In February, head coach Mario Cristobal pitched Marcel Yates the opportunity to be a part of history. Yates agreed, and he now begins his first attempt at history as Oregon football’s new secondary coach.
“The one thing that stood out to me was when coach [Mario Cristobal] said, ‘Come help me win a national championship,’” Yates said. “That was the one thing in 21 years of coaching that I’ve never had a head coach actually say to me… at that point I said, ‘Okay.’”
Spending last season as Cal’s defensive backs coach and coaching in the Pac-12 for the last five seasons, Yates has watched Cristobal bring physicality to a team and conference that have historically been characterized by speed and finesse. It embodies a philosophy and approach which matches that of his own. With a clear goal in mind, Yates took over what he believes can be a national championship-level secondary.
Yates joined the program just weeks after Oregon hired Tim DeRuyter, who held the same position as defensive coordinator last season at Cal. The familiarity between the two will help Oregon’s defense transition to the new coaching staff.
“We’ve either [worked] in the same conference or at the same school… we’ve known each other for a long time,” Yates said. “I respect him as a coach, as a man, as a father and as a husband… we get along well.”
Previously, Yates was the defensive coordinator at Arizona and Boise State, his alma mater. Additionally, he coached defensive backs at Boise State and Texas A&M.
This spring, the goal is to establish relationships with the players, and Yates believes he has a strong foundation to build on — one which begins with Verone McKinley III, Oregon’s most experienced safety and a leader of the defense.
Yates met McKinley III while recruiting at Arizona and the two share a close bond.
“It’s been pretty cool,” McKinley III said. “I feel like the guys have gravitated towards him and understand what he’s talking about. He’s a great coach, and I’m excited to display everything he’s helped us with this year.”
For the rest of the secondary, spring practice is off to a promising start.
“As a group, they want to be coached hard. They show up early to everything and ask a ton of questions, which I like,” Yates said. “All in all I can’t complain about their effort and the knowledge that they have.”
Jamal Hill, a sophomore nickelback, returns after a breakout six-game 2020 season where he totaled 20 tackles, four passes defended and two interceptions, is a fan of the work being done with Yates this spring.
“He gets after it,” Hill said. “He’s going to hold you accountable no matter how you feel that day, and you’re going to get better… I love his coaching style.”
If the Ducks have the talent to compete for a national championship, it starts with the Oregon defense returning to the dominant form they showed at times throughout the 2019 season.
With speed and power up front, the seconday’s ability to gel may well be the difference. While spring football is merely an introduction to the 2021 season and there is a lot to be done before the opening kickoff at Autzen Stadium on Sept. 4, Yates and the Oregon secondary have one goal in mind: making history.
