Ashley Young of FishDuck.com interviewed center Hroniss Grasu during Tuesday’s press conference at the University of Oregon’s Hatfield-Dowlin Complex.
The bye week is over; the pads are back, and the Ducks are officially back on the practice field. This Saturday’s matchup against the Colorado Buffaloes marks the last home game of the season for Oregon. The Ducks have outscored the Buffaloes by 97 points in their last two meetings, and Oregon’s prolific offense has averaged nearly 686 total yards per game during those two games as well.
While the Ducks are preparing for Colorado this week, their All-American center will be riding around the practice facility in a scooter as he continues to nurse his knee injury. “I get 40 miles to the gallon on this thing,” Grasu said jokingly. “I don’t know what the weight limit is on this thing. That’s the scary part, and when I’m riding around it kind of shakes a little bit, but it does its job.”
Despite the shaky scooter, Grasu says he feels great, and although the doctors haven’t given the senior a specific timeframe for his return, Grasu feels confident that he will be back this season. “I’m just trying to do whatever I can to get on the field and play,” he said.
Grasu Has Been A Steady Leader for Oregon
This Saturday will also mark one of the great traditions in college sports: senior night. Grasu says he’s disappointed because he won’t be able to play, but he understands how special Autzen Stadium is, and he has learned to never take anything for granted.
“I’ve had a lot of great memories at Autzen, but this Saturday will still be a great memory for me, and the entire season as well,” Grasu said.
Oregon has been fortunate to posses one of the most consistent offensive lines in recent years. Players such as Hamani Stevens and Jake Fisher have provided leadership and stability; however, you can make the argument that Grasu has been the piece that has kept everything together. The Ducks’ All-American center has never missed a start for Oregon, appearing in all 50 games of his career.
Unfortunately, the Ducks’ offensive line has been hit with a plethora of injuries this season, and it looks like Oregon will be without Grasu for a few weeks. Fortunately, however, the Ducks’ last two games of the season are against Colorado and Oregon State, two of the worst teams in the Pac-12. Grasu’s injury couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. He will most likely sit out these next two games, but expect him to make his return when the Ducks play for the Pac-12 Championship on December 5th.
“The season is not over for me, and it’s not over for the team,” Grasu said. “You can count me out for this game (Colorado) but I’ll do whatever I can to get back.”
Top Photo by Craig Strobeck
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My name is Omar Garibay and I am a journalism student at the University of Oregon. I was born and raised in Salem, Oregon and I have dreamed of living in Los Angeles since I was 14-years-old. My dream career would be to work for ESPN LA, The Los Angeles Times or as a beat writer for the Los Angeles Lakers or Dodgers. Twitter: @omargaribay8