In his final address to the media prior to their rematch on Saturday, head coach Mark Helfrich said that although his team has plenty of speed, it needs to play fast to succeed.
“We’ve continued to recruit fast guys, but those fast guys have to play fast,” Helfrich said. “Some of our fastest guys are still figuring everything out, and processing too much instead of just playing and going. As soon as that occurs, their natural ability takes over.”
Bralon Addison is one “fast guy” who took the field last week for the first time since 2013. He tore his ACL during last year’ spring practice and missed the 2014 season. Addison caught three passes for 24 yards, including a six-yard touchdown in the first quarter against Eastern Washington.
“It just felt great overall to be out there again,” Addison said.
Addison, the designated kick returner on the depth chart, also returned a kickoff and a punt for the first time in a game since before his injury. He shared the return duties with Byron Marshall, who returned three kickoffs for a 33-yard average.
“I don’t think anybody has won the position outright,” Addison. “I think you can stick any one of us in there, and we’ll be bound to take one back for a touchdown.”
Charles Nelson is another “fast guy” who’s more than capable of bringing back kicks. Despite his listing atop the depth chart at receiver, Nelson didn’t see the field in last week’s win over Eastern Washington for precautionary reasons. He confirmed he will play against Michigan State.
“It was a coach’s decision last week not to play,” Nelson said. “They just thought I should sit out, try to get healthier and just wait.”
Standing at 5-foot-8, 170 pounds, Nelson is widely considered Oregon’s most gifted athlete. During his freshman campaign, he caught 23 passes for 327 yards and five touchdowns, rushed 11 times with a 9.2-yard average, and brought two punts back for touchdowns.
At the beginning of fall camp, the offense and defense competed over which one would feature Nelson in the depth chart. Although Oregon’s young secondary could have certainly utilized his service at cornerback, Nelson ended up complementing the Ducks’ deep, fast receiving corps. It’s unlikely Oregon deploys Nelson on defense or special teams against Michigan State.
“I haven’t really practiced over there, so it will just be a decision that the coaches make,” Nelson said. “Whoever is in there is going to get the job done.”
Eastern Washington shredded Oregon’s young defensive backs last week. In particular, Cooper Kupp torched redshirt sophomore Chris Seisay and freshman Ugo Amadi with 15 receptions, 246 yards and three touchdowns. Don Pellum, however, said his secondary has had its best practices of the year this week, and Helfrich said he likes the way his defense has responded.
Vernon Adams Jr. holds the responsibility of filling the shoes of Marcus Mariota, whom many credit for Oregon’s 46-27 rout of Michigan State last year.
In the third quarter, Marcus Mariota emerged out of a pocket jammed with Spartan pass rushers and shovel passed to Royce Freeman, who burst for a first down as Mariota stumbled forward. The third down conversion set up Mariota’s 24-yard touchdown pass to Devon Allen. Mariota kept the momentum rolling on the next drive with 37-yard touchdown pass to Keanon Lowe to take the lead, which Oregon never gave back.
The Ducks’ win was Michigan State’s first loss, and what ultimately kept them out of the College Football Playoff. Their second loss came at the hands of national champion Ohio State.
The Ducks enter Saturday’s contest as 3.5-point underdogs.
Follow Kenny Jacoby on Twitter @KennyJacoby