Former Oregon coach Mark Helfrich named color analyst for Ducks’ game vs. Texas Tech
For Oregon Duck fans not making the trip down to Lubbock, Texas for this weekend’s game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders, there will be a familiar voice accompanying your viewing experience on television.
According to the University of Oregon’s website, former Ducks’ coach Mark Helfrich will be the FOX color analyst on the call, alongside play-by-play caller Mark Followill.
Helfrich spent his first year out of college football as an analyst for FOX before leaving to take a coaching job with the Chicago Bears. He came back to FOX in 2020 where he has been working as a color analyst since.
Helfrich is a somewhat controversial figure in the world of Oregon sports. While he is an Oregon native who grew up in Coos Bay, Helfrich had one of the more successful coaching careers for the Ducks in recent memory, leading the team to a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff where the beat Florida State in the Rose Bowl, but lost to Ohio State in the national championship game in 2015.
Helfrich was fired by the Ducks in November of 2016 after a 4-8 record left the team at the lowest point fans had seen in years.
Despite the termination, Helfrich is largely still viewed as a positive figure in the world of Oregon sports. It will be enjoyable to hear his take on Dan Lanning and this new squad on Saturday afternoon.
The game between Oregon and Texas Tech kicks off at 4 p.m. PT on Saturday afternoon, televised by FOX.
