For Duck football fans, the distance to the proverbial end of the tunnel is almost twelve weeks.
At the end of that tunnel: the return of the reigning Rose Bowl and Pac-12 Champions and the beginning of another hunt for an elusive national championship.
On Sept. 5, the Ducks will kick off another season at Autzen Stadium, seeking once again to capture an elusive national title. Should he win the starting quarterback job, Vernon Adams, in his first game as a Duck, will battle a familiar foe — Eastern Washington University, where he set school records as a fourth-year junior last season.
Though the anticipation for kickoff may be excruciating to many, there are plenty of opportunities for Eugene sports fans to whet their appetites.
Not more than a few hundred feet past the stadium stands PK Park, which Oregon baseball calls home every spring. This time of year, however, it hosts a professional team.
The Eugene Emeralds, who are the single A, short season minor league affiliate team for the Chicago Cubs, will begin their season this Thursday on the road against the Everett AquaSox. Better yet, their home season begins just five days later when they host the Boise Hawks.
After a 14-year relationship with the San Diego Padres, the Emeralds announced in September that it had become a member of the Cubs’ organization.
The Cubs’ minor league team, meanwhile, moved to Eugene from, of all places, Boise. Meanwhile, the Padres’ single A affiliate became the team the Emeralds will play in their second home series: the Tri-City Dust Devils.
Last year’s version of the Boise Hawks finished the summer at 41-35. In its attempt to bring that winning record to Eugene, the team will need to face familiar foes in the eight-team Northwest League, albeit in different uniforms.
Though every member of the current roster has minor league experience, few have played past the rookie-level Arizona league. After signing a $3 million contract, outfielder Ian Happ, who was selected with the ninth overall pick in this year’s MLB Draft, will likely join the team soon.
The Emeralds will play almost every day until the end of the regular season on Sept. 6 — one day after Oregon football kicks off.
Just over a mile south of PK Park, Hayward Field stands as another pit stop on the way to September.
Starting Thursday, the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships, as well as the Junior Outdoor Championships will begin, lasting through Saturday.
Numerous current former Ducks are scheduled to participate, Galen Rupp, Eric Jenkins, Jenna Prandini, and Olympic gold medalist Ashton Eaton. While Jenkins and Prandini played major roles in Oregon’s pair of team national championship victories, Rupp is facing doping allegations.
On Aug. 10, UO football will begin practice. For a few days each week leading up to the season, fans can get their fix on everything Duck football, including videos, recaps and feature stories, to be more informed when the season finally rolls around.
Duck fans need not fret the wait for football season. The tunnel is not as dark as one would think.
Follow Jack Heffernan on Twitter @JackTHeffernan