LOS ANGELES ? Three days shy of Monday?s Rose Bowl, Oregon looked as healthy as could be expected during a portion of practice Friday that was open to the media.
Cornerback Anthony Gildon and receiver Justin Hoffman both look questionable to face Wisconsin on Monday with injuries that have dogged them over the second half of the season. But the Ducks? lineup otherwise appears to be intact as they prepare to face the Badgers.
Wide receiver Keanon Lowe, who had his most significant playing time of the season in the Civil War before breaking his right wrist late in the game, has a cast on his arm that will prevent him from playing on offense Monday. But he intends to contribute on the kickoff coverage team, where he emerged as a key player late in the fall.
?It means a lot; if I play even one play, I?m excited about that one play I?m going to play,? Lowe said. ?I?ve been looking forward to this ever since I was little.
?I kind of grew into (the kick coverage role), and as I got better at special teams I saw myself getting better at receiver too, and getting more reps. ... As I progressed in special teams, I felt myself getting better overall.?
Among those players who definitely appear to be out Monday are offensive lineman Ramsen Golpashin, receiver Ben Butterfield and safety James Scales, all because of major knee injuries. In addition, reserve tight end Nick Musgrove of Eugene has been walking with a protective boot on his leg this week.
Golpashin, a fifth-year senior who walked on to the team and earned a starting job against LSU to open this season, hasn?t played since injuring his left knee in practice before the Ducks? third game.
But he continued to work out and attend meetings to whatever extent he could, following surgery in early October, and was voted one of the team?s most inspirational players at the Ducks? postseason banquet.
?It was unfortunate, what happened to me, but the longer you sit and dwell about it, it?s not going to do any good,? Golpashin said. ?There?s other guys that have to step in and fill your role, and you just have to support them. It?s been hard not playing, but seeing everyone else succeed, you feel like you?re succeeding as well.?
Golpashin hopes to remain around the team next fall while finishing Oregon?s MBA program. He hopes to work with the Ducks? football operations staff as an understudy.
Also on hand this week is sophomore offensive lineman Jamaal Burrell, who had to quit the sport because of a heart condition after last season. He too has been a consistent presence around the team this fall.
?I wanted to be here the whole time with the team, be here with the class I came in with,? said Burrell, who remains on scholarship but doesn?t count against the NCAA?s active limit of 85 per team. ?I?m still here with the team and I still love the team. I wanted to finish what I started here.?
Burrell is studying family and human services at Oregon and hopes eventually to run group homes for disadvantaged young adults.
Giving their best Badger look
The Ducks on Monday will get a first-hand look at Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson and running back Montee Ball, two top-10 finishers in the Heisman Trophy balloting this season. Until then, UO walk-ons Dustin Haines and Anthony Blake are doing their best to emulate the two with the Ducks? scout team.
Haines has made an effort to mimic some of Wilson?s unique attributes when facing the UO defense in practice.
?Russell Wilson has a great feel for where the ball needs to be, and it?s on time every time,? Haines said. ?He doesn?t use his pure athletic ability to get the job done; he?s a really smart guy and a smart player.
?There?s plays that Russell does that, when it?s supposed to be a handoff, he can see the defense and keep the ball himself and bootleg out, so I?ve been doing that on occasion when I feel like the defense isn?t ready for it, just trying to give them the best look possible.?
For Blake, there appears to be less nuance to imitating Ball.
?He just runs really hard and gives great effort after they try to tackle him initially,? Blake said. ?That?s all I try to do ? once the defense hits me, I keep going and try to give them a good look. I?m not as strong as him, but me running at full speed, hopefully I can do my best.?
The job of filling in for Wisconsin?s massive offensive line in Oregon?s practice has fallen to a group of young Ducks including redshirting freshman Andre Yruretagoyena.
?I?m nowhere near as big as them obviously, but we just try to do our best, give our defense the best look we possibly can,? Yruretagoyena said. ?We know that they?re a really, really physical team and they love to run the ball. We?ve been getting beat up pretty bad, but if we want to win we?ve got to give that good of a look.?
Learning the right moves
One major benefit of bowl games is that all eligible players, including those in line to redshirt, get to travel with the team and participate in pregame functions.
Redshirting freshman receiver Devon Blackmon is doing his best to soak up the experience.
?I just want to see how the older guys conduct themselves, so how they handle the media and the scene,? said Blackmon, who had shoulder surgery at midseason but has resumed catching passes in workouts. ?So that when it?s my time in the spotlight, I know how to act and I act like I?ve been there before.?
Linebacker Bo Lokombo, who was redshirting the last time Oregon played in Pasadena two years ago, said there?s much to be gained from the experience.
?I was able to take everything in and learn from past players,? Lokombo said. ?This year it?s kind of different, because I?m involved in everything. ... (The current redshirts) can take everything in, have fun, enjoy it, but also look at the older players and look at them, and learn from all the different situations.?
Mum?s the word from Alonso
All players and coaches were required to attend Friday?s media day press conference, but junior linebacker Kiko Alonso declined to participate in interviews, as he?s done since his offseason arrest and one-game suspension for an alcohol-related incident.
Also, Oregon?s assistant coaches did not attend the session, in violation of BCS rules, but bowl officials coordinated a new appearance for them for this morning. Two years ago, the Ducks were fined after embattled senior running back LeGarrette Blount did not participate.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rgsports/~3/e1RnTtW6l2c/team-ducks-oregon-players-ball.html.csp
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