EUGENE, Ore. — Mention the Oregon Ducks, and most focus goes to a quarterback many thought would leave Eugene after last season.
But that spotlight is starting to shift to players who weren’t on the roster at all last year.
Freshmen Devon Allen and Royce Freeman were Oregon’s two leaders in multi-purpose yards in Oregon’s win over Michigan State on Saturday.
Allen caught his first career touchdown pass in the second quarter, a 70-yard strike from Marcus Mariota that saw him spin out of a tackle.
Allen added a second touchdown in the third quarter and finished with 110 receiving yards.
Freeman, a highly recruited 6-foot, 229-pound running back out of Southern California, had a team-high 89 yards rushing and 22 yards receiving.
He had two touchdowns, including a 38-yard run in the fourth quarter that helped put the game away.
“It’s great to show that our hard work is paying off,” Freeman said. “Once we sped the tempo up on offense, we wore them down.”
Mariota’s record store
By the time Mariota is through, the Oregon record book might sound like a broken record.
Mariota … Mariota … Mariota.
The junior moved atop the school’s career lists of total offense and touchdown passes on Saturday.
With a screen pass in the first quarter, Mariota passed the 8,140 yards of total offense produced by Bill Musgrave from 1987-90.
Mariota’s first touchdown moved him by Darron Thomas atop the passing touchdown ranks. Mariota now has 69 for his career.
Mariota also moved into fourth on Oregon’s all-time passing yardage ranks, passing Joey Harrington, 6,911 yards. Musgrave sits atop the list with 8,343.
O-line takes another hit
Oregon’s offensive line was further depleted when right tackle Andre Yruretagoyena was carted off the field with a right leg injury early in the third quarter.
Yruretagoyena, a junior, was starting in the place of Tyler Johnstone, who is out for the season after hurting his knee in fall camp.
True freshman Tyrell Crosby held his own after Yruretagoyena’s injury.
Quick kicks
• Heat played a role in Saturday’s game. At kickoff, the announced temperature was 91 degrees on the shaded south side and 101 on the unshaded Oregon side.
• Oregon cornerback Troy Hill and linebacker Joe Walker were difference-makers on defense. Both matched career highs with nine tackles.
• Oregon converted five of its last seven third downs after starting one for nine.
