Oregon football has worked to become a more physical team in the three years under head coach Mario Cristobal and on Saturday they did just that when 6-foot-4, 300-pound Henderson (Nev.) Liberty defensive tackle Sir Mells committed to the Ducks. His pledge came during the first weekend of official visits allowed by the NCAA in over a year due to the pandemic. And it could not have gone too much better.
“It was an amazing visit,” said Mells. “No other places I’ve seen could compare to that place. The environment, the coaches, everything about it. I just knew I wanted to be there, so I pulled the trigger on Saturday.”
Though he had been to many campuses unofficially, this was his first official visit. But he knew during the first 24 hours he would not need to take any more.
“I knew I wanted to be there, that whole family culture,” said Mells. “What they did for my family, how they showed them so much attention, I was like man, this place is very special.
“Everything about Oregon was perfect. That is all I can really say about it.”
He was not alone on the visit with mom, aunt and uncle and many cousins all along to see for themselves. He did not have to convince them of his decision.
“When I talked to my family I was like ‘this is something I really want to do’. And they were like ‘we applaud you. If you want to do it let’s do it.’
“All they could say was ‘wow’. The whole academic part of the school. The football part wowed them, but the whole academic part of what they do, and the life after football presentation, everything they do not just when you’re here but with the relationship after you’re gone.”
Along with physicality, developing a family culture within the program has been another tenet of the Cristobal era. By all accounts he has succeeded.
“The culture at Oregon is unbeatable,” said Mells. “The day I got to Oregon they took me in as a family. I got off the plane, it was midnight. Damn near the whole coaching staff was right there, cheering me on, tucking me in, buckling me in. Man, that was nothing but love. The whole trip they showed me and my family nothing but love.”
The Ducks beat out a formidable final group for his services.
“I had Michigan, Maryland and Arizona,” confirmed Mells. “Believe it or not, I had Oregon and Michigan neck-and-neck. But I just couldn’t leave the West Coast. Leaving the West Coast was just not me. I was born in Florida but I was raised in Vegas. But Oregon wanted me more than Michigan did and it showed.”
Oregon also had one other ace in the hole. 2021 signee and former Liberty high school star tight end Moliki Matavao enrolled in college early and participated in the Ducks’ spring drills this year.
“Believe or not, Mo played one of the biggest parts in this whole commitment thing,” said Mells. “As you know, he committed to Oregon over Ohio State, Alabama, LSU. And talking to him he was saying it is a special place. He said he was a little homesick at first but they always had his back. He was saying this place is more than just football, it’s family.
“I was talking to him one day and he said ‘man, I’ve got some people that would like to talk to you.’ Next thing you know, I call a number and the whole Oregon coaching staff was on and they said they wanted to offer me. Ever since that day it has been nothing but a strong relationship. They feel like a second family to me, a bunch of uncles.”
