The University of Oregon’s athletics director is responding this morning to a story alleging widespread pot use among Ducks football players.
The article in “ESPN The Magazine” rehashes some familiar incidents – including the legal run-ins of former quarterbacks Jeremiah Masoli and Darron Thomas. It highlights safety Cliff Harris’ infamously saying “we smoked it all” to a police officer, when asked to hand over marijuana.
But the article goes further – it opens with a scene of an unnamed player celebrating the Ducks’ recent Rose Bowl win by smoking pot. And the story says numerous current and former players believe that about half of the team smokes pot on a regular basis.
The article suggests pot may be less of a problem under current coach, Chip Kelly. An unnamed player tells the magazine that Kelly “cracked down.”
U of O’s athletic director, Rob Mullens, released a statement saying many colleges are “wrestling with the same issue."
He says that U of O is doing what it can, but can’t do random testing under Oregon law.