Oregon's preparation for this week's highly anticipated non-conference clash at Ohio Stadium is underway.
Two days after squeaking by Fresno State with a 31-24 win in the season opener in Eugene, Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal, offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead and defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter met with reporters on Monday afternoon to review the first game, provide status updates on several key defenders and look ahead to this weekend's trip to Columbus to play Ohio State.
Here's a roundup of some of what they had to say that's relevant to their upcoming matchup with the Buckeyes:
Mario Cristobal:
- Oregon star defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux‘s status for this week’s game is “day-to-day” after he sprained his ankle on Saturday. Cristobal said Thibodeaux is improving but that the Ducks would have a better idea of whether he'll be able to play against Ohio State on Tuesday or Wednesday.
- Is it possible for Thibodeaux to play without practicing this week? "If a guy can't practice I don't think it's in his best interest or the team's interest to put a guy out there that can't rep," Cristobal says.
- Defensive backs DJ James and Jamal Hill will be available to play against Ohio State. They were suspended for Oregon's season opener after they were charged with shooting people with an Airsoft gun in August.
- Dru Mathis, a starting linebacker for the Ducks, will be out for the Ohio State game with a leg injury.
- On Ohio State's big play ability, Cristobal says "they're a great offense, a great football team with elite talent." Said it all starts up front with the Buckeyes' offensive line.
- “Ohio State's ability to make big plays is a complete reflection of how precise they are in what they do. They're very well-coached. They know what to do, how to do it, why they're doing it that way. And they attack you. They're aggressive.”
- “Nothing but our best is going to be good enough” to beat Ohio State, Cristobal said.
- “If you're a real competitor, you always want to test yourself against the very best, and Ohio State's an elite program.”
- Cristobal said Oregon “really wanted” C.J. Stroud as a recruit. “He can make every throw.” Cristobal also described Stroud as “really smart” and said the Ducks were impressed with his poise, accuracy, ability to improvise and ability to make plays with both his arm and his feet.
Joe Moorhead:
- Moorhead said Ohio Stadium is one of the three most challenging environments he's coached in. He described Ohio State's fan base as “very intelligent and passionate.”
- Moorhead said Ohio State's defense is schematically different now than it was when he was Penn State's offensive coordinator in 2016-17, but he does have familiarity with many of Ohio State's players from recruiting them while he was at Penn State. He's also familiar with Kerry Coombs from coaching against him when he was at Penn State, though Coombs wasn't Ohio State's defensive coordinator at the time.
- It's “very challenging” preparing to play Ohio State's defense, Moorhead said, because it's littered with four- and five-star talents all over the field.
- Moorhead noted that there are several Ohio State defenders who have played a lot of football, such as Zach Harrison, Tyreke Smith and Josh Proctor, but the challenge is that with the new players who are mixed into the defense now, “you haven't seen this combination of guys playing together."
Tim DeRuyter:
- On the Ducks’ pass defense giving up 298 yards in Week 1: “Clearly, it wasn't great.” Said they have to be better this week, because “the talent level's going to go way up“ from Fresno State to Ohio State.
- On Ohio State’s offense: “They're a team that's really capable of a ton of explosive plays.”
- DeRuyter said he doesn't know if he's ever good against two wide receivers on the same team as good as Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson are.
- DeRuyter said Jamal Hill and DJ James will both be competing for starting jobs in practice this week after being suspended for the season opener.
