With his season-ending press conference looming, Mark Helfrich called Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens this morning to ask about his job status. Helfrich knew the topic would dominate conversation during the media session, and he wanted clarity.
He got none.
“I really don’t know anything at this point,” Helfrich told reporters prior to fielding questions. “Other than, I called Rob [Mullens] about nine this morning, just knowing that everybody here would ask about it. And he wants to meet mid-week, based on his travel schedule — going to the college football playoff and that whole deal. I asked if we could meet today and it just didn’t work out.”
So, without knowing just how secure his job is, Helfrich will continue his Sunday as planned — by attending Oregon’s team banquet before hitting the road to recruit.
After a loss to Oregon State on Saturday capped off Oregon’s worst season since 1991, reports emerged late Saturday night that Oregon was expected to fire Helfrich and begin a search for a new head coach. If that is indeed Mullens’ plan of action, he hasn’t tipped his hand yet.
For now, Helfrich will operate as if all is normal while he hangs in limbo.
Helfrich said he hasn’t slept since Saturday’s game ended; he was up all night, responding to texts from friends on the east coast who surprised to find he was still awake. He texted players and assistants, thanking them and letting them know he had not been informed about his job status.
“Just again, thinking about a lot of factors — a lot of things that have occurred.”
Helfrich, who is normally guarded and quick to shoulder the blame for any poor result, provided possibly his most telling revelation all season when asked about leadership within the program.
“A ton of [teaching] moments occurred,” Helfrich said. “This was a team, this was just a group of guys, there wasn’t a lot of natural and credible leadership. Those are the guys who are great players, who are naturally vocal that assert themselves all the time. There weren’t a lot of those guys and we knew that coming into it. The guys who were the most of that ilk were hurt…”
“… That’s where we as coaches have to step in and make that happen.”
He said none of his assistants have told him that they plan to retire or are fielding interviews for other jobs. Helfrich also said that tight end Pharaoh Brown sat out the final two game of the season because of “injuries” and he did not acknowledge the recent report that Brown has been accused of numerous violent incidents in the past three years.
While Mullens will spend the early portion of the week traveling — he is currently headed to Dallas to fulfill his duties as a member of the College Football Playoff selection committee — Helfrich will twist in the wind and await word on his fate as he continues business as usual.
“I think it’s not ideal,” Helfrich said. “Timing of these things, again, that’s partly on me that we’re in this situation, but it’s less than ideal.”
At 2 p.m. on Sunday, Mullens released a statement which said he will evaluate “all aspects” of the football program just as he does at the conclusion of every season.
Statement from Oregon AD Rob Mullens on the status of the Oregon football program:#GoDucks pic.twitter.com/bk08rlKYcn
— Oregon Football (@WinTheDay) November 27, 2016
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