The Oregon men’s track team didn’t lose the Pepsi Team Invitational on Saturday, but that wasn’t enough to make coach Robert Johnson happy.
“I freaking hate ties,” Johnson said, “and I hate losses even more. A tie kind of feels like that.”
A third-place finish for the Ducks in the 4×400 relay – the final event of the meet – combined with a Penn State victory resulted in a 181.5 point tie between the two teams.
“Penn State is the real deal,” Johnson said.
Johnson said there were both good and bad moments for his team during Saturday’s meet.
Redshirt sophomore Devon Allen highlighted the good. Allen, who missed all of last track season after tearing his ACL in the Rose Bowl, returned to the track at Hayward Field, winning the 110 and 400 hurdles.
“Devon’s a stud,” Johnson said.
Allen also competed in the 4×100 – which Oregon won – and the 4×400 relay. Running in four events, separated by an average span of 44 minutes, was tiring for him, especially because he had admitted earlier in the week that he wasn’t 100 percent healthy.
“It was more like a workout, and I came out healthy,” Allen said. “A little bit tired, but that’s good.”
With his family in town, Allen had breakfast at the Wild Duck Café, just across from the University of Oregon campus. Usually a disciplined eater, Allen elected to stray away from a normal pre-meet meal. Instead, he loaded up on what he called a “hearty” meal: corn beef, hash browns, an egg and a pancake.
Allen had doubts about being a part of the 4×400 team – that is, until he puked.
“I was tired,” Allen said. “I was talking to my coach about not running it. Then I went over and threw up and I felt better. I decided to do it to finish out my workout.”
Running in four events, so close in proximity to each other, had its challenges. But Allen pulled through.
“The only other person I know that can do that is Edward Cheserek.”
Cheserek, who has 13 national titles during his time in an Oregon uniform, was a little “dinged up” heading into Saturday’s meet, according to Johnson. The Oregon coaching staff tried to hold Cheserek out of racing, but Johnson said Cheserek had other ideas.
“He wanted to push through and run here for our fans, unbeknownst to us trying to get him not to,” Johnson said. “That’s who he is and the type of commitment he has.”
Cheserek lost to Washington’s Corey Gilbert by just over six seconds.
“Probably next time we’ll exercise veto power no matter what,” Johnson said.
Despite the tie, Johnson recognized that his athletes worked hard. He also said going up against some good competition like Penn State is beneficial.
“For us to compete the way we did today, this weekend, I think it bodes well for us moving forward,” Johnson said.
Oregon’s Marcus Chambers (400) and Greg Skipper (men’s hammer throw) also won individual events on Saturday.
