Oregon begins its Big Ten long haul

The Ducks will travel 12,520 miles this season.

EUGENE — It was a relaxed Monday in the Oregon equipment room. TVs were tuned to SportsCenter. There were laughs, and a bit of conversation about getting a photoshoot done for an upcoming jersey release. Kenny Farr had a few new ones up in his office, with signed threads from Kayvon Thibodeaux and DeForest Buckner framed behind his desk.

Few traditions stand the test of time in college football these days, but the one where former Ducks pay their respects to UO’s equipment administrator remains alive and well.

He’s held this job for nearly 20 years and certainly knows when to enjoy the days that aren’t filled with chaos. Heck, on this bye-week Saturday, he even watched college football all day with his 16-year-old son, who recently picked up a job at Winco.

“He’s like, ‘Man, I don’t want to work on Saturdays,’” Farr said. “And I’m like, ‘Man, welcome to the show.’”

The real show for Farr and the rest of the Oregon equipment staff begins this week.

Yes, we’ve spent the last year joking about the absurdity of a team from Eugene, Oregon playing in the Big Ten Conference. We’ve seen the maps. We’ve seen the mileage totals. And while a bunch of us had a good laugh when it first happened, Farr’s mind started whirling through the logistics on how to make a season where the Ducks will travel 12,520 miles work.