DUCKS SCRIMMAGE IN PADS FOR FIRST TIME WITH OFFICIALS

The big news from Tuesday’s Oregon football practice was the return of TE Coly Lyerla.   Lyerla has so far been absent from fall camp due to personal issues, however he returned to practice on Tuesday and worked out in just shorts and his jersey.    When asked about Lyerla’s return after Tuesday’s practice, Duck head coach Chip Kelly spoke briefly about Lyerla’s progress.   “I would imagine he is like anybody that missed the first week,” Kelly said.   ”He’s certainly not jumping in there with the ones right now.”

As a true freshman, Lyerla appeared in 12 games in 2011 and caught 5 touchdowns and had 147 receiving yards.   Conventional wisdom certainly pointed to Lyerla being the starting tight end in 2012 taking over for David Paulson who’s now in the NFL.   That may or may not have changed with Lyerla’s early abscence from fall camp.    “The last tight end that started for us was David Paulson and he’s with the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Kelly said following practice.  “It’s an open competition until we get to the first game.”

Other news from Tuesday’s workout was the inclusion of officials in a scripted scrimmage situation.   For the first time in fall camp, the Ducks practiced in full pads and were allowed to have full contact.  ”We were tackling to the ground,….cut blocking and taking people down” said Kelly.    “We got a lot of real quality work.   We did some one on one with our linebackers, our runningbacks,..also with our outside linebackers with our tight ends.   We got them with our DB’s.   Really what we did is we practiced and just integrated the officials into our practice.”

Another topic from Tuesday’s practice was the implementation of new rules in college football, specifically the loss of a players helmet during a game.    Kelly emphasized the need for readiness of his team in case that situation ever occurs.   By rule, a player must sit out at least one play if he loses his helmet during play.   “If your helmet comes off on 2nd down and there’s a critical 3rd down in the game and all of a sudden you lose your starting quarterback because his helmet is taken off,..that’s a big deal” said Kelly.    ”It’s not like I can use a time-out or I can tell the official hey let’s give him a second chance.  If his helmet comes off during the course of play, he’s out for the next play.”