The emotion of the Civil War is something that Duck and Beaver fans experience every year.
The concept seems natural from a spectator’s point of view: The guys in the green and yellow hate the guys in the black and orange.
Right?
It’s not that simple.
Unlike those who grew up in Oregon and were taught at a young age which university to despise, most of the athletes who grace the Ducks roster are from another state.
Jerry Matson, Kevin Mitchell and Demetrius Williams are three such players who weren’t born into disliking Oregon State, instead acquiring a hatred of the Beavers upon their arrival to Eugene.
Matson, a native of Edmonds, Wash., said once an athlete comes to Oregon, he is immediately accepted by his peers and the fans. They quickly drill the importance of the rivalry into the player’s mind.
“Between 60,000 fans and the hundreds of people you know, they don’t let you feel like an outsider,” the junior linebacker said. “The first year you’re here, you kind of get a feel for how important it is. Then, once you go to a game, you realize how hostile and emotional it really is.”
Matson also has an added incentive to avenge last year’s loss to Oregon State. Matson’s best friend and former Kamiak High School teammate Pat Loney is a tight end for the Beavers.
“It makes it a special rivalry,” Matson said. “You never want to lose two in a row, especially when you have to hear about it for a year.”
Mitchell may not be playing against a Mater Dei High School teammate Saturday, but his desire to win is still there. The Orange, Calif., native said once players move to Eugene, the game’s importance grows on them. The true importance of the contest, however, isn’t realized until the Monday practice of Civil War week when elder players share their thoughts.
“You pick it up that Monday,” the senior linebacker said. “Once you finish the game before, Monday practice (is when) you pick it up real fast. You realize what’s going on, you start asking questions and you realize what this game is all about and what it means to the people here. You start buying into it and realizing how important it is to you as well because you end up living here for a while.”
Williams, a Pittsburg, Calif., native and graduate of De La Salle High School, said that while it’s fun to play against Stanford and California, his passion burns brightest during the Civil War. The sophomore wide receiver hopes one day to be able to explain the importance of the game to incoming freshmen.
“Hopefully I can continue my career here,” Williams said. “And as the younger guys come in, just teach them to go out there and play with a lot of heart.”