The Oregon football program will return to Portland for the second year in a row with a spring practice on Saturday, which will serve as a look into the possible future for many Duck fans.

The Ducks will hold a spring practice and light scrimmage that is open to the public at Franklin high school at 1 p.m. The practice will be Oregon's eighth practice of spring football and serve as the mid-way point of their 15 allowable practices.

"We'll scrimmage a good amount," Cristobal said of the Saturday practice. "Probably 50 to 60 plays. We'll conduct a lot of practice work as well."

This marks the second straight year the Ducks have practiced in the Portland area. Last year under then-head coach Willie Taggart, the Ducks held a practice at Jesuit High School in front of nearly 3,000 fans.

"Hopefully we have enough fans to make it an away environment," said Mario Cristobal of this year's practice.

This Saturday's practice will serve as a chance for Oregon's fanbase located in the Portland area to get a look at next year's team, but also serve as a teaching moment for area coaches who are interested in seeing how the Ducks will work out.

"We are really excited about the whole deal in Portland," said Cristobal. "We want our coaches to coach drills, show how they teach. So that the local coaches and all the locals can see how our guys are working. The level of knowledge, and teaching, and how our guys work."

Through the first seven spring practices, the Ducks have stressed the importance of fundamentals and doing each drill the correct way. Oregon has made a bigger emphasis on teaching with less focusing on ripping off as many reps as possible in a drill. That's a transition from last year because of Oregon's struggles on the football field in two specific areas.

"We were one of the most penalized teams in the country last year, we were one of the teams that turned the ball over the last year," said Cristobal. "That's our fault as coaches. We have to fix that."

During the scrimmage on Saturday, Oregon coaches expect to see the focus on the tiny details leading up to Saturday carry over into how the Ducks perform in a game-like situation.

"We want to see who can knock each other back when they are tired when they are hurting a little bit, when it's third and one, when it's play 60 and it's play 70," said Cristobal. "We want to see drill transition and we want to see culture carry over when it really counts and it's on the line."

Seating at Franklin High School will be a first-come-first-serve basis. Standing room only will also be permitted in surrounding grass and other areas near the field. Fans should enter the stadium on SE 52nd Avenue and SE Clinton Street or 55th Avenue and Woodward Street.

Following the practice fans will have a chance to meet with Oregon's players and coaches on the field.