On Thursday Mario Cristobal held a press conference with media previewing Fall camp and some other notes.

A lot has been made of this team, the new approach, the weight staff and a flurry of other changes under his direction.

This team has some lofty goals and a lot of expectations tethered to all-star quarterback Justin Herbert. The Ducks have a favorabe schedule overall and could surprise some people around the country.

With a new redshirt rule in place, several graduate transfers in town and some other notes, here is what Cristobal said to media.

- The redshirt rule is big because it 'allows guys to stay engaged' and gives them something to work towards. "Football is a developmental sport and now you have a chance to see how guys develop and reward them without hurting their status. Cristobal said he is ll in favor of the rule like most other college coaches.

- On practices and meetings, Mario Cristobal noted is important in being regimented every day. And to bring in the right people for your program. He called 'Personnell assessment' a big part of building a program and its culture.

- When asked about depth and working in reps for backups he noted equal reps among all levels. "The fours are getting as many and the quality of reps as the ones."

- On building a team: "If you're culture is strong and you match it with great personnel, it's a recipe for success." Cristobal noting it's not just about signing four and five star recruits but also establishing a culture within your team.

- The quarterbacks remained a hot topic once again. Not so much Justin Herbert but the guys behind him. Cristobal noted they have been impressive during Spring camp. "Their bodies have changed. Braxton was smart, tough, played with courage. He has made a lot of progress."

He also noted Tyler Shough as making huge strides and adding quality depth to the position. "We have a lot of confidence in them," Cristobal noted on his backup quarterback group.

- Some roster notes that came up. He confirmed Jalen Hall won't be on the roster as camp opens tomorrow. He also said Malik Young did not get his additional year, so his career is finished. Again, DJ Johnson will not be eligible to play this season.

- On his lead strength coach AaronFeld: "He's got a lot of Juice." Cristobal also said there is 'A lot of enthusiasm about being in elite shape. Football has a way of rewarding those that are in elite shape.' There has been a pretty noticeable difference in Oregon's 'appearance' overall following Summer conditioning.

- On the running back position: "I see a lot of competitiveness there. But he did single out senior back Tony Brooks-James. "TBJ has elevated his game." He noted he has added another 10-13 pounds and kept his speed. Also on TBJ, "his commitment has created a better RB room overall."

- Oregon added what looked like an excessive amount of walk-ons this Summer. "The walk-on program here is going to be a very big part of what we do. Once you have a locker it doesn't matter if you are a 5-star athlete or a walk-on, you're here."

Cristobal said they spend a lot of time scouting and recruiting walk-ons. "The quality of your team continues to improve with the addition of better walk-ons."



- A question regarding how he handles a situation like the one ongoing at Ohio State: "Make sure you hire and recruit the best people you can. It's a huge topic right now. Domestic violence can and never will be tolerated. You're responsibilities are very wide-ranging and it's a lot to stay on top of."

Coach Cristobal said he operates with "A zero-tolerance policy." Should any incidents occur he said he would "Gather 'factual data' and come to a decision with the administration."

- One of the high points to the conference came when asked about how he handles or preaches goals to the team.

"Stay process-oriented. Don't shy away from goals. But there is a process to get there. Trust the process and grind and work and eventually the process is going to love you back."

- A question about how he likes depth at positions came up: "Never satisfied with depth," was his response. Cristobal said 'we put together some 'decent solutions' at receiver. But the development of our current guys is big too."

Defensively he said: "We feel good about our front seven. But certainly you could have more. You can never have enough defensive linemen.'

He noted they "may be a couple bodies short on the back end." Meaning his defensive back group might be lacking depth overall.

- On the injury front he noted Jake Hanson is back, Sampson Niu is back as is Nick Pickett. All three missed Spring ball.

Graduate transfer receiver Tabari Hines however might not be ready to go week 1 following a 'minor procedure on his knee.