What happens when you run out of NCAA eligibility in one sport but still have a chance to play another season? You switch from basketball to football, of course. That is what one Oregon basketball player is doing this fall.
Johnathan Loyd is looking to find a spot on the Oregon football team this season, which we reported on last week. He is giving a shot at playing wide receiver. For Loyd the challenge is finding out if he has the mentality to dig deep and compete at a high pace, and let’s be honest, few programs will throw as much on offense to players as Oregon with the up-tempo style. There is no time to take a breather, but Loyd is up for the challenge with head coach Mark Helfrich lending his support.
“I’d been curious to see if I could play at this level,” Loyd said in a story by the Associated Press. “I love the University of Oregon, and I love to see the Ducks win. So if I can’t do it in basketball anymore, I wanted to try another sport, to see if I could contribute.”
Helfrich has been more than willing to allow Loyd a chance to compete. Helfrich made note there are some signs of some rust from a player who has not played football since high school.
“The guy had a great attitude in the spring — but you could tell he hadn’t played football for five years,” Helfrich said. “It’s not like he’s showing up and playing intramural flag football. He’s playing elite-level Division I football. There’s rust. There’s uncertainty.”
Loyd admitted there was a need for making some adjustments while he broke out of his basketball shell.
“When I first started in the spring I was still in basketball mode. I came off the line and wasn’t going as hard as I could, trying to find my way. That kind of hurt me, I think,” he said. “But I’m out of that now.”
Instead of a helmet sticker, let’s give an assist to our friends over on College Basketball Talk for the find here.