Oregon football opened fall training camp on Friday, competing in its first practice with a full roster under new head coach Mario Cristobal.
Contact is limited — players can only compete in a helmet, jersey and shorts — but some players still performed above the rest. Cristobal named offensive lineman George Moore, linebackers Penei Sewell and Justin Hollins, running backs Tony Brooks-James and CJ Verdell, safety Ugo Amadi and wide receiver Dillon Mitchell as players who stood out during day one.
But of course, it’s hard to know with limited contact.
“I don’t want to get them too excited about how well they did in shorts,” Cristobal said.
The new year brings new players and new vibes. Among them, freshman Bryan Addison was the name thrown around during post-practice media. Cristobal touted his ability to play both wide receiver and safety.
“He’s going to play both until we kind of figure it out a little bit,” he said. “He brings too much to the table to lock him into one side right now.”
Overall, Cristobal was happy with the energy during day one. Energy is crucial because now is the time to fix the fundamentals.
“Technically, and fundamentally and execution-wise, we’re not going to get there, and we may never feel like we get there, and that’s not a bad thing,” Cristobal said.
The Ducks are in an uncommon situation with Cristobal as their head coach. It’s year one, but he was on staff last year, along with many other assistants. So it’s a mix between the new and the familiar, something Oregon sees as a positive.
“It’s year one for us, but there is continuity from year one so it makes us stronger,” Cristobal said. “The continuity provides for schematic advancement right away. You don’t have to go do the basic vanilla stuff right away.”
There is also a different energy. Willie Taggart is no longer the head coach, so it’s Cristobal’s culture to set.
“It’s very evident we’re a direct reflection of what he wants,” offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo said.
Arroyo added: “He’s everything that we all signed up for in regards to commitment to a program, passion for the game, commitment to the staff.”
The Ducks will hold an open practice on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hatfield Dowlin-Center practice fields.
Follow Jack Butler on Twitter @Butler917