Connect with us

Oregon

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

Published

on

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.”

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

“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.

Advertisement

“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.

Advertisement

Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com.





Source link

Oregon

Oregon man sentenced to 77 months in prison after pleading guilty to attempted kidnapping

Published

on

Oregon man sentenced to 77 months in prison after pleading guilty to attempted kidnapping


A Benton County man has been sentenced to more than six years in prison after prosecutors say he held his brother at knifepoint inside their family home, a confrontation that ended with police shooting the wrong person as the victim tried to escape, the Benton County District Attorney’s office said in a media release.

On Thursday, June 18, John Dakota Lyon pleaded guilty to Attempted Kidnapping in the Second Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Coercion, according to a news release from the Benton County District Attorney. He was sentenced to a total of 77 months in prison and two years of post-prison supervision.

The case stems from the morning of Jan. 6, when Maverick Lyon was home visiting his parents during winter break from college. Prosecutors said Dakota Lyon, his brother, was living at the home after recently being released from the Department of Corrections.

In February 2023, Dakota Lyon was sentenced to 58 months in prison for convictions of Attempted Assault in the First Degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon, the release said.

Advertisement

On Jan. 6, prosecutors said Dakota Lyon accused Maverick Lyon of conspiring with their father to do harm to him. Dakota Lyon armed himself with a large kitchen knife and, while holding onto Maverick Lyon’s shirt, pulled him throughout the house, implying he would harm him with the knife, according to the district attorney’s office. Despite Maverick Lyon’s pleadings, prosecutors said Dakota Lyon refused to release him or put the knife down.

Prosecutors said Maverick Lyon convinced Dakota Lyon to allow him to grab his own kitchen knife under the guise that they would leave the residence to confront their father together. Their father, who saw and heard what was happening through a surveillance system set up at the home, called 911 to report the crime, the release said.

Multiple Albany Police Department officers arrived and were able to see two men through a back door window, including one with a knife, according to the district attorney’s office. After a brief conversation between officers and the men, prosecutors said Maverick Lyon broke free and rushed out the back door.

The district attorney’s office said Maverick Lyon still had a knife in his hand as he began to break the plane of the door, and officers were standing near the door. Prosecutors said Maverick Lyon began dropping the knife, but officers, fearing for their lives and the lives of other officers, fired their weapons. Maverick Lyon was struck several times.

An earlier Officer Involve Shooting review by the Benton County District Attorney’s Office found the officers’ use of force was justified, the release said.

Advertisement

Officers rendered first aid, and while being treated, Maverick Lyon said, “You shot the wrong guy,” according to the district attorney’s office.

Dakota Lyon was taken into custody without further incident, and the knife he was believed to have been possessing was located near him, prosecutors said. He has been in custody since Jan. 6.

After surgery and a lengthy recovery period, Maverick Lyon “appears to be doing well,” the release said.

The district attorney’s office said methamphetamine may have played a role in Dakota Lyon’s actions. A urine sample taken from him that day tested positive for methamphetamine, and he was known to use methamphetamine in the past and was believed by those close to him to have recently begun using methamphetamine again, according to the release.

“The tragic shooting was a direct result of Dakota Lyon’s actions. As Dakota marched Maverick around the house at knife point, Maverick feared for his life and wanted nothing more but to escape his drug crazed older brother. But for Dakota’s actions, police would not have been called, Maverick would not be a victim of kidnapping, unlawful use of a weapon, and coercion, and the police would not have shot Maverick,” Chief DDA Amie Matusko, who prosecuted the case, said in the release.

Advertisement

At sentencing, Dakota Lyon’s attorney, Christian Strahl, acknowledged Dakota Lyon’s responsibility in Maverick Lyon’s shooting, the release said. Strahl indicated the remorse Dakota Lyon felt, saying Dakota Lyon wished he could have taken the bullets instead of Maverick, according to prosecutors.

“While this sentiment is appreciated, true accountability would be remorse in having raised a knife towards his brother and regret that the lives of Maverick and the family are forever changed,” Matusko said.



Source link

Continue Reading

Oregon

Who’s visiting for Oregon’s final weekend of official visits?

Published

on

Who’s visiting for Oregon’s final weekend of official visits?


The biggest and final weekend of official visits is finally here for the Oregon Ducks. The program has made the most of its prior rounds of visits, adding five commitments this month alone.

Dan Lanning and his staff will get a chance to lock in a top-five recruiting class this cycle with another tremendous list of visitors this weekend. Oregon will welcome back a pair of committed gems in the class, including quarterback Will Mencl and edge rusher Rashad Streets. However, the biggest visitors are those who have yet to decide on their college future.

Here’s a look at which recruits are expected to be in Eugene this weekend, as well as where they rank in the Rivals Industry Ranking.

  • 5-star WR Xavier Sabb (No. 30)
  • 4-star QB Will Mencl (No. 46) (Oregon commit)
  • 4-star EDGE Rashad Streets (No. 47) (Oregon commit)
  • 4-star WR Tae Walden Jr. (No. 69)
  • 4-star LB Brayton Feister (No. 135)
  • 4-star DL Brayden Parks (No. 166)
  • 4-star TE Anthony Cartwright III (No. 343)
  • 4-star RB Caden Waye (No. 359)
  • 3-star IOL Lex Mailangi (No. 697)

It’s a loaded weekend for the Ducks, and they are well positioned to land several of the visiting recruits this summer. With Mencl and Streets both in town as well, two of the most vocal recruiters in Oregon’s class, don’t be surprised if the Ducks manage to earn a commitment or two before the weekend is over.

On the heels of adding wideout Dakota Guerrant to their class, the Ducks are the frontrunners for Xavier Sabb, who is making the trip across the country from New Jersey. Sabb, whose brothers both play at Alabama, is one of Oregon’s favorite targets in the cycle, and one that Mencl has publicly called for the Ducks to bring to Eugene.

Advertisement

As a junior, Sabb played both receiver and safety at Glassboro High School. He made 59 catches for 896 yards and 13 touchdowns last season and was named Gatorade Player of the Year in New Jersey. After visiting Alabama last weekend, Oregon will get the last word on Sabb’s recruitment and could add a pair of elite receivers to pair with their star quarterback.

The Ducks are also in great position to finalize a commitment with both linebacker Brayton Feister and tight end Anthony Cartwright III. Cartwright will commit on June 28, and Oregon is already viewed as the leader in the race for the 6-foot-5 pass-catcher from Detroit. Feister is fresh off a visit to Georgia, and the Bulldogs made a big push. However, the Ohio native and No. 10 linebacker in the class has always been strongly linked to the Ducks. An official visit this weekend could be enough to push the recruitment to the finish line.

There are a couple of question marks making their way to campus as well. Wide receiver Tae Walden Jr. and defensive lineman Brayden Parks are both leaning elsewhere, but the Ducks have a reasonable shot in both recruitments. Auburn has led the way for Walden, but a strong visit to LSU last week did make a difference. Oregon could do something similar this week, but as of now, he is thought to wind up in SEC territory.

Parks has been a Notre Dame lean, but the momentum over the past few months has swung between the Irish and the Ducks. Oregon gets the final say this weekend, and it could make the difference. Parks didn’t commit after he visited South Bend last weekend, leaving the door open for the Ducks to swoop in at the final hour before the dead period.

Oregon has been a leader for Mater Dei offensive lineman Lex Mailangi as well, but recent visits to Cal and UCLA have narrowed the gap. The Ducks could use another lineman in their class, with Gus Corsair being the only interior lineman committed. The Ducks have some work to do to regain the lead in the race.

Advertisement

Caden Waye is a late add to the list. Although he has had the Ducks at the top of his list since he narrowed his recruitment in the winter, his list has changed after a trip to UCF last weekend put the Knights in his top three. Oregon already has four-star running back CaDarius McMiller committed and is pushing hard for four-star Landen Williams-Callis. Waye is a bit of a wild card for the Ducks, so it will be interesting to see how his visit to Eugene goes.

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.



Source link

Continue Reading

Oregon

Deadly officer-involved shooting on Oregon Coast under investigation

Published

on

Deadly officer-involved shooting on Oregon Coast under investigation


PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon State Police are investigating a deadly officer-involved shooting that took place in Lincoln County on Wednesday.

OSP responds to an officer-involved shooting on June 17. (Jenny Rae Nelson)

Officers from the Newport Police Department, as well as OSP, responded to the 1500 block of the Siletz River Highway just before 4 p.m. to conduct a follow-up investigation, which later escalated into a fatal shooting.

The suspect is dead, and no officers or members of the community were injured, OSP said.

The investigation is ongoing.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending