The 2013 Oregon Ducks football team represented the University of Oregon in the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by first year head coach Mark Helfrich and played their home games at Autzen Stadium for the 47th consecutive year. They were a member of the Pac-12 Conference in the North Division.
The Ducks had high hopes coming off of a 12–1 (8–1) season a victory in the 2013 Fiesta Bowl; many considered them a contender for the BCS national championship game the following year. However, these hopes were thrown into question shortly after their Fiesta Bowl victory, on January 16, 2013. Head coach Chip Kelly announced that he had agreed to terms with the Philadelphia Eagles to become their new head coach after several disappointing seasons under Andy Reid; Kelly brought Oregon defensive line coach Jerry Azzinaro along with him to Philadelphia.
As they have done in every case of hiring a new head coach since 1995, the Ducks hired from within and promoted fourth-year offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mark Helfrich to the head coach position. Along with the head coach change, wide receivers coach Scott Frost was promoted to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and Duke wide receivers coach Matt Lubick and Arizona Cardinals defensive line coach Ron Aiken were hired to fill their respective positions on Oregon's staff.
Oregon started the season rankedWhenever "rank" or "poll" is used generically, it references the AP poll, the BCS poll may be referenced specifically by name third behind Ohio State and Alabama, and rose to second after their first game, a 66–3 win over Nicholls State in Week 1. They continued their winning ways, posting double-digit wins over Virginia, Tennessee, California, Colorado, Washington, Washington State and UCLA, and eventually found themselves in a duel with Florida State over the number 2 spot in the BCS poll, with Alabama at number 1. The wheels came off though, as they did the year previously, against Stanford, losing 26–20 on the road. The Ducks would rebound with a home win over Utah, but lose again at home to Arizona, the Ducks’ first loss to an unranked foe since 2009.
Sitting at 9–2 (7–2) and out of the BCS bowl picture for the first time in four years, Oregon had the Civil War left to play. Both Oregon and Oregon State were coming off of losses and had no major spoils to play for. Oregon came from behind in a back-and-forth fourth quarter and scored a touchdown (and failed to convert the two-point attempt) with 29 seconds left to win, 36–35.
Finishing the regular season at 10–2 (7–2) Oregon had extended winning streaks in two major rivalries, making it 10 years in a row against Washington, and six years in a row against Oregon State, as well as achieving a sixth consecutive 10-win season and an undefeated season at home for the first time in three years.
On December 8, 2013, the Ducks were invited to play in the Alamo Bowl against Texas in what would be Texas head coach Mack Brown and Oregon defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti's last games before retiring. Oregon won the Alamo bowl 30–7, tying a school record set from 1999 to 2001 for consecutive bowl wins at three, with rookie head coach Mark Helfrich becoming the first Oregon head coach to go to and win a bowl game in his rookie year (Rich Brooks won his first bowl game, after 12 years as head coach at Oregon, Mike Belloti and Chip Kelly each went to and lost a bowl game in their first years). Oregon finished the season at 11–2, only their fifth season with 11 or more wins in 118 years of football.
Departing players No juniors or redshirt sophomores declared early eligibility for the 2013 NFL draft.
Num Player Position Starter Class Drafted Round Pick Team Notes 10 Rahsaan Vaughn WR N SR N 20 John Boyett FS Y SR Y 6 192 Indianapolis Colts Released prior to regular season due to arrest 36 Jennings Stewart TE N SR N 46 Michael Clay LB Y SR N Undrafted free agent signed by Miami Dolphins 47 Kiko Alonso LB Y SR Y 2 46 Buffalo Bills 2013 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year; NFL All-Rookie Team 49 Jackson Rice P Y SR N 59 Jeff Palmer LS N SR N 60 Ryan Clanton OL Y SR N 61 Nick Cody OL Y SR N 65 Isaac Remington DT N SR N Undrafted free agent signed by Philadelphia Eagles 74 Kyle Long OL Y SR Y 1 20 Chicago Bears 2014 Pro Bowl; NFL All-Rookie Team 77 Carson York OL Y SR N 87 Nick Morrison DL N SR N 89 Will Murphy WR N SR N 93 Rob Beard PK Y SR N 96 Dion Jordan DE Y SR Y 1 3 Miami Dolphins
Preseason Returning starters
Offense Player Class Position Marcus Mariota Sophomore Quarterback Josh Huff Senior Wide receiver Keanon Lowe Junior Wide receiver Daryle Hawkins Senior Wide receiver Colt Lyerla Junior Tight end Tyler Johnstone Sophomore Left tackle Hroniss Grasu Junior Center Jake Fisher Junior Right tackleReference:
Defense Player Class Position Taylor Hart Senior Defensive end Wade Keli'ikipi Senior Defensive tackle Boseko Lokombo Senior Outside Linebacker Terrence Mitchell Junior Cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu Junior Cornerback Brian Jackson Senior Safety Avery Patterson Senior SafetyReference:
Special teams Player Class Position De'Anthony Thomas Junior Returner Alejandro Maldonado Senior Place kicker Drew Howell Senior Long snapperReference:
Recruiting
Awards watch lists
The following Oregon players appeared on preseason award watch lists
Maxwell Award – College Football Player of the Year Marcus Mariota De'Anthony Thomas
Walter Camp Award – Player of the Year Marcus Mariota De'Anthony Thomas
Davey O'Brien Award – Best Quarterback Marcus Mariota
Doak Walker Award – Best Runningback De'Anthony Thomas
Biletnikoff Award – Best Receiver Josh Huff
Mackey Award – Most Outstanding Collegiate Tight End Colt Lyerla
Rimington Trophy – Most Outstanding Collegiate Center Hroniss Grasu
Outland Trophy – Best Interior Lineman in College Football Hroniss Grasu Tyler Johnstone
Lombardi Award – Best Lineman Hroniss Grasu Tyler Johnstone
Bednarik Award – Defensive Player of the Year Ifo Ekpre-Olomu
Bronko Nagurski Trophy – Most Outstanding Defensive Player Ifo Ekpre-Olomu Terrence Mitchell
Jim Thorpe Award – Best Defensive Back Ifo Ekpre-Olomu Terrence Mitchell
Butkus Award – Best Linebacker Boseko Lokombo
Spring football
On April 27, 2013, the Oregon Ducks capped off their spring football practices with the traditional Spring Football Game, open to the public held at Autzen Stadium. As has been the practice for many years, in order to gain admission to the game each fan must donate at least three non-perishable food items to Food for Lane County on their way in the stadium. Following a record donation year in 2012, Oregon fans again donated over 70,000 pounds of food to the charity.
Donating food is not the only non-football activity for a good cause that is associated with the Oregon Spring Game, the game is played in honor of the United States Armed Forces and specifically the several reserve and guard units stationed close to Eugene. The football players will wear special made Nike uniforms that have "Support Our Troops" on the back where the player's last name is usually found, along with American Flags on the sleeves. During half-time a group of Marine Corps enlistees took the oath of enlistment on the field. Following the game the players line up on the north sideline, with an equal number of service-members from each branch of the military lining up on the south sideline. The two groups meet in the middle of the field where the players then remove their jersey and give it to a service-member, the service-member in turns presents the football player with a challenge coin. The tradition of the Spring Game being dedicated to supporting the military is part of the legacy of former head coach Chip Kelly, following the funeral of a local soldier in 2010, which he attended.
The 2013 iteration of the game was the first under new head coach Mark Helfrich and it also implemented a new scoring system for the first time in several years. Traditionally the offensive and defensive coordinators act as head coaches of two different teams, which are selected via a draft, the two teams then face off in a normally scored exhibition game. Due to a rash of injuries on both sides of the ball the format was tweaked so that it was simply the offense versus the defense, with a modified points system. The offense would score normally, with six points for touchdowns with the opportunity for point after attempts, and three points for field goals. The defense would follow normal rules for touchdowns as well, but would also gain three points for turnovers and one point every time that they kept the offense from scoring. The points system led to a lopsided victory by the offense, 65–0.
Schedule
Personnel
Coaching staff
Name Position Seasons atOregon Alma mater Previous CoachingPosition Mark Helfrich Head coach 5 (1 as HC) Southern Oregon (1996) OC & QB – Oregon Nick Aliotti Defensive coordinator 22 (17 as DC) UCDavis (1976) Incumbent Scott Frost Offensive coordinator & quarterbacks 5 (1 as OC) Nebraska (1997) WR – Oregon Steve Greatwood Running game coordinator & offensive line 27 Oregon (1980) Incumbent Matt Lubick Passing Game Coordinator & wide receivers 1 Colorado State (1995) WR – Duke Gary Campbell Running backs 31 UCLA (1973) Incumbent Tom Osbourne Tight ends & special teams 13 Washington State (1983) Incumbent Don Pellum Linebackers & recruiting coordinator 21 Oregon (1985) Incumbent Ron Aiken Defensive line 1 North Carolina A&T (1977) DL – Arizona Cardinals John Neal Secondary 11 BYU (1980) Incumbent Jim Radcliffe Strength and conditioning 29 Pacific University (1980) IncumbentReference:
Roster 2013 Oregon Ducks FootballQuarterback 3 Jake Rodrigues – Freshman 8 Marcus Mariota – Sophomore 10 Damion Hobbs – Freshman 12 Taylor Alie – Freshman 14 Dustin Haines – Senior 17 Jeff Lockie – Freshman
Running back 6 De'Anthony Thomas – Junior 9 Byron Marshall – Sophomore 24 Thomas Tyner – Freshman 30 Ayele Forde – Junior 31 Kenny Bassett – Junior 34 Lane Roseberry – Freshman 36 Kani Benoit – Freshman 37 J.J. Jones – Freshman 37 Jordan Thompson – Senior
Offensive lineman 54 Hamani Stevens – Junior 55 Hroniss Grasu – Junior 57 Doug Brenner – Freshman 58 James Euscher – Sophomore 61 Brigham Stoehr – Freshman 62 Matt Pierson – Sophomore 63 Mana Greig – Senior 64 Tyler Johnstone – Sophomore 65 Brian Teague – Senior 68 Jamal Prater – Sophomore 69 Brandon Thomas – Sophomore 70 Matthew McFadden – Freshman 71 Everett Benyard – Senior 72 Andre Yruretagoyena – Sophomore 74 Elijah George – Freshman 75 Jake Fisher – Junior 76 Jake Pisarcik – Freshman 77 Cameron Hunt – Freshman 78 Karrington Armstrong – Senior 79 Evan Voellet – Freshman Wide receiver 1 Josh Huff – Senior 7 Keanon Lowe – Junior 11 Bralon Addison – Sophomore 13 Devon Allen – Freshman 16 Daryle Hawkins – Senior 18 Dwayne Stanford – Sophomore 19 Eric Dungy – Junior 20 Chance Allen – Freshman 23 B.J. Kelley – Sophomore 41 Blake Stanton – Junior 84 Chad Delaney – Senior 86 Austian Diach – Freshman 87 Darren Carrington – Freshman 88 Jeff Stolzenburg – Junior 89 Chris Tewhill – Freshman
Tight end 32 Evan Baylis – Freshman 39 Jimmy Musgrave – Sophomore 80 Koa Ka'ai – Sophomore 82 Davaysia Hagger – Freshman 83 Johnny Mundt – Freshman 85 Pharaoh Brown – Sophomore Defensive lineman 9 Arik Armstead – Sophomore 42 Cody Carriger – Freshman 44 DeForest Buckner – Sophomore 56 Alex Balducci – Sophomore 84 Stetzon Bair – Sophomore 93 Jason Sloan – Freshman 99 Sam Kamp – Sophomore
Defensive tackle 50 Ryan Hagen – Senior 66 Taylor Hart – Senior 90 Ricky Havili-Heimuli – Senior 92 Wade Keliikipi – Senior
Defensive end 45 T.J. Daniel – Sophomore 57 Ryan McCandless – Sophomore 91 Tony Washington – Junior 96 Christian French – Sophomore 98 David Kafovalu – Junior
Linebacker 19 Tyrell Robinson – Freshman 22 Derrick Malone – Junior 25 Boseko Lokombo – Senior 33 Tyson Coleman – Sophomore