As for the bowls, the key for the Ducks now is to embrace whatever matchup they get, and treat it as a chance to improve and compete. They showed a lot of heart and resilience in coming back to win the Civil War on a night they were beaten and tested. They played for each other and never quit.
In that respect, the 2013 Civil War was a triumph of coaching. This was a team that was tested and battered, that had lost confidence and suffered key injuries that limited what they could do. Friday night’s game looked lost, but this group stuck to their training and kept competing.
Embracing the moment: Josh Huff, Tyler Johnstone and Johnny Mundt celebrate the winning touchdown in the 117th Civil War (Don Ryan, AP photo).
After the game, Brian Jackson said, “We practice the clutch drill every day at the start of practice, at the start of practice. In the fourth quarter, the Ducks won four of them, two on offense and two on defense, although Jackson has to stop kicking the ball at the end of the play (it’s a potential 15-yard penalty).
Hroniss Grasu said, “This is a game we’ll tell our grandchildren about.” He is right. Watch some of the celebrations at the end of plays, how intense and bonded these players were to each other. They were a corps. They embraced with fervor and protected each other, picked each other up. When an entire fan base wavered, with many even losing belief, they never wavered. Oregon State gave everything they had in this game, and the Ducks never quit. They won when a defeat would have been crushing and humiliating, sticking to their training, keeping alive their dream of becoming a great team.
Josh Huff told reporters, “It’s what I dreamed of as a little kid, playing in the backyard with my dad and my cousins.” In his last game at Autzen the senior willed his team to victory. Brandin Cooks had a bigger reputation and played a determined game, but on this day, Huff became a legend, and wrote his name into Civil War history. It was a courageous performance.
If you can’t be proud of this team and this coaching staff for the effort they made and the way they fought off adversity and a relentless rivalry opponent, you really ought to examine why you watch sports.
The highlights from the 2013 Civil War, by Mike Wines of Oregon Duck Soup and Youtube channel madmike1951:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=aYhTy1wtVs0
Please leave your analysis and observation on the highlight film in the comments section below. Due to other commitments, I only have time for a few:
Tyner ran so hard. He drove through tackles. He was decisive to the hole. He used his speed to cut quickly, move the chains. He provided the offense a much-needed spark and a running game that had been missing in the last few weeks.
The line blocking was inconsistent early and the Ducks had trouble with Scott Crichton, but in the three decisive drives for second-half touchdowns, it was superb. Mariota had time to find receivers and when he didn’t, he showed great judgment and improved mobility. He didn’t run a lot but when he did he did so to devastating effectiveness. The 21-yard scramble on 3rd and 7 was brilliant.
De’Anthony Thomas was used masterfully as a change of pace, and he did some of his best running, accelerating with terrific timing, stop/starting with superb instincts.
Scott Frost drew ire from frustrated fans for his play-calling (I was one of them) but Tyner’s 24-yard run on 3rd and 13 for a first down and Mariota’s bullet to Huff on 4th and 11 for a touchdown were brilliant, gutty calls.
The secondary executed a squirrelly coverage plan with diligence, and their shining moment was a flea-flicker play when both safeties and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu stayed with Cooks, triple-covered in the end zone. It was a great example of reading your keys properly and keeping your eyes right, discipline in coverage.
The Ducks needed every single play they made in this game, and that speaks to their determination.
On the play Ward slipped on fourth and one inside the five, part of the reason he slipped is that the Ducks got great penetration on the left side, bracketed by three defenders in the backfield.
Mariota to Huff, for the win, three times, three beautiful passes, three great catches in traffic. Huff showed more heart than any player since Christian McLemore caught three passes with a mangled hand to earn the first Rose Bowl in 50 years back in 1994. People who are still ragging on him about being disappointed over falling short of the national championship need to acknowledge how much effort he gave Friday, and in his four years. He’s the 9th 1000-yard receiver in school history, and he still has one more game.
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