Coach Robert Johnson Said Coming Weeks Designed To Give Athletes 'As Many Opportunities As Possible'

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

The coming weekend marks one year since an Oregon quartet broke the collegiate record in the men's distance medley relay at the Arkansas Razorback Indoor Invitational. 

The Ducks never got a chance to try and improve on that 9:24.52 performance at the NCAA Indoor Championships, which were snuffed out by emergency concern over COVID-19. 

When Oregon returns to Fayetteville with the mandated limit of 27 men and 27 women, it will mark 336 days since the last official competition for the storied program. 

"Our enthusiasm level right now is through the roof," director of track and field and cross country Robert Johnson said Tuesday. 

Johnson met virtually with members of the local media to lay out the early 2021 plan for overlapping indoor meets and cross country events. 

"The rhyme and reason is to allow for maximum flexibility," Johnson said. "We're giving kids as many opportunities as possible."

In addition to indoor meets at Arkansas this weekend (Jan. 29-30) and in February (Tyson Invitational Feb. 12-13), and at North Carolina (Camel City Invitational, Feb. 19-20), the Ducks also have planned a pair of cross country meets in Eugene (Feb. 5 and Feb. 19). 

Johnson said all options are on the table as he and the coaching staff evaluate what's best for the athletes and the program. 

Oregon's distance runners — including three returning members of last year's record-setting DMR (James West, Charlie Hunter and Cooper Teare) — could potentially take part in both seasons. 

"It's been a big topic of conversation," Johnson said. "We want to put athletes and the U of O in the best positions to be the most successful."

Oregon has the roster depth and resources to be players for NCAA titles in both championships planned for March. 

Beyond that, Johnson said there is unwavering desire to get plans cemented to host the first events at the new Hayward Field, including the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The U.S. Olympic Trials would presumably follow, in late June.

"One thing this pandemic has taught us is patience, beyond belief," he said. "We are in preliminary conversations with Lane County. One thing we have to be concerned with is the safety of our officials." 

Gov. Kate Brown has kept Oregon as locked down as any state in the U.S. As of now, Lane County is one of 25 counties in the state (out of 36) listed as "extreme risk."  Those assessments are made every two weeks. 

As Oregon's track and cross country teams begin to compete, Johnson said he has studied the various successes and setbacks that the NFL and Pac-12 football and basketball teams have faced in recent months. 

"What we've learned from those other programs is that nothing is set in stone, which is why we need to have maximum flexibility," he said.