The Oregon Ducks are getting into fighting shape to take on the Wisconsin Badgers in the 2012 Rose Bowl in Pasadena on January 2.
The Ducks have kicked off their two weeks of practice that will lead up to the big game, but their first four practices have taken on an interesting lean, according to Rob Moseley of the Register-Guard. It seems that the more tenured Ducks starters are taking some time to rest up and recover from injuries following the long regular season. In the interim, they're handing the ball -- literally -- to the younger players.
"Right now we’re letting a lot of the younger dudes get reps, get a feel for the defense," linebacker Josh Kaddu said. "We’re getting back healthy right now."
You can be sure that the extra time to relax and recuperate a bit is much-appreciated by the older players, who just wrapped up final exams in the past week. It's a smart move all around. The stars will get time to recover, and the younger players are getting extra practice time and extra snaps that will make them just that little bit more prepared when they are called upon to produce further down the road.
You can keep up with all Oregon news and information over at Addicted to Quack. You can follow the Wisconsin faithful at Bucky's Fifth Quarter. The full bowl pairings can be located right here.