SANTA CLARA, Calif. – In today's society, it has become our nature to nitpick. To criticize. To want more.
So before we start to debate whether Oregon has what it takes to beat Alabama, or Florida State or TCU in potential postseason matchups, allow yourself to appreciate what this Ducks football program has accomplished.
Oregon on Friday earned its revenge – and then some – with a 51-13 whipping of Arizona in the Pac-12 Championship game at Levi's Stadium. Oregon avenged its only loss of the season after Marcus Mariota was the Most Valuable Player, rushing for three scores and passing for two more; Charles Nelson was a thunderbolt, and DeForest Buckner led a Ducks defense that played its finest game of the season.
It started with agony in April, when in spring ball, Bralon Addison -- the Ducks' best receiver and punt returner – tore his knee and was lost for the season. It trudged through the heat of August two-a-days, when All-American tackle Tyler Johnstone re-injured his knee and was lost for the season. And it seemed ready to crash in that Thursday night in October, when Arizona stunned the Ducks at Autzen.
But through it all, these Ducks became an example of perseverance, depth, and togetherness. In the process, they have become a team for the ages.
They are Pac-12 champions. Their 12-1 record matches the best mark in school history (2010, 2012). And after so many have tried, from Joey Harrington to Dennis Dixon to LaMichael James, Marcus Mariota is going to win the Heisman Trophy as the nation's best player.
And it will also be noted that Oregon became the first team to qualify for college football's first playoff.
They did it with a first-time defensive coordinator, Don Pellum, that many wanted to run out of town while he experimented and evaluated players in the early season.
They did it with Mark Helfrich, a second-year head coach who paid more attention to fixing problems than worrying about the problems people outside the program were so quick to magnify. He is now 23-3 as head coach.
They did it while the offensive line so hemorrhaged with injuries that coach Steve Greatwood said he has never seen anything like it in his 28 years coaching at Oregon.
They did it with two true freshmen – running back Royce Freeman and do-it-all sparkplug Charles Nelson – who were among the many youngsters who ended up being upgrades over the players they replaced.
And they did it with class, acting as gentlemen from every moment I was around the team since August.
If you don't believe it, take a minute to read up on Keanon Lowe ... Hroniss Grasu ...Tony Washington ... Ifo Ekpre-Olomu ... Mariota, or take the time to meet Tyler Johnstone ... Jake Fisher... Derrick Malone ... and tell me where there is a finer group of young men.
The worst off-the-field infraction was Mariota being cited for driving 80 in a 55 on a country highway.
The worst on-the-field infraction was Byron Marshall dropping the ball in nonchalance as he crossed the goal line in the season opener. The Ducks learned from it and turned it to their advantage – returning the same kind of fumble in Utah 100 yards for a touchdown that turned a key November game in Utah.
I realize this teeters on sacrilegious; the Ducks have bigger goals ahead – the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, and ultimately the national championship on Jan. 12. For the Ducks, this is no time to celebrate.
But I implore the Oregon fanbase to take a moment today and enjoy this. Realize what a fantastic ride it has been. It may be years, perhaps decades, before this type of season, with this caliber of men, happens again.
I don't know if Oregon can run against Alabama's front. I don't know if the Ducks defense would have an answer for Florida State's Jameis Winston. And I couldn't begin to venture how many points an Oregon-TCU matchup would produce.
But I do know this: I will never count this team out.
