The schedule got dumped on its head. The timing is already off. Spring football everywhere was scrubbed due to the coronavirus pandemic. College football hopes to find some rhythm as voluntary, on-campus workouts begin this month. But this all plays into the hands of Oregon Ducks football coach Mario Cristobal, doesn’t it? Last summer, I asked Cristobal what was on his nightstand. I wanted to know what he was reading. He reeled off a list of books on military strategy, leadership and football. Of particular interest to me was a book titled, “Extreme Ownership,” written by a couple of Navy SEAL officers. Among the book’s primary principles: • There are no bad teams, only bad leaders; • Act decisively, prioritize and execute; • Be simple, clear and keep your ego in check. I feel like I’ve heard derivatives of those messages from Cristobal numerous times in the last year. He repeats the mantras. He talks in simple, concise, direct terms. He goes out of his way to take ownership of his program. And right now I’m thinking Cristobal is more equipped than most to deal with adversity and a mercurial, shifting landscape. This upcoming college football season will be made for coaches like him. Earlier this week, I asked Cristobal if it was possible that his team might overlook its season opener against North Dakota State (Sept. 5). The Ducks, after all, play Ohio State a week later in what is among the most heralded non-conference home football games in program history. Cristobal shot back: "I guess if I was the type that woke up, rolled out of bed late, maybe you could say something like that. But as sure as the sun is going to rise on this side and set on the other side, that ain’t ever going to happen. Thank God for again the DNA and the discipline of the old man and the old lady that got me and my brother’s butts right.” ♦♦♦ Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens was in a terrible mess in 2017 when Willie Taggart left Oregon after one season for Florida State. A best-ever recruiting class was about to unravel. Boosters were frustrated that Mullens had misfired on a costly extension for Mark Helfrich, followed immediately by another apparent stumble with Taggart. The AD had to get the next hire right. The timeline is an interesting study. Mullens contracted with a search firm and flew to Dallas. Then, he got to work conducting the search for the program’s next football coach. Former Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin came for an interview. And there were serious telephone conversations with Cal coach Justin Wilcox and Boise State coach Bryan Harsin, who had formally interviewed with Mullens before Taggart was hired. Wilcox had only been at Cal for one season. He thanked Mullens, but indicated he didn’t want to make a move. Harsin was interested but had concerns about the optics of interviewing with Oregon a second time and falling short again. Influential boosters were pushing for the AD to talk with candidates such as Jim McElwain, Mike Leach and Les Miles, but Mullens was in a time crunch, and had to act swiftly. The AD decided his final two interviews would be then-defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt and Cristobal. A drawn-out search would defeat the purpose. Also, the hire needed to belong to the AD. Mullens decided it would come down to a choice between Sumlin, Leavitt and Cristobal. “I’ve never wanted anything this badly,” Cristobal told his close friends after he interviewed. Looking back, it now doesn’t seem like much of a difficult decision. Leavitt was all wrong. Sumlin was impressive, but would have been a total program reboot. Everyone knew Cristobal held the keys to the recruiting class. Oregon’s players were publicly lobbying for him. He had prior head coaching experience and hit a home run in the interview with Mullens. Cristobal got the offer. He immediately accepted. Last year I asked the coach who his first call was after taking the job. “I called Penei Sewell," Cristobal said. “What are you kidding me?” Two seasons later, Cristobal went 12-2, won a conference title and beat Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. And Sewell won the Outland Trophy. But nobody looked smarter than Mullens. ♦♦♦ Oregon will have a new starter at quarterback next season. It will also have a new offensive coordinator and play caller in Joe Moorhead. I’ve wondered how that might affect the early part of the Ducks’ football schedule. But ultimately, the entire college football world is dealing with adversity and change, isn’t it? I wrote after Cristobal’s hire that I thought he’d make the College Football Playoff inside of five seasons on the job. He feels like he’s still on that trajectory. But I’m left thinking about the adversity of this summer, the pandemic, the uncertainty, and I can’t help but wonder if Oregon might arrive early. As in, a playoff appearance this upcoming season. The Ducks defense is loaded and gifted. Coordinator Andy Avalos is a star. Sewell is back at left tackle. I think he’s the best returning player in the country. And Oregon’s offense, which averaged 4.9 yards a rush last season, feels like its finding its way. I keep coming back to the leadership principles Cristobal studied in that book -- be simple and clear. Run. Tackle. Hold your team accountable. Take all the responsibility and give all the credit. Framed by that, doesn’t Oregon feel better positioned than most in 2020 to wade through uncertainty and chaos? This season feels like it’s made for Cristobal. Washington has a new head coach. They’ll take a step back. USC is talented, but will Clay Helton be successful again as a lame duck? And Utah is always scary under Kyle Whittingham. But the Utes threw their best punch at Oregon in the Pac-12 title game last December and got pile driven off the field in the second half. The Pac-12 has been left out of the playoff for three straight seasons. Of the 24 teams that have been selected in the six-year existence of the playoff, only two hailed from the Pac-12 (Oregon in the 2014 season and Washington in 2016). The deck is stacked against the conference for a number of reasons, most significantly that its programs lag behind on revenue generated from its now-woeful media rights deal. Oregon is the conference’s biggest outlier. It has Phil and Penny Knight. It has Nike’s backing. And it has Cristobal, who welcomes the chaos he sees on the landscape. At only one other time in recent history have I felt like the Ducks were as well positioned to rise and win as they are now -- the run up to the 2010 season under then-Oregon coach Chip Kelly. It was set up for the Ducks. Washington was coming off a 5-7 season in 2009. And Pete Carroll had just left USC and was replaced by Lane Kiffin. Oregon had momentum, Knight, Nike, and Kelly’s offense on their side. The only clear obstacle inside the conference was Jim Harbaugh and Stanford, who the Ducks beat 52-31 at Autzen Stadium. Oregon went 12-0 in 2010 and played Auburn for the national title that season. These are new times, aren’t they? I keep saying that. We’re all eager to see college football, and wondering how it might look in the fall. I’m anxious about the restart for a number of reasons. Half-filled stadiums, regular COVID-19 testing and monitoring. I keep wondering how the disruption of schedule, the absence of spring practices, and the uncertainty of it all will manifest itself. What I’m not wondering about is Cristobal. This season feels made for him. https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/20...ds-of-oregon-ducks-coach-mario-cristobal.html
I met Coach Cristobal by accident early this year. I was picking up a ride at the Football Facility and there he was. What a cool dude. Way taller & leaner than he looks on TV. We exchanged a few pleasantries, fist bumped, and i was on my way to find the rider. The defense, which was the best i had seen at UO, is going to have to be the identity. It's a lot to ask a new QB to run things as smoothly as they did before. Even if it ends up being backup Tyler Shough from last season. But Mario has built them to look like they play in the SEC , and that will take them to the top.
great comments on leadership it’s to bad our President and leaders of many States and Cities don’t have strong leadership.
I would think that next year would be a better opportunity. This year, establish who the QB will be and get him some experience. Same for the offensive line. They had a great recruiting year last year and this. Those guys will be coming into their own.
Going to be a competition for sure. Tyler Shough whom Im very impressed with I think may be the front runner going into fall camp. Then you have the new 5th year transfer Brown that's been a starter thatb could be the one? They have a couple more good prospects in the mix too. I watched last years spring game and afew of the times Shough played and he impressed me with his arm and feet. He has a good feel for the game too.
