By Rob Moseley

Editor, GoDucks.com

Photo: Andy McNamara

Venue: Outdoor practice fields

Format: Competition day

Oregon's offense won Wednesday's scored “competition day” periods, 76-70, reversing a week of defeats to the defense that included the first competition day of the spring last week, and then Friday's scrimmage.

And while no single player deserves the credit – Dakota Prukop had his best practice of the month, Charles Nelson was at the other end of many of Prukop's passes, and Royce Freeman was running like a freight train – junior left tackle Tyrell Crosby definitely set the tone.

The first period of the day matched offensive and defensive linemen in 1-on-1 pass rush drills. The offense came out of the drill with a three-point lead, and not only did Crosby win all three of his reps for a point each, he did so in emphatic fashion. Crosby put defenders on their backs each of his first two reps – including probably the Ducks' best defensive player, Henry Mondeaux – energizing his offensive teammates and firing up the defenders to even the score.

Crosby ended up joining Calvin Throckmorton, Jake Hanson and Shane Lemieux as guys who won multiple reps to stake the offense to its lead. “That sparked the whole offense to get better throughout the day,” Nelson said. “We did and came out with the win, and that's all the matters.”

Prukop had what offensive coordinator Matt Lubick called “by far (his) best day since he's been here.” In a 7-on-7 scenario involving second-and-long situations, he moved the chains three straight times, including twice on completions to Nelson. That drill did also include an interception for Prukop, on which true freshman Hunter Kampmoyer dropped back, stuck a hand up at the line and came down with the ball before rumbling upfield.

The other 7-on-7 period, in which the offense was able to drive the field, was maybe Prukop's most impressive single period yet. He started out with a really pretty deep ball to Nelson, though the next pass went off Nelson's hands and was picked off by De'Quan McDowell , who just always seems to be in the right place at the right time.

The next chance Prukop's group got, he completed seven straight passes to march the offense down the field and into the end zone. Four of those completions were to Nelson, including the touchdown play.

“Dakota's coming along real nice,” Nelson said. “… It's a great competition, a battle between (Prukop and Travis Jonsen), and I'm just ready to see where it goes from here.”

Both Prukop and Jonsen had highlights in the red-zone period that closed the day. Prukop threw a pair of touchdown passes to freshman Dillon Mitchell. And Jonsen had one of the day's best individual plays, rolling out of the pocket and throwing on the run to Nelson in the end zone.

All those plays by the offense resulted in a competition day victory. That means white offensive flags will now fly over the practice fields, after a week when the green defensive flags waved above.

“To me the mark of a good player is, how do you improve on something like (last week), when a scrimmage doesn't go the way you want, or a practice?” Lubick said. “Do you come out the next day and respond by getting better, or do you let that affect the next play? Those guys came out today and had their best practice, and that's encouraging as a coach.”

Other highlights: In 1-on-1 pass drills, Kirk Merritt used a great stutter-step move to create separation from Ugo Amadi, but the sophomore cornerback stuck with the play and was able to break up the pass. Mitchell did a nice job winning a battle with Chris Seisay for a jump ball, and Terry Wilson impressed a couple times with his patience, waiting for receivers to gain separation before uncorking a throw. …

The defense trailed by 11 entering the first team period, and closed the gap during that drill. Danny Mattingly got involved in a couple plays early in the drill, and later on Elijah George swallowed up Kani Benoit at the line. Tony Brooks-James did manage a couple long runs in the period, following up on his solid day Monday. … Play of the day might have been by Casey Eugenio, a 5-foot-8 receiver who went up in the back of the end zone against the 6-4 Tyree Robinson, won the battle for a pass from Wilson and got a foot down just inside the back line for a touchdown in 7-on-7.