In the week leading up to the inaugural Pac-12 Championship Game, the Oregon football team found itself in wholly uncharted territory. Aside from the fact the Ducks have never played in such a game to end a regular season, they also had to deal with preparing on a shortened week while Autzen Stadium underwent a Pac-12-themed remodeling process.
Though the Ducks normally practice inside Autzen Stadium in the days leading up to games, they were barred from doing so by the Pac-12 this week. If this was at all disruptive to a team that thrives on its weekly habits, head coach Chip Kelly@@CE@@ isn’t saying so.
“We don’t worry about things we can’t control,” Kelly said. “If they tell us we can’t go in the stadium, then we can’t go in the stadium. If they told us we couldn’t go in the Mo, then we’d find another place to practice. That’s no big deal. For our coaching staff and for our players, that’s how we adjust to a lot of different situations.
“Worry about things you can control.”
Still, it was hard not to notice as conference officials went to work at Autzen Stadium. Though the inside remained a mystery, both the Pac-12 logo and a UCLA Bruins banner were placed at the front of the outside shell —  directly next to the famous yellow “O.” The point, obviously, is to neutralize the notoriously rowdy stadium. The Ducks aren’t paying any attention to that, either. Minor changes aside, it’s still another home game.
“I’m sure it’s gonna look like Autzen,” running back LaMichael James said. “It’s our home field, we’re gonna be amped up to play in it no matter how it looks. It’s still in Eugene.”
If ever there was trouble for Oregon during this strange week, it was in the days immediately after a 49-21 win over Oregon State last Saturday.@@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&KEY=&SPID=233&SPSID=3377@@ Because of the shortened week, the Ducks were forced to return to practice on Sunday rather than Monday, and were robbed of a much-needed day off.
“First couple days after the game you’re always a little sore,” tight end David Paulson@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=1149812@@ said. “But I think our team did a good job of working through that.”
This was in large part a credit to strength and conditioning coach Jim Radcliffe.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=217975@@ Particularly during weight lifting sessions, he implored players to take it easy and, as senior right guard Mark Asper@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=1148913@@ put it, “go through the range of motion. Do what you can. Go fast with it, go explosive, because that’s the way you’re going to play, and that’s what your body needs right now.”
The only player or coach to stray from company line was defense coordinator Nick Aliotti.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=22687@@ Though not making any excuses, he wondered openly what the reasoning was for playing such an important game on an abbreviated schedule.
“It really makes no sense to me that we’re playing a championship game on a short week,” Aliotti said. “But it’s for both teams. I’m still trying to figure that out.”
Questionable decision making aside, the Ducks will finally have a chance to see a redecorated Autzen Stadium tonight. For some, like Asper, it will also serve as one final appearance in front of the home crowd.
“I feel very glad that we took care of business throughout the season,” Asper said. “So that we get to have the championship here at home.”