Oregon
Oregon Freshman Tristan Phillips Reveals Jersey Number
Oregon Ducks freshman linebacker Tristan Phillips revealed that he will be wearing No. 25 with a social media post of his locker and the jersey number.
Tristan Phillips to Wear No. 25
The jersey No. 25 was worn by two Oregon players during the 2025 season: freshman kicker Rocco Graziano and redshirt senior defensive back Kilohana Haasenritter. With Haasenritter out of eligibility, the number became available for anyone on defense.
How much Phillips sees the field as a true freshman remains to be seen. The Ducks’ linebacker corps is expected to be led by Devon Jackson and Jerry Mixon with an opportunity for younger linebackers like Brayden Platt, Dylan Williams, and Gavin Nix to take the next step.
Oregon has not often thrown young linebackers into the starting defense, but Ducks coach Dan Lanning has consistently proclaimed, “If you’re good enough, you’re old enough.” While Phillips might not see the field right away, that scenario gives the young linebacker time to develop and learn the defense. More than likely, Phillips will be a rotational piece and could see action later in games if the Ducks hold a lead.
Phillips enters the Oregon program as a rather underrated recruit, rated as a three-star prospect by the Rivals’ Industry Ranking. Per 247Sports, though, Phillips was a four-star linebacker and the No. 26-ranked recruit out of California.
Alongside Phillips, the Ducks signed one other linebacker recruit in the class of 2026, four-star prospect Braylon Hodge our of Cherry Creek in Colorado.
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What Chris Hampton Said About Tristan Phillips
During a National Signing Day special, Oregon defensive coordinator Chris Hampton spoke briefly about all of the defensive recruits in the Ducks’ class. What he said about Phillips in particular should excite Ducks fans about Oregon’s newest linebacker:
“Tristan Phillips, this guy’s Bryce Boettcher 2.0 He will he will tattoo you,” said Hampton. “He was the leader of our class, I would say, recruiting a bunch of guys, helped get guys in the boat. He’s been a Duck through and through from Ventura, California. He’s a great kid. He’s about 220 pounds right now. He’s gonna be a 230, 235-pound linebacker that will knock you backwards.”
“Size, speed, he’s got a great combination, and he’s got a great disposition about him when you talk to him,” Hampton continued to rave about Phillips.
If Phillips can match the production of Boettcher, the Ducks should be set at the linebacker position for years to come. A former walk-on safety, Boettcher totaled 136 tackles in his senior season, following a junior season with 94 total tackles. Perhaps more importantly, Boettcher emerged as one of the leaders of the Oregon defense under Lanning.
Boettcher has already been selected by the Houston Astros in the MLB Draft, but he could also be taken by an NFL team in April’s draft.
Oregon
Man sentenced to 20 years for Oregon killing of girlfriend four decades ago
A 73-year-old man was sentenced on Tuesday to 20 years in prison for the 1983 killing of his then-girlfriend. It was a case that went unsolved for more than 40 years.
The sentence was announced by Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield.
In July 1983, Teresa Peroni, 27, was reported missing after attending a party in the Selma area of Josephine County southwest of Grants Pass. She was last seen walking in the woods with her boyfriend Marcus Sanfratello.
Authorities deemed Peroni’s disappearance suspicious, but they lacked evidence to bring charges against anyone.
In 1997, a human skull was found on private property near where Peroni disappeared. In 2024, authorities in Josephine County reopened the case. In addition to re-interviewing witnesses, they collected new DNA evidence to build a case against Sanfratello.
With the DNA, experts at the University of North Texas confirmed the skull was Peroni’s.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Man arraigned on murder charge in Oregon for death of then-girlfriend in 1980s cold case
A grand jury indicted Sanfratello of second-degree murder, on June 27, 2025.
Police arrested Sanfratello in Chico, California the next day. He was then extradited to Oregon to face the charge of murder.
Under a plea agreement, Sanfratello pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter.
He will serve at least 10 years in prison, Oregon’s attorney general’s office said.
“For Teresa Peroni’s family, this has been a 43-year wait for an answer they never should have had to wait for,” Rayfield said in a news release. “Cases like this remind us of why we don’t give up. It doesn’t matter how many years have passed — if someone took a life, we’re going to keep working until we can hold them accountable.”
Oregon
100+ Women Who Care of Central Oregon Donates Nearly $20,000 to M Perfectly – The Source – Bend, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon Ducks Safety Target Elijah Butler Nearing Crucial Point in Recruitment
The Oregon Ducks are set for one of the biggest timelines of their recruiting cycle, as many top targets are nearing commitments. This time around, the Ducks have a ton of top targets still remaining on their board compared to past seasons, as the Ducks have eight total commitments at this time.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning and his staff still need to land a safety commitment, but three-star safety Elijah Butler out of Maryland recently included the Ducks in his final six schools.
Oregon Target Elijah Butler Makes Exciting Recruiting Announcement
Butler announced his top six schools ahead of a crucial part of his recruitment, according to a graphic by Leyton Roberts. The Ducks made the cut alongside the Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies, Auburn Tigers, Florida Gators, and the Alabama Crimson Tide. The talented prospect would be a great addition for any of these teams, as they could all use a safety prospect at this point in the recruiting timeline.
Butler is from the state of Maryland, which makes the Terrapins one to watch.
It is also worth noting that he has been labeled as one of the best players in the state of Maryland, as he currently ranks as the state’s No. 9 prospect, according to Rivals. This is important as the Terrapins have always made solid attempts to land their in-state stars, including last season when they landed one of the better players in the state’s history, Zion Elee.
As of now, the prospect hasn’t been predicted to land with any of these schools, which means it is likely still a tight race entering the official visit schedule. He has yet to schedule an official visit with all of the schools he has listed in his top six, as he is still missing three key official visits. Butler has scheduled official visits with Alabama, Auburn, and Florida, according to 247Sports. This means he still needs to set one with Oregon, Virginia Tech, and Maryland if he wants to take one to each school.
If the Ducks are able to get Butler on a visit, then they would likely be in a more favorable position to land his commitment, as it currently. seems they are one of the trailing teams from this list. It seems highly unlikely that the Ducks will gain his commitment unless they get him on an official visit, which is still possible at this point, as plenty of top prospects across the nation are still scheduling their official visits.
As of now, the Ducks have 27 prospects set to take an official visit, according to 247Sports. Among all of the prospects who have scheduled a visit thus far, only one of the players is listed as a safety. That player is a three-star target, Junior Tu’upo. This leads one to believe that the Ducks could try to get Butler on a visit, or at a minimum, pitch their program to the prospect from St Frances Academy.
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