Charlie Pickard Stepping Into Larger Role Along Oregon Offensive Line

There are a lot of players on this year’s Oregon team that are going to be stepping into new or larger roles. Junior offensive lineman Charlie Pickard is in the spotlight as the Ducks prepare to face Idaho in their season opener. For the Portland native, it’s an opportunity he hasn’t taken for granted and one that’s been coming.

Pickard met with reporters following Wednesday’s practice and discussed his journey to Oregon, as well as what it’s been like hearing his number called in recent weeks.

Below you’ll find some of the key quotes from his press conference, as well as some analysis.

Question: What have the last two weeks been like? Not just for practice purposes but obviously you’re getting a lot of deserved recognition at this point.

Pickard: “I really appreciate that. All the work that’s been in the dark has come to light now. It’s just really good having a whole supporting cast and a whole group and whole team around me just knowing what I’ve been doing and now I can put it on show.”

Question: You had scholarship opportunities. Why was this the right fit and what has the last couple of weeks felt like where it’s all come together?

Pickard: “My dad went to school here. That’s basically the number one reason I came here is to kind of represent him, our family, everything like that. And then seeing what Ryan Walk did here was really important to me. Understanding the tradition of everything that goes on here. The tradition of guys like Shane (Lemieux), Jake Hanson, Calvin Throckmorton guys that have played here and really given their whole life to this program—that’s something that I grew up with in high school, it’s something I wanted to keep going on in college and I felt like this was the perfect place to do that. Tradition’s respected like no other place here.”

Question: How have you gone about learning center? Because you didn’t play it in high school.

Pickard: “Yeah that’s a good point. Again, just learning from Alex Forsyth and Ryan Walk. Those are the two greatest guys I’ve ever been around and Ryan Walk’s position versatile: he was playing tackle at one point in camp, just being ready at any moment and knowing that you have a group of guys around you who will support you and there are endless possibilities to get better wherever you want to get better at.“

Question: Poncho is someone you’re working with on the interior, what can you say about his personality and just his presence around the guys?

Pickard: “Poncho is a kid at heart. But he is simultaneously the most physical guy on the field at all times. He wants to win no matter what and that’s a guy whenever I’m around him on the field I’m very thankful because he’s always gonna have my back.“

Question: How much have you been chatting with Jackson (Powers-Johnson), Alex (Forsyth)?

Pickard: “Those guys were just in preseason so they were kind of busy. But I’ve been talking to Alex and Jackson a lot and they’ve always had my back. I’m always gonna have theirs and it’s just really neat to see how we’re all doing right now and how we’re all sticking together.”

Torres’ Take

Pickard has to be in early contention for a player with the best story on this year’s Oregon team. Growing up coming to Oregon games and choosing the Ducks over scholarship opportunities to follow in his father’s footsteps is a unique journey without a doubt.

From everything we’ve seen and heard he’s the definition of trusting the process, which is a refreshing look given how quickly players transfer due to a lack of playing time in today’s era of college football. His relationship with Iapani ‘Poncho’ Laloulu seems like it’s had a very positive impact on his development and Pickard wants to make sure there’s no drop off if and when his number is called to step in at center or guard to start the season.