How Oregon football is inspired by 2008 Celtics championship squad
Oregon football, one of the top-ranked programs in the country, is getting creative to nurture a spirit of “we over me.” Led by inspiration introduced by wide receivers coach Junior Adams, the term “ubuntu” comes from Boston Celtics’ lore during their 2007-08 World Championship run.
Tez Johnson, one of Oregon football’s top wide receivers, explains the concept as he understands it.
“It means I’m not who I am without you guys. Ubuntu is like a family thing we say. We break it down Ubuntu everyday in that receiver room and we carry ourself with that everyday. It’s not just a word we say; it’s something that we live by in that room and we hold each guy in that room to that Ubuntu standard and we’re a family.”
And Adams continues that thought as he mentors and coaches up his position.
“The room is super talented and everyone is about the people in that room,” Adams said. “We talk about ‘we over me’. Each of those guys, they learn from each other and they hold each other accountable. It’s really cool to be a part of. We just want to be the best wide receiver group in the country that’s connected. That’s all that matters to us. If we’re connected, then we’re going to do some special things.”
How Tez Johnson, Junior Adams can meet the high Oregon football expectations
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Oregon football offense is led by QB Dillon Gabriel, a transfer who played in Oklahoma the last two seasons. Like his predecessor Bo Nix, Gabriel is a college football veteran. The 2024 season will mark his sixth season after receiving a medical redshirt in 2021. On August 20, Gabriel (+500) overtook Georgia QB Carson Beck (+800) as the odds-on betting favorite on FanDuel to win the 2024 Heisman Memorial Trophy.
After tossing 30 TD passes in 2023, many believe Gabriel could beat out the Oregon football team record set by Nix in 2023 (45). The Ducks are ranked third in the AP Top 25, behind Georgia and Ohio State.
An assemblage of ridiculous Dillon Gabriel deep passes pic.twitter.com/qxWppK3tJ6
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) August 29, 2024
Now members of the Big Ten, Oregon football is looking to make a splash in their new conference. Johnson and his teammate WR Evan Stewart form one of the best dynamic pass-catching dynamic duos in the nation. Adams can help elevate both receivers and carry the school to their first National Championship.
Here’s what CBS Sports said in their evaluation of Stewart.
“Evan Stewart is an exceptional athlete with a ridiculous ceiling. He needs a lot more targets than what he received his first two seasons at Texas A&M, which is why he found his way to Eugene this offseason. The stats won’t blow you away, but the tape shows Stewart’s ceiling as a homerun hitter and excellent route runner. Expect a drama-free contract year from Stewart.”
Oregon football opens their season on Saturday, August 31 at 7:30 p.m. EST at home against the Idaho Vandals.
The post How Oregon football is inspired by 2008 Celtics championship squad appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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