Oregon Ducks Breakout Player #3: Mycah Pittman
OK, let me explain. Yes, Mycah is a known commodity. Yes, he has essentially started every game he’s been available for over the past two seasons. And, yes, he’s considered a pillar to Oregon’s wide receiver room.
But let’s face it: We’ve yet to see even 50% of what this kid can do, and, assuming he can stay healthy (admittedly a massive “if”), Pittman should carve out a fantastic role in Joe Moorhead’s offense.
“It kinda helped me to become a veteran now… As a young buck, I was just really antsy and just wanted the ball all the time but I understand how it’s concepts and schemes and stuff like that’s going to get me the rock,” Pittman said when asked about the tribulations of his first two seasons. “I’m understanding coverages way more due to coach B-Mac [Bryan McClendon]. He’s definitely one of the best coaches I’ve ever been around.”
His head coach, Mario Cristobal, also sees the vast mental and physical improvements Pittman has gone through.
“He’s healthy, he’s focused, he’s locked in, motivated, he takes the hard coaching from (receivers coach Bryan) McClendon, he does the best job of anyone in the country at wide receiver. Those two have formed a really good bond, and Mycah wants to be great — he wants to be pushed and he’s getting a full dose of it. He’s been extremely productive, he’s made explosive plays, he’s become a gritty player. Always had that in him but now he’s doing it in the running game as well. Expecting a huge year out of him.”
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Pittman has recorded 26 catches for 350 yards and two touchdowns in his two years, but many of the catches came in 2019, when, despite missing the first four games of the season — then the final four as well — he made multiple catches in crunch time. Big third-down catches against Washington and Wisconsin. His fourth-quarter touchdown against the Huskies.
He’s a big-play threat, with great hands and acrobatics to boot. Now, it’s just a matter of being available. And perhaps there’s some kismet coming. Pittman seemed to have a good connection with Justin Herbert in 2019. Asked recently to assess his new quarterback, Anthony Brown, Pittman was not shy in his praise.
“The man is a gunslinger. When I tell you that the guy has one of the strongest arms. It reminds me of Justin [Herbert]. His arm is just ridiculous. I’ve had to hit that jugs machine and crank it up because of him.”
If he and Brown can channel that same energy — and if Pittman can finally play a full season — his production could finally match his potential.
