Oregon Ducks Football

The next Uiagalelei knows where he will play college football.

Matayo Uiagalelei, who is the younger brother of former Clemson and current transfer portal quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei, announced he will join the Oregon Ducks as part of their 2023 recruiting class on Wednesday.

The news came after another 5-star recruit, safety Peyton Bowen, also announced his commitment to Oregon.

Uiagalelei, who checks in at 6'5" and 265 pounds, is a 5-star prospect, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He is also the No. 31 overall player, No. 5 edge rusher and No. 4 player from the state of California in his class.

He was recruited by the likes of Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Clemson and Texas, which is a who's who list of some of the best programs in all of college football. In December, he trimmed his list to the Buckeyes, USC and Oregon.

It is no surprise the Tigers initially drew interest given his family's connections, but the fact the other annual College Football Playoff contenders were also in on his recruitment hints at his potential.

Uiagalelei played tight end and defensive end at the high-school level, even though he projects to play on the defensive side in college.

The athleticism that helps him run routes as a pass-catcher also allows him to blow past offensive tackles off the edge on defense. Throw in the strength to bulldoze his way through blockers and throw off the rushing attack or passing game, and it is easy to envision him as a defensive game-changer for the Ducks.

He stood out at multiple camps featuring some of the best prospects in the country while showing off that combination of physicality and explosiveness.

Uiagalelei figures to only get better as he enters a college program and adds even more strength while honing his game.

If he does, he can become one of the country's most dominant defensive playmakers early in his career for Oregon.

The Ducks looked like possible Pac-12 title contenders at times during head coach Dan Lanning's first year in 2022, but the defense proved to be a problem at times. It allowed 49 points to Georgia, 37 points to Washington and 38 points to Oregon State in its three regular-season losses, which prevented it from competing for a conference crown.

Consistently landing defensive playmakers like Uiagalelei is the best way to avoid such performances in the future.

Oregon senior quarterback Bo Nix could have turned pro this year, but it appears that he has some unfinished business.

Nix announced on Instagram that he will be returning to the Ducks for the 2023 season rather than entering the NFL draft.

Nix is preparing to lead the Ducks against North Carolina in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 28. He told reporters after practice this past Friday that he was undecided on whether he will utilize his final year of eligibility.

A transfer from Auburn, Nix played three seasons for the Tigers before joining Oregon for the 2022 season. He enjoyed his most productive year with the Ducks, throwing for 3,389 yards, 27 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 71.5 percent of his passes. He also added 504 rushing yards and 14 more scores on the ground, as well as a touchdown reception.

Nix helped lead the Ducks to a 9-3 record and a third-place finish in the Pac-12. However, the team went 1-2 in its final three games of the regular season, including a loss to Oregon State during rivalry week.

In the Holiday Bowl, Nix and the Ducks will be facing a North Carolina team that went 9-4 this year. While the Tar Heels have a talented offense, their defense has struggled to stop the ball and is allowing 438.2 yards per game.

Nix will look to put on a show in his final outing of the year, as it will be an opportunity for the Ducks to make a statement for 2023.

Former Alabama Crimson Tide cornerback Khyree Jackson announced Sunday that he has committed to the Oregon Ducks.

Jackson spent his entire collegiate career at Alabama. He's entering his fifth-year senior season and his final year of eligibility.

Jackson is the third player to commit to the Ducks through the transfer portal, joining former Iowa linebacker Jestin Jacobs and former Alabama wide receiver Traeshon Holden.

Coming out of high school, Jackson played for two junior colleges in Texas and Mississippi. While playing for East Mississippi Community College in 2020, Jackson's draft stock rose significantly and he eventually earned a four-star prospect rating.

Although Jackson committed to Alabama out of EMCC, he received offers from Oregon, LSU, Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma and many others.

During his first season with the Crimson Tide in 2021, Jackson appeared in just four games, posting seven tackles and two pass breakups. He struggled to gain consistent playing time at one of the United States' top collegiate programs, and that continued in 2022.

This season, Jackson appeared in just nine games, posting seven tackles and one tackle for a loss. He was suspended for the team's final three games for unknown reasons.

The arrival of Jackson in Eugene couldn't have come at a better time for the Ducks, which are set to lose top cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who has declared for the 2023 NFL draft.

The Ducks finished the 2022 season with a 9-3 record, fourth in the Pac-12 behind USC, Washington and Utah. They'll get the opportunity to tack on another win in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 28 against North Carolina.

Oregon Ducks tight end Cam McCormick announced Friday that he was granted a ninth year of college eligibility by the NCAA.

According to James Crepea of The Oregonian, McCormick divulged that he requested the extra year of eligibility after he tore his Achilles in September 2021. He also noted that he is undecided if he will return for another collegiate season in 2023:

"I've thought about it; it's a tough decision. I'm not totally keen on what my decision is going to be yet. I'm going to continue to enjoy this game with my teammates and make the decision after the game. ... I couldn't imagine doing nine. If anything, I applied for it just to have it after Ohio State last year. I tore my Achilles and thankfully was able to get it. The option's there, I do have it. Whether I use it, it's in the air. Thinking about returning for a year eight."

If McCormick pursues an NFL career rather than return to Oregon next season, his final game with the Ducks will be the Holiday Bowl against North Carolina on Dec. 28.

Per Crepea, McCormick missed nearly four full seasons from 2018 to 2021 due to a broken left ankle that required three surgeries, as well as the torn Achilles.

As a redshirt freshman in 2017, McCormick finished with six receptions for 89 yards and one touchdown. He appeared in only two games over the next four years before playing in a career-high 12 games this season.

McCormick has nine grabs for 64 yards in 2022, plus he has scored a career-high three touchdowns.

At 24, the Bend, Oregon, native is already older than many players in the NFL and most players in college football. Even so, he has the option to extend his stay at the University of Oregon for another year.

Given how little he has played over the years, Crepea noted that McCormick is unlikely to be invited to the NFL Scouting Combine or selected in the NFL draft, meaning he would have to attempt to make a team as an undrafted free agent.

Other options include attempting to play in other professional leagues such as the XFL or USFL.

If McCormick does leave Oregon, he will go out on a high note, as he was selected as the recipient of the 2022 Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award.

Since 2002, the award has been given annually to players or teams that display "courage on or off the field, including overcoming an injury or physical handicap, preventing a disaster or living through hardship."

McCormick will fly from San Diego to Miami after the Holiday Bowl and receive the award during an on-field ceremony at the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30.

The No. 9 Oregon Ducks fell to the No. 21 Oregon State Beavers, their in-state rival, 38-34 on Saturday, and tensions escalated quickly following a loss that dropped Dan Lanning's squad to 9-3.

After the Ducks blew a 21-point lead to Oregon State, Beavers fans stormed the field, and that's when things got dicey.

While walking off the field at Reser Stadium, Ducks linebacker DJ Johnson appeared to punch an Oregon State fan in the back of the head before being dragged away from the situation by Oregon staffers.

It's unclear if Johnson will face any discipline or if authorities will get involved.

Johnson, a sixth-year senior, posted three tackles in Saturday's loss, bringing his season totals to six sacks, 36 tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss and two pass breakups in 11 games.

The Ducks can secure a berth in the Pac-12 Championship Game if the No. 13 Washington Huskies fall to the Washington State Cougars on Saturday night. If the Huskies win, Oregon will await its bowl game matchup.

An epic second-half collapse resulted in Oregon losing to Oregon State 38-34 and severely damaging its opportunity to play in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

The Ducks were on cruise control with a 31-10 lead after Camden Lewis' 42-yard field goal with 4:46 remaining in the third quarter.

Oregon State proceeded to score touchdowns on its next four offensive possessions to take the lead. The comeback was aided by sloppy play from the Ducks, highlighted by punter Alex Bales mishandling the ball on 4th-and-5 from deep in his own territory.

The Beavers scored on their second play after the turnover to cut the deficit to 34-31. Head coach Jonathan Smith's defense came up big on the next drive when Bo Nix was stopped on 4th-and-1 from his own 29.

Four plays after the turnover on downs, Isaiah Newell's six-yard touchdown run gave Oregon State its first lead since 10-7 in the second quarter.

One theme that developed throughout Oregon's collapse was questionable play-calling by the coaching staff.

Head coach Dan Lanning opted to go for it on 4th-and-3 from Oregon State's 15 in the first half. Nix completed a pass to Troy Franklin, but it lost a yard and resulted in a turnover on downs.

Oregon had a chance to take the lead with 4:51 left in the fourth quarter after the offense had a 1st-and-goal from the 5. Lanning called three straight runs up the middle that were stopped and used his second timeout with 3:02 remaining to set up a fourth-down call.

Nix's pass into the end zone fell incomplete, giving Oregon State possession. Deshaun Fenwick's two-yard run on 3rd-and-1 gave the Beavers a fresh set of downs and let them run out the clock.

Needless to say, Lanning's decision-making left throughout the game left a sour taste in the mouth of analysts and Ducks fans:

Lanning's first season as a head coach has been a success with a 9-3 record. The problem has been the missed opportunities for the Ducks in each of their past two losses.

Oregon opened the season with a 49-3 loss at the hands of Georgia, but its two conference losses have come by a combined seven points.

The 37-34 loss to Washington two weeks ago saw the Ducks give up 10 unanswered points in the final 3:54 of regulation. Lanning opted to go for it on 4th-and-1 from his own 34 in a tie game, but the Huskies stopped Noah Whittington to set up their game-winning field goal.

While the Ducks could still make the Pac-12 championship game, they will need Washington State to beat Washington on Saturday night. If the Huskies emerge as victors, though, the Oregon won't play for the Pac-12 championship for the first time since 2018.

Oregon Ducks offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham has agreed to become the next head coach of the Arizona State Sun Devils.

ESPN's Pete Thamel first reported on Saturday that Dillingham and Arizona State were finalizing a contract.

Dillingham is from Scottsdale, Arizona, and is also a graduate of Arizona State.

The news comes after Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports reported on Nov. 22 that Dillingham was the "leader in the clubhouse" for the Sun Devils head coaching gig.

Dillingham got into college coaching as an offensive assistant at Arizona State from 2014-2015. In 2016, he was hired as a graduate assistant at Memphis, and by 2018 he had worked his way up to being the team's offensive coordinator.

The 32-year-old served as offensive coordinator at Auburn in 2019 before taking over the same role at Florida State from 2020-2021. He is in his first season as offensive coordinator of the No. 10 Ducks.

Oregon's offense has flourished under Dillingham, so it's no surprise he has been eyed for the Arizona State head coaching position. Entering Saturday's game against the No. 22 Oregon State Beavers, Oregon's offense was ranked the third-best in the nation, averaging 511.2 total yards and 40.2 points per game.

Dillingham's quarterback, Bo Nix, has also been in the Heisman conversation, having completed 72.4 percent of his passes for 3,062 yards and 25 touchdowns against six interceptions, in addition to rushing for 513 yards and 14 scores.

In Arizona, Dillingham would be taking over for Herm Edwards, who was fired by the Sun Devils following a 1-2 start to the 2022 campaign. Edwards had been head coach at ASU since 2018.

Dillingham would also become the youngest Power 5 head coach in the country if hired by the Sun Devils.

Arizona State finished the 2022 season with a 3-9 record, including a 38-35 loss to rival Arizona on Friday. Dillingham would be tasked with bringing the program back to prominence in 2023 and beyond.

With the eventual departures of USC and UCLA to the Big Ten, Arizona State will be expected to contend for a Pac-12 title in the near future.

During the waning moments of Oregon's 37-34 loss to Washington last Saturday, wide receiver Kris Hutson appeared to suffer a leg injury after making a first-down catch, forcing officials to stop the clock despite the Ducks having no timeouts.

While Oregon's comeback bid fell short, Hutson revealed on Wednesday that his injury was actually a strategy to get his team some extra time.

"It was just part of the game plan," Hutson told reporters. "It wasn't anything too special, but I'm all right, though."

Hutson, who finished with seven catches for 56 yards in the loss, added that he should be ready to suit up for this week's game against No. 10 Utah. Erik Skopil of 247Sports noted that Ducks head coach Dan Lanning declined to comment on the play while he met with the media after Wednesday's practice.

Oregon fell from No. 6 to No. 12 in both the College Football Playoff rankings and the AP Poll after the loss to Washington. The Ducks had their eight-game win streak snapped and now trail No. 7 USC for first place in the Pac-12 conference.

To make matters worse, Oregon starting quarterback Bo Nix was injured in the fourth quarter against the Huskies, and his status against the Utes is in question. Hutson expressed confidence in backup quarterback Ty Thompson if Nix can't suit up.

"Obviously, Bo is down, so it's the next man up," Hutson said. "...[Thompson] is good at decision-making. He has a great arm. He can extend plays. He's learned a lot from Bo, so he kind of took his game to the next level also. Ty is a good player, he's a great player, great quarterback; very smart. Can't wait to see him out there ready to go."

A redshirt freshman, Thompson has thrown for 72 yards and two interceptions in limited action this season.