Mark Helfrich Optimistic Camp Lessons Will Shift To Game Week Success
Oregon Ducks Head Coach Mark Helfrich answered questions Wednesday on what fans should look forward to in the Opener vs UC Davis.
Some of the issues of Fall Camp have already been documented. Now, the team enters Game Week and will look for answers against Non-Conference opponent UC Davis, which is far better than facing Nebraska the first week of the season. Helfrich wants his team to keep things in perspective in Week 1, “We’re not at a point offensively where we can do everything we want to…your going to filter it down to what they are confident in and what they have executed well.”
As far as what fans can expect in the first week, “We have some guys who can do a lot of things at tailback, at receiver. We’re going to still incorporate a lot of things we have done here over the years.” The Defense will have a new look shifting from the 3-4 to the 4-3 installed by new Defensive Coordinator Brady Hoke. The team will also rotate more than a handful of Defensive Backs this season.
"We expect them to play perfectly and compete..making sure they are on the right page from the beginning.Oregon Head Coach Mark Helfrich on a Young Offensive Line"
Linebacker is also an area where there will be a focus with a little tongue in cheek from the Head Coach, “At Linebacker there are a bunch of guys are going to be great football players before its all said and done and obviously we want it to happen Saturday.”
Helfrich also knows that his team is still learning the experience and hopes that the lessons from Fall Camp will translate into successes throughout the 2016 season of Oregon Football, “You don’t know really what you have until they react to success or failure for them. A dropped ball, a missed assigment. That’s really what defines you as a football player. Just being persistent, being competitive every snap.”
Next: Dakota Prukop Brings Calm Maturity To Oregon Offense
The season begins on Saturday, September 3rd at Autzen Stadium. Oregon hosts UC Davis for a 2pm Pacific Time Kickoff on Pac-12 Networks.