And Heyward’s emphasis on relationships keyed some of Oregon’s top recruiting efforts over the last few years, serving as the primary recruiter for Jevon Holland, Sean Dollars and Thibodeaux, who still ranks as the top-rated recruit to ever commit to Oregon. “Elite human being,” said defensive analyst Kwame Agyeman.Īnd Ugo Amadi, the former Duck who plays for the Seattle Seahawks, simply wrote, “Life coach.”Ĭlearly, Heyward connected with players and held respect from his peers for his work. “All love coach,” wrote safety Steve Stephens IV. Thibodeaux and more than a dozen current Oregon players and coaches responded to Heyward’s announcement, wishing him well and expressing gratitude. If Heyward’s departure came as a byproduct of the hiring, it was a loss the Ducks were willing to take. #OnceADuckAlwaysADuck /JdswNjhArJīruce Feldman of The Athletic reported that Heyward could be headed to Cal, potentially in DeRuyter’s former spot as co-defensive coordinator.ĭeRuyter was a more experienced candidate for Oregon with his years of experience calling plays and as a former head coach, and his hiring last week was widely praised locally and nationally. “I’ve learned so much from each of you and I will carry these experiences with me into my future endeavors.” “To all the players and their families, both past and current, thank you for trusting in me to help you develop and grow, not only as athletes but also as young men,” Heyward wrote. He confirmed that on Monday in a tweet that thanked Taggart, Avalos, Cristobal and others for his time at UO. And when Mario Cristobal decided to go outside again recently to hire Cal’s Tim DeRuyter to replace Avalos, Heyward’s days seemed numbered.
He interviewed for the Oregon coordinator opening in 2019 that ultimately went to Andy Avalos. Now 40, Heyward coached at three Pac-12 schools before Oregon and hasn’t been shy about his goals of becoming a coordinator and, eventually, a head coach.
Heyward had been at Oregon since Willie Taggart brought him on staff in 2017.
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