Of all the positions in all of college football, being the punter at Oregon is one of the most thankless. Oregon’s ruthless efficiency has rendering the position an anachronism, a useless pinkie toe on the foot of the game’s best offense.
And so it was unusual to see the Ducks’ punter, Ian Wheeler, trot onto the Coliseum field with less than 90 seconds elapsed in USC’s game Saturday evening. And then again on Oregon’s next drive, after only three plays. And again on the next one, another three-and-out.
It was hard not to wonder if his leg was getting tired.