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USA Today
3 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Checking in with the Oregon Ducks safety room ahead of the 2025 season
We are less than 50 days away from the start of the 2025 college football season, and fewer than two weeks stand between us and the beginning of the Oregon Ducks' fall camp getting off the ground in Eugene. While coaches and players wrap up their final couple of offseason weeks, we're ready to jump back into things and take a deep dive into what's set to take place at Autzen Stadium this year. The Ducks are coming off of an incredible season that saw a 12-0 regular season, a Big Ten Championship, and the No. 1 seed in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. The offseason brought significant roster turnover as Oregon sent a program record 10 players into the 2025 NFL draft; however, those players have been replaced by a young yet incredibly talented group of players ready to uphold the standard in Eugene. Will they be able to complete the job? Expectations are high, but it won't be an easy task. Over the next few weeks, many questions will be asked, and a significant number of them will be answered. Once we get a look at things during fall camp, we will be able to predict more accurately how things shape up. However, we already have our depth chart projections for offense and defense from spring. As we continue our preview of the 2025 season, leading up to the kick-off vs. Montana State on August 30, let's take a deep dive, position by position. Previous Position Previews Now let's take a closer look at the cornerbacks as we prepare for fall camp. Overall Oregon Ducks Safety Check-In As is the case with a majority of positions on the roster, the Oregon Ducks have a lot of production to replace at the safety spot. With both Kobe Savage and Tysheem Johnson graduating, the Ducks will have a pair of new starter in 2025. Fortunately, they landed one of the best transfer portal players in the nation with Purdue's Dillon Thieneman, a player who is considered to be one of the top safeties in the nation, and a likely first-round pick in next year's NFL draft. Alongside Thieneman are several young, former blue-chip players who will look to step into a bigger role this year and ascend in the depth chart. Overall, the safety room might be among the strongest on the roster this season. Departing Oregon Ducks Safeties Career Stats: 54 games, 262 tackles, 16 TFLs, 2 sacks, 6 INTs Analysis: After transferring from Ole Miss and playing two seasons with the Ducks, Tysheem Johnson's time in college is up. Johnson made positive impacts for both the 2023 and 2024 Oregon teams, playing more snaps than almost any defensive player, but he did always have more success stopping the run than as a ball-hawking safety. Career Stats: 36 games, 179 tackles, 10 TFLS, 6 INTs, 1 FF, 1 FR Analysis: Kobe Savage played just one season for the Ducks, coming to Eugene as a grad transfer from Kansas State, and although he wasn't a superstar on the Ducks defense, he was a consistent contributor all season long. It's tough to lose both of your top safeties in one year, and the Ducks will fill these holes in different ways. Career Stats: 17 games, 7 tackles Analysis: The last departing Ducks safety is Tyler Turner, who entered the transfer portal this winter and committed to Baylor. Turner played two seasons at Oregon, redshirting in his first, leaving him three years of eligibility to transfer to Baylor. Returning Oregon Ducks Safeties Career Stats: 14 games, 9 tackles Analysis: Although he technically transferred to Oregon from Alabama last spring, Peyton Woodyard's career hadn't started yet, giving him four years (now three) in Eugene. Woodyard is one of Oregon's fastest developing young players, and with the newly open spots atop the secondary, expect Woodyard to become a major contributor this fall. Career Stats: 2 games, 1 tackle Analysis: Although Woodyard is probably a step ahead of him, Aaron Flowers is another one of Oregon's fastest rising young stars. After showing out in the Ducks' 2024 Spring Game, many expected Flowers to play a bigger role as a freshman last season, but he ended up redshirting. He may not be the starter, but I expect we'll see much more of Flowers this season. Career Stats: 6 games, 1 tackle Analysis: Oregon's final safety returner is Kingston Lopa, who, like Woodyard and Flowers, was a 4-star freshman in 2024. Lopa played more than Flowers, seeing action in six games, but he never saw a high snap count. The Ducks called on him in the Big Ten Championship game to cover Penn State's Tyler Warren, one of the best tight ends in the nation. That confidence will surely be transferred into this coming season. Incoming Oregon Ducks Safeties Career Stats: 24 games, 210 tackles, 7 TFLs, 1 sack, 6 INTs, 2 FFs Analysis: Dillon Thieneman was among Oregon's most important pickups in the portal after the way the Ducks lost to Jeremiah Smith and Ohio State, giving up deep ball after deep ball. Thieneman's ability against the run and especially the pass is unmatched, and he will be a legitimate star on this Oregon defense. 247Sports Recruiting Profile: 4-star recruit, No. 4 safety, No. 73 overall Analysis: Speaking of legitimate stars, Oregon's sole safety recruit Trey McNutt has stardom in his future. Although 247Sports doesn't rank him as a 5-star, On3Sports does, and they have him as the No. 2 safety in his class. McNutt won't start this fall, but it may not take long for him to become one of Oregon's top safeties or one of the Big Ten's top safeties. Predicting Oregon Ducks Starting Safeties Boundary Safety: Dillon Thieneman Field Safety: Kingston Lopa Oregon Ducks Safety Outlook The safety position seems to be in great hands both now and in the future for the Ducks. With Thieneman leading the way this year, Oregon has a bright future ahead, led by a core of Lopa, Woodyard, Flowers, and McNutt. On top of that, the Ducks have a commitment from 5-star safety Jett Washington, the top-ranked safety in the 2026 class. Much like the cornerback spot, this could be one of the strong points for Oregon's roster going into the future. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
4 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Ranking the 25 best Oregon Ducks since 2000: No. 2 — LaMichael James
Over the last 25 years, the Oregon Ducks have been one of the single best teams in all of college football, sitting near the top of the sport for the better part of a quarter-century. Since 2000, Oregon has compiled an overall record of 239-83 (.742), with just two losing seasons during that span. They've been to 24 bowl games, won three Rose Bowls, been to a pair of College Football Playoffs, and appeared in two National Championships. They've seen a Heisman Trophy winner in Marcus Mariota and had 99 players selected in the NFL Draft. It's safe to say that when looking at the nation's best in this millennium, Oregon belongs in the conversation. But who are the players who helped get Nike University into that conversation? That's a different question entirely. To celebrate the quarter-century mark, we're going to dive into that question over the next month as we approach the start of the 2025 season. The Ducks have had hundreds of memorable and beloved players over the years, many of whom will live on forever in some way. But who is the best of the best? That answer, of course, is subjective. When reviewing the numbers and conducting our research, we took several factors into account: career statistics, overall impact and success, legacy, fan adoration, and NFL success. Boiling 25 years of Oregon football down to 25 players is no easy task, and not one that we took lightly. Dozens of players were left on the cutting room floor who deserve a spot in the top 25, and at some point, subtracting names off the list started to feel like pulling teeth. But in the end, we were left with 25 players, whom we will honor over the next few weeks. If you want to catch up, let's take a look at how we've gotten to where we're at in the rankings: No. 25 — Bucky Irving No. 24 — TJ Ward No. 23 — Tez Johnson No. 22 — Troy Dye No. 21 — Samie Parker No. 20 — Patrick Chung No. 19 — Kayvon Thibodeaux No. 18 — Troy Franklin No. 17 — Nick Reed No. 16 — Jairus Byrd No. 15 — Jeff Maehl No. 14 — Walter Thurmond III No. 13 — Bo Nix No. 12 — Penei Sewell No. 11 — DeForest Buckner No. 10 — Joey Harrington No. 9 — Dennis Dixon No. 8 — Jonathan Stewart No. 7 — De'Anthony Thomas No. 6 — Kenjon Barner No. 5 — Haloti Ngata No. 4 — Royce Freeman No. 3 — Justin Herbert Today, let's continue with No. 2 — the one and only LMJ, LaMichael James. Player Overview Throughout the years, the Oregon Ducks have had some elite running backs come through the program. From the likes of Derek Loville and Sean Burwell to Jeremiah Johnson and Jonathan Stewart, the Ducks' rise to success was buoyed mainly by the rushing attack. In recent years, guys like Royce Freeman, C.J. Verdell, and Bucky Irving have furthered that success. None, though, can compare to the likes of LaMichael James. In his three years with the Ducks, James not only captivated the Oregon fanbase but also overtook the national landscape and became one of the most dominant rushers in all of college football. Aided by Chip Kelly's innovative offensive scheme, LMJ set records and transcended a generation with endless highlight-reel plays that will live on through history. While the Ducks have a long list of historic RBs to call their own, it's hard to argue against the fact that LaMichael stands at the top of the list. LaMichael James Career Stats 37 Games — 771 rushes, 5,082 yards, 57 total touchdowns LaMichael James' Best Single Season 2010: 12 Games — 291 rushes, 1,731 yards, 21 TDs // 17 catches, 203 yards, 3 TDs Picking LaMichael James' best season isn't as straightforward as you might think. In all three years at Oregon, he had more than 1,500 rushing yards and 14 TDs. In 2010, though, James was named a First-Team All-American and won the Doak Walker Award, while also finishing third in the Heisman Trophy voting. James was a significant part of the Ducks' run to the national championship game, where they ultimately lost to the Auburn Tigers, 22-19. LaMichael James Historical Stats and Records LaMichael James' NFL Draft The San Francisco 49ers drafted LaMichael James with the 61st pick in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. LaMichael James' NFL Success Following the incredibly successful conclusion of his college career at Oregon, it comes as somewhat of a surprise that LaMichael James was unable to find much success in the NFL. After getting drafted by the 49ers, James spent two years in San Francisco before joining the Miami Dolphins. James spent two years in Miami before being waived in 2015 and ultimately retiring. LaMichael James' Lasting Oregon Legacy Although James' legacy was primarily confined to the college football world, it was substantial enough to last a lifetime. What he was able to accomplish in three years at Oregon, while helping lead the Ducks to some of their most successful seasons, cemented him in the history books and made him a fan favorite for life. Now, long after his playing career, James still finds himself around the program, and he opened up a chain restaurant, Killer Burger, near Autzen Stadium. Before all is said and done, there will be many great running backs to come through Eugene, but there will only ever be one LaMike. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
17 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Oregon Ducks express sympathy in wake of injured WR Evan Stewart
Oregon Ducks wide receiver Evan Stewart was a major piece of the team's passing attack a season ago, finishing the year with the second-most receptions (48), tied for second in receiving touchdowns (five) and was third in receiving yards (613) despite missing the final two games. He was especially impressive in Oregon's regular season upset victory over the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes, in which he reeled in seven catches for a career-high 149 yards and a touchdown in the 32-31 win. Entering his senior season, he was expected to step in as the Ducks' go-to pass-catcher on the outside. A dangerous vertical threat who uses his speed well in excelling after the catch, he was shaping up to have a breakout season after entering college football as the No. 1 receiver in the 2022 class, per 247 Sports. That expectation came to a screeching halt in early June when Stewart suffered a torn patellar tendon, starting the clock on a months-long recovery that may cause him to miss the entire 2025-26 season. While the injury was surely tough on Stewart, his teammates and head coach Dan Lanning also felt for the injured receiver. "It hurts my soul understanding how E-Stew went down and him not being here," expressed quarterback Dante Moore, speaking at Oregon's 2025 Media Day. "He's going to be down for a while," Lanning told SI during Big Ten Media Days. "I don't want to put a timeline on Evan. I don't know how long that'll be, but he's on the road recovery and he's done a lot for the Ducks. We love having him be a part of our team and hopefully at some point he can make an impact for us. But I don't know exactly what that looks like." But, as what happens in the world of team sports, the collective group has to step up and fill the void left behind. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who's expected to receive plenty of targets this season, was asked about the feeling of having to step up in Stewart's absence. "I mean, there are a lot of people who are able to step up, so it's not like one person has to take on the full load of what Evan does, but there's a lot of people who are able to get in there and still make plays," he said. Moore expressed a similar sentiment, noting the talent at the receiver position. "We've got a great receiving room still. We've still got a lot of playmakers. We've got a lot of guys with not much experience, but that's how the whole team is, though. Everybody is hungry. Everybody is ready to compete. Everybody is ready to make sure they get better every single day." "It's the University of Oregon," Moore continued. "We have playmakers here. We might as well get used to getting those guys out there and playing. E-Stew is of course a huge piece of this offense, but I feel we have other playmakers as well to make sure we get there.' Those other playmakers in the receiver room include true freshman Dakorien Moore, returning contributor Justius Lowe and Florida State transfer Malik Benson. All three have talent, but the one who could raise the ceiling the highest is Moore, who was the top-rated receiver in the 2025 class. He enrolled early to join the Ducks for spring practices and impressed during the spring game. "We'd be lying if we said there wasn't an opportunity now for other guys to be able to step up and create a role for themselves," Lanning said at Oregon's Media Day. "So, I'm excited to see how that all plays out. I feel I have a lot of confidence in that room." But, as Sadiq mentioned, picking up the slack in Stewart's absence doesn't just come from the receiver room. Sadiq is expected to have a breakout season himself after catching 24 passes for 308 yards and two scores in a reserve role as a sophomore in 2024. Moore even went as far as calling him "the best tight end in the country." With what's expected to be among the top offensive lines in the Big Ten, the running game could also become more of a factor. Tulane transfer running back Makai Hughes ran for 2,779 yards and 22 touchdowns in his first two seasons with the Green Wave before coming to Oregon. He'll be joining forces with fellow bancks in Noah Whittington (540 yards and six touchdowns last season) and Jayden Limar, who's expected to take a leap as a junior this season. Moore, the presumed starter at quarterback, could also be a factor on the ground after claiming he was clocked at 21.5 miles per hour this summer. At the top, offensive coordinator Will Stein has proven to be one of the top offensive masterminds in the nation. In two seasons on the job, he's engineered the fourth-best scoring offense (2023) and the eighth-best scoring offense (2024). Stewart's injury is extremely unfortunate, with the timing coming in the summer before his senior season. It's not hard to see that he beloved amongst teammates and his head coach, who expressed their sympathies for the receiver. But in his absence, an opportunity arises — with an entire offense able and ready to come together and fill the void in 2025. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Dante Moore looking to increase speed, rushing for Oregon Ducks in 2025
The Oregon Ducks have a long history of producing elite quarterbacks. More than that, though, they've had a history of QBs who could get out and run when needed. With Dillon Gabriel now off to the NFL, though, and Dante Moore or Austin Novosad stepping in, there was a thought that might change. Across 14 games of action in his first two years of college football, Moore has recorded a grand total of -78 rushing yards. The negative numbers came during his time as the UCLA Bruins' signal-caller for nine games in 2023, as he was marked down with 45 carries for -84 yards. A majority of those yards came on sacks, however, as he recorded a long rush of 16 yards. In a backup role for the Ducks in 2024, Moore recorded a single carry for six yards. Now, in a quarterback battle against Novosad, Moore cited his increase in speed as something he was satisfied with this offseason. "I had a great off-summer," he said, speaking Oregon's 2025 Media Day. "I really got my body right. I actually hit my goal for the summer. Coach [Wilson] Love and Coach Bolt [Kyle Bolton] made sure I got my speed up and hit my goal. I'm really excited. I'm excited to show what I can do with my feet." What was that speed goal, though? "My goal was to hit 21 miles per hour, and I hit 21.5," Moore revealed. "I was super excited about it. It made me happy. I almost cried." While Moore may not reach the dual-threat abilities of Oregon quarterback legend Marcus Mariota, if he can come close to the rushing levels that Bo Nix (744 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns from 2022-23) and Dillon Gabriel (149 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in 2024) produced, it would greatly diversify and further raise the ceiling of the offense. Moore is up for the challenge, and after an offseason of work, can add to the offense in ways he previously hadn't been able to. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning breaks down reason for offseason meeting with Dabo Swinney
During Big Ten Media Days in Las Vegas last week, Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning revealed that he spoke with Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney this offseason, citing discussions over the process of running a program — including how he developed his "Double Down" mantra heading into the 2025 season. On Monday, during Oregon's 2025 media day in Eugene, Lanning was asked to elaborate on the meeting and why it occurred. In essence, it was to pick the brain of a coach who has succeeded on the biggest stage. "Every year, I kind of challenge myself to find some people to touch base with, and he was kind enough to touch base back, you know," Lanning said. "So there's a lot of people who've done the game at a really high level that I want to go pick their brain." Lanning continued, breaking down the topics the two coaches discussed. "We really talked about all things. All things program, right?" Lanning said. "Not necessarily messaging, but all things organizationally, why he thought he was able to have some of the success that he's had over the years, and what separates some of his team. So I really appreciate his insight." Entering his fourth season at the helm for the Ducks, Lanning has quickly established himself as one of the top coaches in the country with three straight double-digit season win totals. Last season was his best work, as Oregon was ranked No. 1 in the country for the back half of the season, won a Big Ten title, and earned the top seed in the College Football Playoff. However, the season-ending Rose Bowl loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes stung for a team with national championship hopes. It doesn't get much better than asking Swinney for advice, who's 35th in all-time wins as a college football head coach, including two national titles in 2016 and 2018. With a new perspective and the ensuing inspiration for a new season motto, Lanning's meeting with Swinney should prove to be another building block towards the continued success of the Oregon program. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
