EUGENE -- The NFL Draft is still two weeks away, but the Oregon Ducks will be hosting one of their own on Friday afternoon.

Coaches confirmed the Ducks will play as close to a real game as possible next Saturday and the the preparation for the spring game began Friday after practice. The format? Team Marcus Mariota and Hroniss Grasu against Tony Washington and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, picking teams schoolyard style.

"We're going to do our draft this afternoon," Oregon coach Mark Helfrich said. "I think it's on Pac-12 Network and ESPN 8 and something else."

The format, coaches said, has its advantages. The picking of teams obviously gives the game a fun flair for the players, keeping it fresh. It also makes it competitive -- something that gives coaches the chance to see how some of the younger players deal with game-like situations.

"The competition is more fun when you play a real game and it's educational for those guys to be in those situations," offensive coordinator Scott Frost said. "We have some guys that haven't played a whole lot on the field here in Autzen … anytime you can get reps and stuff like that, it's going to help you."

The Ducks are barreling toward the spring game, having completed 12 of the allotted 15 practices allowed this spring. Redshirt senior receiver Keanon Lowe said the tempo of practice has remained high because the team realizes it only has three workouts left together before returning for fall camp. The spring game is a draw for the fans, Lowe said, but it's not something that he believes should be used as the sole judgement on how someone's performed over the last four weeks.

"There's a lot of feistiness out there. At this point, people are getting tired of hitting each other. I'm sure people are excited for the spring game," he said. "(But) it's just another scrimmage, basically. I think people look too much into the spring game itself. Every day is an evaluation. It's just a fun experience. Lots of fans come out, it's their first chance to see us in a while."

With the end of spring in sight, Helfrich said he was proud of the way the team has looked at practice. For a practice right before the weekend and a week before the spring game, the second-year Oregon coach was encouraged by the drive the team has shown as they enter the final week.

"From an effort standpoint, it was excellent," he said.

-- Tyson Alger |