The offensive line at Oregon has steadily improved throughout the season, and offensive lineman Marcus Harper III gave insight into how the group has responded to early challenges. “We're doing better, we're doing better, we're doing better,” Harper said, emphasizing the unit's resilience in overcoming setbacks.
Harper explained that the key to their success has been staying true to the team’s process. “We know who we are as an offensive line unit. We know the standard that we set for ourselves. And we know the work that we have put in. So just sticking through that... you get thrown some tests early just to try to see how you're going to react to it, and I know we reacted well.”
Reflecting on the significance of the recent victory, Harper acknowledged that the quality of competition was a step up from previous weeks. “It's always great to go against a very well-respected team around the nation,” Harper said. “It's a good test for ourselves to see how we match up against some of the best players in the nation.” Now, Harper and the Ducks are focused on their next opponent: Purdue. “They’re a well-respected opponent. They’ve got talent up front, and we’re ready to continue to dominate them.”
A crucial part of the offensive line’s improvement has been in pass protection, which Harper highlighted. “In the early weeks, we had some guys bouncing back and forth between sides, but we kind of settled in and figured out what we needed to hone in on,” he explained. “Dillon [Gabriel] got comfortable with us, and we figured out how he likes to set up in the pocket and roll out. Now, we're starting to see the byproduct of that great pass protection.”
Harper gave credit to offensive line coach Terry for helping the unit turn things around after allowing seven sacks in the first two games. “That's not our standard,” Harper said. “It was on stuff that we know we work on every single day. But we buckled down on our process, attacked those things, and now we’re executing in games.”
With a short week ahead, Harper shared how the team is preparing for their Friday game against Purdue. “You gotta get a lot of sleep because you lose a day of recovery,” he said. “For me, as an older guy, that's just a longer nap, but sleep really makes the biggest difference.”
Playing close to home in Indiana brings a special feeling for Harper, who has family in the area. “I think I had like nine tickets to reserve,” he said. “Having my family in the stands took me back to some high school moments. It’s going to be real fun to have them come to some of my last college games and enjoy these moments with me.”
As someone who had previously committed to Illinois, Harper reflected on his journey. “I don't think I would have been this person had I stayed close to home,” he said. “This version of myself had to get uncomfortable and come out this far. So it's kind of a real moment to come back and play at Purdue.”
The challenge of traveling across time zones doesn’t faze Harper. “If you don't make that travel on the regular, you don't know how to handle it,” he said. “But the biggest thing is just sleep and hydration. Once you get adjusted to the time zone, you're good to go.”
Looking ahead to Purdue, Harper noted the importance of identifying key players on defense. “You gotta account for him, make sure you ID him and understand where he's at, whether he's on the line of scrimmage or a couple of yards off the ball,” Harper explained. “We’ve got a great game plan that our coaches put together on such a short week, and we just need to go out there and execute.”
Harper also discussed the growth of the Oregon program under head coach Dan Lanning. “We trusted Coach Lanning, his process, and the core principles he’s brought over to this program. We’ve all bought in, and now we’re executing it. Every person on this team can attest to that,” Harper said. “We know we’re a physical team, and we’ve bought into that.”
The hard work put in during the week has translated to success on the field, according to Harper. “Those four days of practice pay off in moments like that because you know you’re built for tough situations. You just know you can go out there and execute because of the work you put in time and time again,” he said.
For Harper, moments like the upcoming Purdue game are a testament to Oregon’s commitment to excellence. “That’s our standard now, that’s what you see when you see Oregon football. We put the work in to make that a reality.”
