From the Football Field to the Battlefield: The Future of Collegiate Competition
In 2021, the University of Oregon spent over 100 million dollars on sports programs which helped to make them one of the most critically acclaimed collegiate programs in the nation. 
Oregon athletes generate millions of dollars of revenue and elevate the University of Oregon to the front of the national consciousness. 
At first though many would think of Oregon’s prestigious football program which has seen enormous success in recent years but a new form of sport is slowly taking hold of Oregon’s attention. 
University of Oregon student, Marshawn Tucker, 19, is emblematic of a shift taking place in sport across college campuses, from the football field to the computer screen. 
While many Oregon natives are used to seeing the Civil War played out in Autzen Stadium, I was fortunate to watch the “Call of Duty” Civil War as the orange and green battled on the World War 2 themed landscapes of “Call of Duty: Vanguard”. 
Tucker, known by his alias “Amazes”, is a member of the university's varsity “Call of Duty” team, an esports team competing in the collegiate cod league, a national league much like the NCAA that pits Oregon against competition all across the country. 
Oregon’s team is ranked in the top 25 nationally and their practice regime and strong commitment reflective of their success. The team practices daily in the student center's esports lounge to prepare themselves for matches. 
Practice sessions last for hours and consist of scrimmages and video review by players and coaches in a similar format to that of a football team practice. 
To people who aren’t fans of esports the concept of a gaming team that works as hard as a football team can seem ludicrous; but according to Tucker, Division 1 “Call of Duty” is just as hard as football. 
Tucker is qualified as anyone to back up his claim he was named an Oregon all-state football player in high school before playing Division 1 at Portland State. Tucker was born and raised in Eugene, and he elected to leave football behind in the midst of covid to transfer to UO and be closer to family. 
“After leaving football I really missed the competition,” Tucker said, “I knew I was good at COD just from playing with my friends, so once I heard about the team I knew I had to try out.” 
Tucker took quick to the esports atmosphere by making the varsity team in his first year at UO, the only first-year player in the program, who had only picked up the game during quarantine. 
“I don’t think people understand how hard it is,” Tucker adds “It can be so mentally demanding knowing if you don’t show up for your teammates you can be the reason you lose. There are only four players on a team so you have to perform. That pressure, when you play, it’s always in the back of your mind.”
Marshawn maintains the mental strain of Call of Duty is the hardest part, and something he still struggles with. 
“Playing football is physically demanding, you have to ice and take care of your body. Gaming isn’t like that, it is more about mental toughness and being able to have extreme focus,” Tucker maintains. 
This concept of mental fortitude is heavily prevalent throughout esports as players are expected to hold a strong concentration for hours at a time, often with little to no breaks.

“It’s a different way to be talented,” Tucker adds, “It’s not all about who is the tallest, strongest, who can jump the highest; it's another way to be talented and people should appreciate that as well.”
Tucker and the Oregon team have been pushing hard all season to get a CCL playoff berth which would give them a shot at the ultimate goal, the national championship, and the $20,000 prize for winning. 
In their way are teams and universities like Alabama or Arizona State that an Oregon football fan would be well familiar with. 
Tucker has an arduous road ahead of him, being an un-recruited player in a league that features many scholarship teams.
 In recent years many schools saw the immense potential of esports and have recruited the best talent in exchange for full-ride scholarships. 
“In our eyes we are underdogs, because they got to recruit the best talent, so we play with a chip on our shoulders,” Tucker said, “We are just students that happen to go to Oregon, we don’t get paid to play here.” 
Tucker has high expectations for his team going into playoffs hoping to make a name for themselves and potentially garner scholarships. 
He looks to continue his playoff run with a win against New Mexico State this Sunday, which would propel the Ducks into the top 48 of the national championship playoffs. 
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