EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Oregon offensive lineman Nishad Strother is focused on continuous improvement as the Ducks gear up for their in-state rivalry against Oregon State. Having returned to action this season, Strother admitted there are areas he’s looking to refine in his game.
“I can improve on some things, but you know, it felt good to be back out there and get some action,” Strother said. “Probably balance— I was leaning a little bit in the run game and the pass game, so just fixing my body posture is going to help me out a lot moving forward.”
After playing on the left side during his time at East Carolina, Strother is comfortable in his new role with the Ducks. “I’m more comfortable playing left. I played left at ECU, so I’ve got a lot more experience at that position,” he noted.
Being part of Oregon's offensive line rotation has its ups and downs, Strother acknowledged. “It keeps you fresh, but sometimes your rhythm gets thrown off a little bit,” he said. “There’s a positive and a negative to it.”
The offensive line room has faced its challenges in the early part of the season, but Strother insists the group remains motivated. “Everybody in that room is still hungry. Everybody wants to play, and everybody has that goal to play,” Strother explained. “Nobody in the room is getting comfortable with their spot. Just put your best foot forward every day, and we’ll see what happens.”
With constant rotation during practices, Strother believes he’s ready to play alongside any teammate. “I feel comfortable playing with everybody. We all know the system, we all communicate the same way,” Strother said. “Being next to different people really doesn’t factor too much into it.”
As the Ducks face a new quarterback and work to rebuild after losing key offensive linemen from last season, Strother emphasized the need for growth. “I just think we need to mature a little bit as a whole,” he said. “Dealing with a new quarterback, we lost some key pieces on the line last year. So just finding new leaders, figuring out how [Dillon Gabriel] wants things, how we’re going to operate as a group now—just some things need to be figured out. But we’re definitely heading in the right direction.”
Despite the adjustments, Strother insists there’s no frustration in the offensive line group. “We understand that there are some things we need to improve on, but as far as being frustrated, not at all. We know what we’re capable of,” he said.
The Ducks have been rotating centers, with Charlie and Poncho sharing the responsibilities, and Strother believes they’ve handled it well. “Both of those guys want what’s best for the team,” he said. “Whoever is in there is going to do what’s best for the team.”
Looking ahead to the rivalry game against Oregon State, Strother is preparing for a physical battle in the trenches. “They’ve got some big guys, but they also have some smaller, quick guys as well,” he noted. “So we’ve got to be prepared for everything—bull rushes, finesse moves, all that.”
Though new to the Oregon-Oregon State rivalry, Strother understands the significance of the matchup. “I guess it’s a pretty big deal,” he said with a smile. “They’ve got the signs up in the facility and all that, so yeah, we’ll see how it is. I’ve never been up there, so I’m excited to play.”
With the stakes high and a tough opponent on the horizon, Strother and the Ducks’ offensive line are ready to step up and deliver.
