Duck Football: Grasu named starting center
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The Ducks officially began preparations for LSU on Saturday with a closed practice inside the Moshofsky Center.
One position battle has ended as the Oregon coaching staff has named the new starting center. Hroniss Grasu won the job to snap the ball to quarterback Darron Thomas.
Grasu is a red-shirt freshman who beat out Karrington Armstrong and Hamani Stevens. Head coach Chip Kelly said Grasu earned it.
"We feel good about the others guys, but you've got to pick one guy to go out there and take the first snap and right now he's done it," said Kelly. "I think he's got a real good knowledge of what were doing. He's bulked up and he's a little bit bigger than Karrington in some aspects."
"To finally make it official, it felt good," said Grasu. "Now I've got to take it step by step and get better and fill in the shoes that Jordan Holmes left. Big shoes to fill."
"We knew he could do it," said junior guard Carson York. "He just had to get mentally ready. I was really pleasantly surprised at how well he came out and knew what he was doing. It's a tribute to him and how well he worked in the off season."
Following Saturday's practice, the Ducks hosted fan day inside Autzen Stadium. Duck fans got the opportunity to meet Oregon players and get some autographs too.
The new spirit tee-shirt was revealed as well. It's titled: Are You Duck Enough?