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Jestin Jacobs ready for breakthrough senior season with Oregon Ducks: ‘You play to be the best’

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Jestin Jacobs ready for breakthrough senior season with Oregon Ducks: ‘You play to be the best’


EUGENE — At the top of the stairs leading away from practice fields in the Hatfield Dowlin Complex, Oregon Ducks football players pass in waves. Another day of fall camp in the books.

Fresh out of the cold tub, linebacker Jestin Jacobs discusses the physicality of the Big Ten — a conference he’s all-too familiar with, having transferred to Oregon from Iowa following the 2022 season. Jacobs is an imposing presence at 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, but is quickly cut down to size by teammates walking by.

“Oh my gosh,” bellows the voice of fellow inside linebacker Jeffrey Bassa. “It’s Jestin Jacobs.”

“You’re a beast, bro,” center Iapani Laloulu quips. “You’re my idol.”

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A wide grin spreads across Jacobs’ face. And he has more than just his teammates’ jests to smile about: Jacobs is fully healthy after missing the first half of Oregon’s 2023 season due to injury. Bassa has said he envisions himself and Jacobs being the best linebacker duo in the country.

Lofty expectations are the norm around this Ducks football team.

“We talked about that when I first got here, because that is the standard,” Jacobs said. “You don’t play football to be mediocre or be in the middle. You play to be the best. Last year, with me missing the games, we got off to a slow start. But this year we had a full offseason, we’ve been around each other for a year, took trips together and became close.

“So, now, it’s time to put the pieces together and become the best linebacker duo in the nation. It’s not just something we say. It’s something we want to achieve and need to achieve.”

Jacobs grew up in Dayton, Ohio, eager to find new experiences elsewhere by the time his decorated high school career was over. As a four-star recruit, he signed with Iowa after fielding offers from a range of programs, including Ohio State.

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“It’s kind of what I wanted when I was in high school, to be somewhere else,” Jacobs said. “Being in Ohio for 18 years, if anybody’s been to Ohio, they know there ain’t a lot to do. I wanted to go explore the world and meet new people.”

It wasn’t for lack of support that Jacobs wanted to spread his wings: His father, Seth, raised Jacobs on his own for the most part and was in his son’s corner from the time he started playing football in first grade. Jacobs’ dad pushed him on the field while also serving as a role model and “hero” off of it. And Jacobs lived by the lessons his father imparted. It wasn’t just talk.

Jacobs was an Oregon fan, too. He said that as a kid, he loved watching Marcus Mariota and company whenever they’d dazzle on national television — which was often. When he first arrived in Eugene, Jacobs spoke about the oddity of being an Oregon fan surrounded by Ohio State fans.

That game between the Buckeyes and Ducks on Oct. 12 — circled over and over again on the calendars of many college football fans — should bring back some of those emotions for Jacobs, who also took an official visit to Columbus as a high schooler.

One thing is for certain: Jacobs and Bassa say they welcome what will be a steep challenge against a high-powered Ohio State offense. And they give the impression they’re built for it, physically and mentally.

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“Really smart, really intelligent guy,” Bassa said of Jacobs. “Sideline to sideline backer. I love having him in my room and I love playing next to him. Me and him outside of the facility hang out a lot and have become really close. Going out to eat, stuff like that. Building that type of bond.”

With health no longer a pressing concern, Jacobs can focus on deepening that bond with teammates like Bassa and improving on the field where coaches see fit. Pad level is something Oregon linebackers coach Brian Michalowski noted as a point of emphasis for Jacobs this fall.

But it is the friendships and joy this team provides — amid all the hype and expectations — that Jacobs seems to value most. Particularly after clearing the mental hurdles of his prior injury.

“Just coming in every day, laughing in the locker room,” Jacobs said. “Coming in, we know we have to work every day, but it doesn’t seem like work. Everybody is in the locker room laughing and connecting with one another. One of our biggest pillars is connection, and I feel like we’re really connecting. Just being brothers.”

— Ryan Clarke covers the Oregon Ducks and Big Ten Conference for The Oregonian and co-hosts the Soccer Made in Portland and Ducks Confidential podcasts. He can be reached at rclarke@oregonian.com or @RyanTClarke.

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Where Oregon Ducks rank in industry recruiting rankings for 2027 class

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Where Oregon Ducks rank in industry recruiting rankings for 2027 class


With the winter evaluation period of high school football recruiting now behind us, we’ve seen some of the top recruiting sites update their rankings over the past few weeks and start to reset their boards for the 2027 class. In February, On3 shifted players around after getting fresh looks at the class, and 247Sports did the same earlier this week.

So with Oregon’s handful of commits getting new ratings, where does the Ducks’ class rank nationally in this cycle?

If you look at sites individually, it looks different, with 247Sports having Oregon sitting at No. 13 in the nation. At Rivals, though, they take the industry ranking, which factors in their own rankings, plus an average from 247Sports and ESPN.

In the industry rankings, Oregon sits at No. 9 in the nation, with five commitments.

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Going into the summer months, the Ducks are in a great spot, leading or among the top schools for a handful of the top prospects in the nation, like 5-star QB Will Mencl or 5-star WR Dakota Guerrant. We will see what movement Oregon can make in the coming months after official visits take place early in the summer.

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. 



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New Data Shows Oregon E-Scooter Injuries on the Rise

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New Data Shows Oregon E-Scooter Injuries on the Rise


Data released by the Oregon Health Authority this week suggests Oregonians are getting hurt on electric scooters more every year.

In recent years, according to OHA, an “e-scooter-specific code” was developed for health care tracking purposes.

From 2021 to 2024, annual injury reports under this code from Oregon hospitals and emergency departments jumped from 211 to 418.

And in just the first nine months of 2025, there had been 509 such reports.

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“These injuries are not minor scrapes,” said Dagan Wright, an OHA epidemiologist, in a written statement. “They often involve head injuries, broken bones, and other serious trauma that requires emergency or inpatient care.”

The city of Portland signed contracts with three e-scooter rental companies in 2018, as the transportation craze spread across the country. But e-scooter injury diagnosis codes are relatively new in health care reporting, Wright said in the OHA statement.

“While the overall numbers remain smaller than for other transportation-related injuries, the rapid increase over a short period of time is a clear safety signal,” OHA added.

The agency highlighted the story of Portland e-scooter commuter Daniel Pflieger, who it says was riding a scooter home when he reportedly slid on ice. He bruised several ribs.

Sometimes outcomes are worse. OHA identified 17 deaths linked to electric or motorized scooters since 2018, and seven of those occurred in 2025.

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OHA says that e-bikes raise many similar safety concerns as e-scooters. The first full year for which e-bike injuries were coded for reporting was 2023. State data shows 392 reported e-bike injuries that year, 683 in 2024, and 760 in the first nine months of 2025.

“Injuries involving e-bikes and e-scooters share common risk factors—speed, lack of helmet use, roadway design, and interactions with motor vehicles,” Wright said.

Oregon E-Scooter Injuries on the Rise (Source: Oregon Health Authority)

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Oregon women’s basketball playing for March Madness seeding vs. Purdue

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Oregon women’s basketball playing for March Madness seeding vs. Purdue


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At times, the Oregon women’s basketball team has certainly made things much harder on themselves than it needs to be. The team has also produced some miraculous comeback victories, putting itself in position to make women’s March Madness for the second straight season.

March 1, in their final regular season game, the Ducks (20-11, 8-10 Big Ten) finished on the wrong end of yet another tight game to Washington, 70-69. It’s the second time this season Oregon has come back from a double-digit deficit, but ended up losing to the Huskies (20-9, 10-8).

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Those aren’t the only times Oregon has come back from a double-digit deficit, like it did in wins vs. Nebraska and USC. The No. 11-seed Ducks are hoping they won’t need heroics in a Big Ten tournament first-round game against No. 14 Purdue this Wednesday.

Watch Oregon basketball on Peacock

“I think our biggest weakness this year has been our inconsistency,” coach Kelly Graves said, “something we’ve battled all year. The great thing is our kids know, regardless of the score, we’ve got a chance. We’ll make it a game at some point. As a coach, it drives you nuts. Hopefully we can figure it out and play more consistent basketball.”

Oregon’s volatility has seen it earn three double-digit comeback wins this year, but also blow several games in the final moments.

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Against Wisconsin, the Ducks held a 6-point lead with less than a minute remaining, but lost in overtime. Against Illinois, Oregon held a 21-point lead at halftime, blew it in the third quarter, trailed by eight with minutes to play and somehow eked out a win.

That makes UO somewhat of a wild card heading into the conference tournament this week at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

“It’s definitely (been) a rollercoaster,” guard Katie Fiso said. “A lot of highs and a lot of lows. But one thing that I try to see through all games is our grittiness and our toughness. One thing that stays consistent throughout the season is our toughness and our grittiness. The game isn’t over until the last bell rings.”

The Ducks will be taking on a Boilermakers (13-16, 5-13) team that has struggled against most of the top competition in the league, but played Oregon tight in a Feb. 25 Ducks win.

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Graves said when the Ducks went throughout the postgame handshake line after, the Boilermakers felt like their season would end after the regular season. Thanks to some upsets, Purdue is in the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 14 seed.

“We’re playing a team that probably feels like it’s playing with house money,” Graves said. “We’ve got to pick ourselves back up and get it done.”

What channel is Oregon vs. Purdue on today in Big Ten tournament?

Oregon will tip off vs. Purdue on Peacock, with no TV option to watch the game.

Oregon vs. Purdue start time in Big Ten tournament

  • Date: Wednesday, March 4
  • Time: Around 5:30 p.m. PT

Oregon and Purdue will play around 5:30 p.m. PT at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The first game of the day begins at 12:30 p.m. PT, with the next game 25 minutes after the first game ends, and so on. The Ducks play in the third game of the day, so no official tip time is listed.

Oregon women’s basketball schedule 2025-26

Below are the past five games of Oregon’s 2025-26 basketball season. For the full schedule, click here.

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Feb. 15 Washington 51, Oregon 43
Feb. 19 Oregon 80, Nebraska 76
Feb. 22 Indiana 72, Oregon 65
Feb. 25 Oregon 71, Purdue 65
March 1 Washington 70, Oregon 69
March 4 Oregon vs. Purdue (Big Ten tournament)

Purdue women’s basketball schedule 2025-26

Below are the past five games of Purdue’s 2025-26 basketball season. For the full schedule, click here.

Feb. 14 Purdue 72, Rutgers 57
Feb. 19 Iowa 83, Purdue 74
Feb. 22 Maryland 99, Purdue 66
Feb. 25 Oregon 71, Purdue 65
March 1 Purdue 67, Northwestern 62
March 4 Oregon vs. Purdue (Big Ten tournament)

Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football and women’s basketball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com.



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