Willie Taggart's introduction as Oregon's coach last year came 12 days after the Ducks' first Civil War loss in nine years, and upon his Willamette Valley arrival, he discovered the sting from that loss was still fresh.
"I know all of them was ticked off when I got here," Taggart said Monday with the 121st Civil War, his first, looming Saturday. "You hear everybody was ticked off. Not just our players, but everybody. And considering it had been so long since that happened, that really just stays with you."
Taggart knows a motivational opportunity when he sees one.