’ve taken the worst punishment of any player.

“I got a nut shot and an eye shot,” Marshall said around 1:45 p.m. when the fight was winding down. “I’m done.”

Toward the end of the fights, players reflected on the day and discussed why they decided to organize the fight in the first place. Johnstone said they wanted to take advantage of the rare Eugene snow.

“Just because it’s fun,” Johnstone said. “It’s snow and no one ever organizes a snowball fight.”

Linebacker Rodney Hardrick wore a black hoodie with his large No. 48 on the front. He was one of several players wearing shirts with their jersey numbers, and he said he strongly regretted doing that.

“It’s a big target and everyone’s been killing me,” Hardrick said.

Overall, the players said it was a fun experience, even though the students were merciless. Hardrick and Huff said it was a way to repay students for their support throughout the season.

“It’s been really fun,” Hardrick said. “They (the students) kinda teamed up on us. We were outnumbered, but it’s a nice way to give back.”

Beth Maiman contributed to the reporting of this story.

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Follow Beth Maiman on Twitter @bethamaiman

Continuing coverage of the snowball fight and its consequences can be found on our topics page.