Mykael Wright’s 100-yard kickoff return against USC seemed somewhat ordinary in the context of one of the craziest halves in college football this season.
But from Wright’s perspective, that touchdown was anything but ordinary. The thought of playing in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum wearing green and yellow was already far-fetched. Making the defining play of the game as a kickoff return man was almost unthinkable.
Wright attended Antelope Valley High School in Lancaster, California, about an hour north of LA. For much of his recruitment, it was assumed that he’d pick USC — despite the recent struggles of the 11-time national champs. But on May 31, 2018, he chose to play his college ball 836 miles north, in Eugene, Oregon.
“A lot of people want us to stay in our hometowns and go to our background colleges,” Wright said. “But people make other decisions. They make the decision that’s best for them.”
Wright’s decision entailed joining a loaded and experienced Oregon secondary, but he’s quickly carved out an essential role in the nation’s No. 10 scoring defense. He recorded his first career interception in just his second-ever game and sealed Oregon’s dramatic comeback win against Washington with his coverage on the last pass of the game.
In the two biggest wins of Oregon’s season, Wright arguably made the biggest play of the day.
And when it came to being able to shine as a kick returner, Oregon was the best decision for him. Even if he had never done it before.
“I actually, in high school, never returned a kick return,” he said. “Here they told me they wanted me to do kick return … Last week I had the opportunity to go back there and return a kick, and it just carried over from there.”
Head coach Mario Cristobal saw Wright’s potential, even if his high school coaches didn’t.
“I go back to his high school film — I don’t know who was reluctant to put him back there — but without question, he’s not only an electrifying player, I think the more he does it, the better and better he will get,” Cristobal said.
The potential for experimentation in returning kicks goes back to the reason why he chose Oregon in the first place. He didn’t want to be funnelled into USC just because geography would tell him that’s what he should do. He wanted to make the best decision for his football career, and his evolution into a dangerous return man was made possible because of that decision.
“It’s a very hard decision,” Wright said of choosing Oregon over USC. “It all comes down to the coaches and what role you’ll be able to play at whatever school you go to.”
Just a few years ago, people were predicting he would be at USC, playing solely cornerback. Now, with a win over USC and roles in both the secondary and on special teams on his resume as just a true freshman, there’s no question that he made the right choice.
“He wanted it,” Cristobal said. “He wanted this opportunity to prove it.”
