Page 2B
SPORTS
East Oregonian
Thursday, December 7, 2017
NFL
After surgery, Seattle’s Joeckel ready for former team
By TIM BOOTH
Associated Press
RENTON, Wash. — Luke
Joeckel thought he was done
with knee troubles.
Issues with his left knee
cost the former No. 2 overall
pick most of the 2016 season,
his last with Jacksonville. He
was diligent and cautious in
his recovery from the major
knee procedure after signing
with the Seattle Seahawks
during the offseason in the
hope of being completely
healthy when the regular
season started.
And despite all those
precautious, just five games
into his tenure with Seattle,
Joeckel was back in surgery to
have even more repairs done
to his knee.
“I didn’t expect to have
another surgery in the middle
of the season but I’m
Tennessee on top
glad I did,” Joeckel
of the AFC South.
said. “The knee feels
It wasn’t that
better now than it
way when Joeckel
did before it. I knew
was playing in
it would be tough
Jacksonville. In
coming back from
the four seasons
everything I did to
Joeckel
was
the knee last season.
with the Jaguars,
It was a little tougher
they won 15
than I thought. Now I Joeckel
total games. He
feel good, ready to go
was deemed a
and excited to build on it each bust after being one of the
week.”
top picks in the draft, yet
Joeckel will see his struggling with injuries and
former team this week with performance during his time
the Seahawks travelling to in Jacksonville.
Jacksonville for a matchup
“I enjoyed it. Jacksonville
that has major importance for was a great place to live. We
both teams. The Seahawks didn’t win a lot of football
significantly improved their games, but I enjoyed my time
playoff hopes by knocking there. Good buddies I played
off Philadelphia last week with,” Joeckel said. “I’m
and remaining one game excited by the opportunity I
behind in the NFC West, have in Seattle and happy to
while the Jaguars are tied with be here.”
Joeckel had surgery in
early October as the Seahawks
were going into their bye
week. What was thought to
be a short recovery ended up
costing Joeckel five games,
but was clearly a needed
procedure. Joeckel said he
felt the knee deteriorating
with each game and trying to
handle the load of playing.
“It just was getting worse
each week,” Joeckel said.
“Coming back trying to get
use to the load, picking up
the load each week, trying to
build on that my knee just felt
more and more tore up a little
bit.”
He returned two weeks
ago in Seattle’s win over San
Francisco and with a new left
tackle next to him. The combo
of Joeckel and Duane Brown
at left tackle seems to have
stabilized some of Seattle’s
issues protecting quarterback
Russell Wilson and provided
some life to a running game
that’s been otherwise lack-
luster all season.
It’ll be another major chal-
lenge for Seattle this week
against Jacksonville’s defense
that’s tops in the NFL in total
defense, scoring defense and
has recorded 45 sacks.
“They cause you all kinds
of problems,” Seattle coach
Pete Carroll said.
SHEAD
RETURNS:
Cornerback DeShawn Shead
returned to practice on
Wednesday after spending the
entire season on the physically
unable to perform list. Shead
has been out since suffering a
major knee injury in last Janu-
ary’s NFC divisional playoff
game agasint Atlanta and has
faced a couple of setbacks in
his recovery.
After starting his career
as an undrafted free agent,
Shead had developed into a
starting cornerback opposite
Richard Sherman prior to his
injury. Seattle now has three
weeks to decide whether to
activate Shead off PUP and
add him to the active roster or
place him on injured reserve
for the season.
Shead’s return could be a
boost for a secondary that has
lost Sherman and safety Kam
Chancellor for the season to
injuries.
“I’m just ready to get out
there and be able to help this
team as much as possible,
anywhere we need it,” Shead
said. “I expect to earn my spot
back, and I expect to earn my
way back on the field. Nothing
was ever given to me, that’s
what I know. So I have to go
out and prove myself again.”
NFL to look at video reviews for targeting Goodell signs
By BARRY WILNER
Associated Press
NEW YORK — The NFL will
look into adding targeting as a
specific category for video review.
Troy Vincent, the league’s
football operations chief, says it is
on the agenda to discuss with the
competition committee and the
players’ union after the season.
In responding to questions about
helmet-to-helmet hits and players
launching to make tackles, Vincent
said Wednesday that the NFL has
seen targeting reviews “work to a
degree” in the college game.
“I think it is something that we
have to consider,” Vincent said.
“We’ve seen that it has worked to
a certain degree, it’s clean. ... We
think there have been some positives
AP Photo/Adrian Kraus
and we have talked to some of the Buffalo Bills strong safety Micah Hyde (23) argues with New England Pa-
conferences and the officials there, triots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) during the second half of an NFL
as well as with some student-ath- football game, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017, in Orchard Park, N.Y.
letes. It is a deterrent and something
the game during that window.”
competition committee, our coaches’
that we will consider; it is one of our
There have been nine suspensions subcommittee and our GMs. We will
agenda items to discuss during the in 2017 for on-field acts. Ejections also bring this up with the NFL Players
offseason as we speak to the coaches are much rarer, of course.
Association, but it is something that
and the competition committee.
“We have had clear directives from we do need to review.”
“It needs to be discussed because the competition committee,” Vincent
Asked about potential mixed
there are a lot of other ramifications said. “They asked us and the players messages the NFL could be sending
that come along with that. It is on our to remove some of the helmet-to- when it suspends Steelers receiver
agenda to be discussed beginning in helmet hits that we have seen, as well JuJu Smith-Schuster and Bengals
February.”
of some of the blindside blocks and safety George Iloka one game apiece
Bengals defensive end Carlos other types of disparaging techniques for egregious hits in Monday night’s
Dunlap wants no part of the college’s and behaviors on the field.
game, then changes Iloka’s discipline
targeting ejection system.
“We have clear directive that this is to only a fine on appeal, Vincent
“I don’t want to do all that. I think not something that should be progres- insisted the appeals reviews have
they go overboard in college with sive, but that we strongly consider been “very consistent, fair and firm.”
the ejections,” he said. “You know removing a player that is using these He emphasized that appeals officers
some of them are football plays. If a techniques that we want out of our James Thrash and Derrick Brooks
kid gets ejected for that, I don’t think game immediately.”
are employees of the league and the
that’s right. But they don’t have fines
The league also will consider union.
in college, so I don’t know how you adding a category for non-football
“I just think they try to send
handle that one.”
acts that break the rules, such as a message more than anything,”
Vincent also noted that coaches, Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski’s Steelers
player
representative
general managers, owners and players hit on Bills cornerback Tre’Davious Ramon Foster said. “They screwed
are adamant about not wanting players White.
it up. You say you’re concerned over
ejected from games unless there is no
Gronkowski drew a one-game player safety, but you had a guy who
other option.
suspension
under
unnecessary blatantly had a helmet to helmet and
“We don’t want to be in the busi- roughness guidelines. White is in the didn’t get suspended. You had a guy
ness of ejecting players,” Vincent league’s concussion protocol.
that just did a taunting and you try to
said. “There are only 17 weeks and the
“We’ve seen a few of these on justify it by suspending him. That’s
philosophy is, if it gets out of control, occasion. It’s something that Jon not player safety.
we ask the referees to maintain control (Runyan, who handles some NFL
“Then you have another situation
of the game, give them that flexibility. disciplinary cases) has raised to where a guy plows into another guy
They have that flexibility, but we myself, and he’s actually raised to the and you suspend him for one game.
really emphasize let the players appeals officers,” Vincent said.
Why one game? Why not multiple
play, but if things begin to get out of
“He’ll bring that up in February games? Because the Steelers play the
control, you must maintain control of when we begin meeting with our Patriots next week.”
five-year contract
extension
in which public records for the
NFL are available.
“Our committee unani-
NEW YORK — Roger mously supports the contract
Goodell has signed a five-year and believes that it is fully
contract extension to remain consistent with ‘market’
commissioner of the NFL compensation and the finan-
through 2024.
cial and other param-
A memo from the
eters outlined to the
NFL’s compensation
owners at our May
committee to team
2017 meeting, as well
owners and obtained
as in the best interests
Wednesday by The
of ownership,” Blank
Associated
Press
wrote in the memo.
confirms that Goodell
“We also have
and
committee Goodell
expressed in those
chairman
Arthur
conversations
our
Blank, owner of the
strong and unani-
Atlanta Falcons, have signed mous belief that we should
the extension.
proceed to sign the agreement
That extension has been a now, consistent with the
source of controversy because unanimous May resolution
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry and to avoid further contro-
Jones objected to the process. versy surrounding this issue.?
All 32 owners approved We are pleased to report that
in May the compensation there is a nearly unanimous
committee’s power to nego- consensus among the owner-
tiate and sign a deal with ship in favor of signing the
Goodell, who replaced Paul
contract extension now.”
Tagliabue in 2006.
That would not include
Since then, the league’s
Jones,
whose objections
total revenues have more than
surfaced
publicly
after his star
doubled to $14 billion.
running
back,
Ezekiel
Elliott,
A person familiar with the
contract told The Associated ran out of legal options to
Press it is worth almost appeal a six-game suspension
$200 million, with a base of handed down by Goodell
$40 million. But the deal is under the NFL’s personal
incentive-laden, the person conduct penalty.
Jones was not immediately
added, speaking on condition
of anonymity because the available for comment.
The NFL’s next owners
contract numbers are not
meeting is in Dallas next
made public.
Among those incentives Wednesday. Jones had hoped
are continued increases in to delay the new deal with
revenues, stable or rising Goodell until then, when he
television ratings, a new labor could personally raise his
agreement with the players concerns to other owners.
Also on the compensation
— the NFL-NFL Players
Association deal expires in committee are owners Clark
2021 — and how much the Hunt of Kansas City, Robert
NFL gets in rights fees when it Kraft of New England, John
renews its broadcast contracts. Mara of the New York Giants,
Goodell earned nearly $32 Bob McNair of Houston and
million in 2015, the last year Art Rooney of Pittsburgh.
By BARRY WILNER
Associated Press
DUCKS: Cristobal, Leavitt top picks to fill Oregon’s open head coach position
Continued from 1B
Knight and Pat Kilkenny.
Patterson, however, just
signed an extension through
2022 that will pay him nearly
$5 million per year.
Last year, Oregon report-
edly showed interest in
Mississippi State coach Dan
Mullen, Florida coach Jim
McElwain and Ohio State
defensive coordinator Greg
Schiano. They probably
aren’t on Mullens’ list this
time: Mullen was hired at
Florida last week after McEl-
wain was fired in October
when the Gators were 3-4.
Tennessee was ready to hire
Schiano last month before
fans protested because he
was on the staff at Penn
State with former assistant
coach Jerry Sandusky, who
was convicted of sexually
abusing children.
Here’s a list of a few
possible candidates for
Mullens.
Oregon coordinators
Cristobal:
Oregon’s
co-offensive
coordinator
and offensive line coach
under Taggart, Cristobal
was hired in 2007 as the
second coach ever at Florida
International, which started
its football program in 2002.
He went 27-47 in six seasons
before the school fired him
following a 3-9 record in
2012. In 2011, FIU won the
Sun Belt title and went 8-5
the following year to reach
bowl games in back-to-back
seasons.
Cristobal spent four
seasons as the offensive line
coach at Alabama, helping
the Crimson Tide win the
national title in 2015 before
Alabama lost to Clemson
in last year’s championship
game.
Jim Leavitt: Taggart’s first
hire at Oregon as defensive
coordinator, Leavitt helped
the Ducks rank fourth in
the Pac-12 in total defense
(359.8 yards per game) and
seventh in scoring defense
(28.2 points per game) after
they were 11th in both cate-
gories the previous year. He
is expected to follow Taggart
to FSU, but Mullens did not
rule him out as a candidate
Tuesday.
Leavitt was hired to start
South Florida’s program at
the FCS level from 1997-
2000 before the Bulls moved
to FBS in 2001. He went
95-57 in 13 seasons with
five bowl appearances but
was fired in 2010 after being
accused of hitting a player.
Leavitt sued the school and
received $2.75 million.
The ex-Ducks
Jeff Tedford: Oregon’s
offensive coordinator during
the Joey Harrington era from
1998-2001, Tedford moved
to Cal, where he became the
winningest coach in school
history with 82 victories
from 2002-12. After Fresno
State went 1-11 last year,
Tedford returned tohis alma
mater — where he was
offensive coordinator before
coming to Oregon — and
led the Bulldogs to a 9-4
record, including 7-1 mark in
conference play to reach the
Mountain West Conference
title game.
Justin Wilcox: The Junc-
tion City native and former
Oregon defensive back went
5-7 at Cal this season in his
first season as a head coach
at any level. He also is a
former defensive coordinator
at Washington and USC,
among other schools. One of
the practice fields at Oregon
is named after his family:
both his father, Dave, and
brother, Josh, also starred for
the Ducks.
Another coordinator
Beau Baldwin: Baldwin
completed his first season
as offensive coordinator at
California after going 85-32
in nine seasons as head coach
at Eastern Washington,
including an FCS national
title in 2010.
He coached quarterback
Vernon Adams Jr. for th
ransferred to Oregon in 2015.
Also, it seems unlikely that
Oregon would hire a coach
who was reportedly passed
up by Oregon State.
Group of 5 coaches
Bryan Harsin: Hiring the
Boise State coach would
add some interest to the Las
Vegas Bowl where the Ducks
will face the Broncos. Harsin
seems likely to get a Power 5
job soon after going 41-12 in
four seasons as coach.
He led Boise State to the
MWC title for the second
time this year with a 7-1
record in conference, going
10-3 overall and defeating
Fresno State in last week’s
conference
championship
game.
Mike Norvell: Former
Arizona State offensive
coordinator from 2012-15
took Memphis to the Amer-
ican Athletic Association
title game in his second
year before losing to Central
Florida, 62-55, in double
overtime. Has gone 20-7 in
two seasons with the Tigers,
including a 7-1 conference
record this season.
Lane Kiffin: After Florida
Atlantic went 3-9 last season,
Kiffin was hired and led the
Owls to a 10-3 mark and
Conference USA champion-
ship. He spent the previous
three seasons as offensive
coordinator at Alabama,
reaching the CFP champion-
ship game twice, including a
national title in 2015.
Attention and contro-
versy seems to follow the
42-year-old who coached
the Oakland Raiders before
taking over programs at
Tennessee and USC, but
Kiffin seems certain to
be moving up to a bigger
program soon.
Chad Morris: Former
offensive coordinator at Tulsa
and Clemson just finished his
third season as head coach at
SMU, which went 7-5 after
going 1-11 the year before he
arrived. Several online sites,
however, reported Morris
was hired by Arkansas late
Tuesday night.
Fallen stars
Kevin Sumlin: Sumlin
went 51-26 in six seasons
at Texas A&M before being
fired last month after the
Aggies finished 7-5. In his
first season, Texas A&M
went 11-2 and Johnny
Manziel won the Heisman
Trophy, but the Aggies never
finished above .500 in South-
eastern Conference play
during his final five seasons.
Sumlin’s first coaching job
came as a graduate assistant
at Washington State in 1989,
but he has spent the past 17
seasons coaching in Texas
or Oklahoma. Considering
Taggart fled to Florida after
one season, Mullens may
not want to bring in another
coach who could leave for a
southern school if he finds
success with the Ducks.
Butch
Jones:
Jones
became one of the nation’s
top coaching candidates after
going 19-6 at Cincinnati in
2011-12. Colorado wanted
Jones before he chose
Tennessee, which fired him
after a 4-6 start this season.
He won nine games the
previous two seasons with
the Volunteers and went
34-27 in five years on the
job. Tennessee went winless
in the SEC this year.
Bret Bielema: Another
coach who had plenty of
success in the past but
recently joined the unem-
ployment line after going 4-8
at Arkansas. Bielema went
29-34 in five seasons with
the Razorbacks, including
an 11-29 record in the
SEC. He won 68 games in
seven seasons as coach at
Wisconsin from 2006-12
and led the Badgers to
three straight Rose Bowls,
including a 45-38 loss to
Oregon in the 2012 game.
Les Miles: Somebody is
going to hire Miles, who won
the national title at LSU in
2008 and was national coach
of the year in 2011 when the
Tigers lost to Alabama in
the championship game. He
went 114-34 in 12 seasons
with the Tigers.