For many athletes, their sports career can take them great lengths. Senior offensive lineman Nishad Strother isn’t a stranger to a journey, whether he’s transferring to the University of Oregon from East Carolina University going into his junior year, or battling an acromioclavicular injury to the shoulder that kept him out from all but five of Oregon’s games during the 2023 season.
Now the lineman, who primarily takes reps at left and right guard, is ready to make the next jump in his journey: starting for Oregon this season.
Nishad’s versatility will be needed as projected right guard Duck starter Matthew Bedford, will be out for a projected significant amount of time this season with a knee injury.
“You hate to see a guy get hurt, especially Matt. He’s been a good guy for our room and all that. Hate to see him go down. It’s next man up mentality, always. So, I hope he comes back soon enough. But you know, next man up for now,” Strother said.
Advertisement
Getting back to the field after such a painful injury can be quite the challenge, as Strother elaborated. He assures that he’s back to one hundred percent as he’s vying for a top roster spot.
“Yeah, I was in a pretty tough spot last year, you know, dealing with the shoulder injury, you know, and kind of regressing a little bit from all the progress that I had made,” Strother said. “I was in a tough spot mentally, honestly, but you know, I had some good guys around me, and, you know, I’m happy to be back and healthy this year. So we’ll see what happens.”
“I do. I feel back to normal,” Strother said. “The rehab was a long process in the beginning. The AC was something I had never dealt with before. Kind of different, you know, grade three, so it was pretty significant. So dealing with that firstly, or like when it first happened, was kind of difficult, but it’s back to normal now for the most part.”
Nov 18, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Oregon Ducks offensive lineman Nishad Strother (50) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Being out for a long time can especially be taxing for a line position, as keeping a lineman physique can arguably be even more time-consuming and strategic than skill positions. Maintaining that balance of mass and muscle with explosive agility for release from a three point can be almost impossible with an injury. Building back that physicality and preparing to move big bodies can be a daunting task, as Strother explained.
“Honestly, it took me a while to, you know, throw a punch again, because you don’t want to re aggravate it, you know. But you know, you have to put yourself back, back out there at some point. So, you know, just kind of throw yourself back into the fire and help everything. You trust your rehab, trust your trainers, and everything will be alright,” Strother said.
Advertisement
Strother’s transition back to the trenches truly came to fruition during spring training. During his five game appearances last season, Strother saw 55 snaps with 22 coming from Oregon’s contest versus the Arizona State Sun Devils.
“A little bit during spring ball, you know, I was out there throwing my hands around a little bit. Felt like I was getting back to my old self so it was good to feel,” Strother said.
Nishad Strother talks to media during an Oregon Duck Football Fall Camp Media Availability on August 20th /
Strother could be a real asset to the big bodies up front. As an all-season starter for ECU, Strother earned a 72.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus and helped clear gaps for the starting quarterback to throw over 3,000 passing yards.
Strother said he’s comfortable with either side of the interior line. A lot of that trust lies within the choice for center, the heartbeat of any trench. To Strother, the versatility in mastering multiple positions in the trenches Duck offensive lineman are known for still stands.
“Charlie Pickard, Iapani “Poncho” Laloulu, Kanen Rossi even. Yeah, I’m comfortable with all those guys [who] are really smart. Know the playbook in and out. So I think we’re solid at center as well,” Strother said.
Advertisement
Nov 18, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Oregon Ducks offensive lineman Charlie Pickard (70) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
One of the most tenured groups as far as returning Ducks, the offensive line is set to be fairly strong this year. The biggest departure from last seasons’ 2023 class was center Jackson Powers-Johnson who was drafted second round to the Las Vegas Raiders. According to Strother, that leadership hole has been filled by walk-on Charlie Pickard. The former Sheldon High School lineman walked on to Oregon after being inspired by former Ducks’ center Ryan Walk, who is now an assistant coach with the Ducks.
“I think Charlie’s the leader of our room, honestly,” Strother said. “He’s been here for a long time. He runs a lot of our player-led stuff. I love Charlie to death. I think he’s really the backbone of our room. So Charlie is that guy for me, for sure. He’s a walk on, you know? So, I mean, he deserves everything he’s getting now. the recognition, you know, the rotations, Charlie, deserves it all.”
Focusing more on Oregon’s fall camp, linemen are typically off doing their own thing when it comes to drills. Strother added that the level of talent on the defensive line has added to his own preparation for the season.
“I love going against them. They’re going to make us great,” Strother said. “Yeah, it’s really battles every day, you know, little smack talking here and there. But those are really good players that I think they’re going to be great for us.”
Nishad Strother speaks to media during an Oregon Duck Football Fall Camp media availability on August 20th /
And the addition of two fields for practice, creating two spots, has made far more athletes get much needed reps. Strother claims the line is no exception.
Advertisement
“We got two spot in practice. I think it helps with the conditioning. You know, two groups on each field. So, you know, a lot of the young guys get reps, the older guys get reps. You know, everybody watches each other, you know, conditioning, development, mentally, all that. I think it helps a lot,” Strother said.
Strother said that even the young blood is impressing him in the trenches. But right now, all this group is thinking about is the amount of pancakes they can put up during their introductory season to the Big Ten Conference.
“We’re chomping at the bit,” Strother said. “But, you know, just a few more days, you know, I think it’s 10 now, but yeah, we’ll be out there soon.”
MORE: Oregon Ducks vs. Ohio State Game Time Released, Prime Time Big Ten Matchup
MORE: Bill Belichick: Rookie Bo Nix And Denver Broncos Coach Sean Payton Look Like Perfect Fit
Advertisement
MORE: Coach Jim Harbaugh’s Funny Reaction to Justin Herbert’s Return To LA Chargers Practice
MORE: Former College Football Coach Regrets Letting Dan Lanning Take New Job
MORE: Chip Kelly’s Ohio State Offense Radically Different Than His Oregon Ducks’ Blur Offense
MORE: Former Oregon Ducks Quarterback Signs Deal With Buffalo Bills
PORTLAND, Ore. — A man accused of killing several women and dumping their bodies in the Portland area was arraigned Wednesday on a fifth murder charge.
Jesse Calhoun’s defense attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf in a Portland courtroom where victims’ family members were present. The hearing, during which Calhoun remained silent, came after he was indicted last week on the most recent second-degree murder charge over the death of Ashley Real, 22, in 2023.
Calhoun has now been charged with five counts of second-degree murder for five victims, along with four counts of abuse of a corpse. The victims’ bodies were found over multiple months in early 2023, sparking concern at the time that a serial killer might be targeting young women in the region.
Calhoun was previously indicted in the deaths of Kristin Smith, 22; Charity Perry, 24; Bridget Webster, 31; and Joanna Speaks, 32.
He remains in custody at the Multnomah County Detention Center. His defense attorneys declined to comment.
Real, Perry, Webster and Smith were found in northwestern Oregon, while Speaks was found near an abandoned barn in southwestern Washington. Their bodies were found in a roughly 100-mile radius, including in wooded areas and in a culvert.
Advertisement
Jose Real, Ashley Real’s father, was in tears as he spoke with reporters after the hearing. He recalled memories of watching her grow up and playing with her brother.
“I never thought or imagined that my family would experience something like this,” he said through a Spanish interpreter. “She had a heart of gold.”
Masciell Real, Ashley’s sister, also spoke through tears.
“I think being in that courtroom today and being able to see him, and know that he is behind bars now, it takes the weight off my shoulders knowing that he isn’t around and free to cause any harm to any other women out there,” she said. “But it also doesn’t take away the fact that my sister isn’t here anymore.”
Relatives of other victims were also present.
Advertisement
“We’ve all experienced the worst thing that could ever happen to you, and it’s incredibly hard to see one of the other families hurt the way we do,” said Melissa Smith, mother of Kristin Smith.
Jose Real previously told The Associated Press that he had called police in November 2022 after his daughter showed up crying at his Portland home, saying she had been choked by Calhoun. She had marks on her throat, he said, and he took her to a hospital.
Real said at the time that an initial police report was taken but that the case was then transferred to a different jurisdiction and it was difficult to reach those overseeing it. Details of the attack were first reported by The Oregonian/OregonLive.
His daughter’s body was found in May 2023 by a man who was fishing in a pond southeast of Portland.
Calhoun was arrested in June 2023 on unrelated parole warrants and then indicted in 2024 and 2025 in the other four women’s deaths. The initial indictment came weeks before Calhoun was due to be released from state prison, where he was returned in 2023 to finish serving a four-year term for assaulting a police officer, trying to strangle a police dog, burglary and other charges.
Advertisement
He was initially released in 2021, a year early, because he helped fight wildfires in 2020 under a prison firefighting program. Gov. Tina Kotek revoked the commutation in 2023 when police began investigating him in the deaths.
The University of Oregon’s Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to approve a $1.55 billion operating budget for the next fiscal year.
But they asked university leadership to return with an amended proposal by Dec. 15, when more details about future budget cuts will be known.
FILE — The Board of Trustees recently approved next year’s budget for the University of Oregon. The vote comes several weeks after the school’s president announced that he wants the university to reduce its annual budget as revenues and out-of-state enrollment decline.
Brian Bull / KLCC
Advertisement
The vote comes several weeks after University of Oregon President Karl Scholz announced that he wants the school to reduce its annual budget by around $65 million.
At a trustees meeting Monday, Scholz said the estimated budget shortfall for next year is just around $23 million. But he said out-of-state enrollment is below historical norms for the second year in a row, and it’s unlikely to bounce back.
“One year can be an aberration. Two years is a pattern,” said Scholz. “And I believe we have to treat it as a new reality.”
Scholz said in May that discussions about the budget would happen over a six-month period. He said no final decisions about cuts would be made over this summer.
On Monday, UO Senate President Dyana Mason told trustees that the Senate had approved a new process to allow for community feedback in the cost-cutting process.
Advertisement
Mason said the provost will work with the deans on budget proposals, finding “clear rationale” for why programs are considered for elimination.
The provost would then bring those proposals to the Senate Committee for Academic Modifications—which includes staff, faculty and students—for feedback.
Once the plans are nearly finalized, the Senate could then hold a period for public comment.
Mason told trustees that a six-month timeline is better than the three months that frustrated some staff last year, but she recommended taking however much time is necessary.
“The worst situation would be rushing forward to make decisions without appropriate evidence, data, feedback from the people that are most in the know about the impact on our students,” said Mason.
Advertisement
UO’s Board of Trustees Chair Steve Holwerda said that every week that university delays the decisions could cost them millions of dollars.
Nathan Wilk is a reporter with the KLCC newsroom.This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
It is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit our journalism partnerships page.
Sign up today for OPB’s “First Look” – your daily guide to the most important news and culture stories from around the Northwest.
Oregon’s juvenile justice system has been reshaped in recent years by a sweeping reform law that changed how the state handles minors accused of serious crimes.
Senate Bill 1008, which took effect in 2020, ended automatic transfers of juveniles into adult court and eliminated life without parole sentences for juveniles. The law also created “second-look” hearings and established parole eligibility after 15 years for certain offenders who committed crimes before turning 18.
To help explain the law and its impact, KVAL’s Frannie Pedersen put together a timeline video tracing the history of Senate Bill 1008, from the passage of Measure 11 in 1994 to the reforms that later reshaped Oregon’s juvenile justice system.
Advertisement
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
The video breaks down how the law changed, why lawmakers pushed for reform, and how SB 1008 continues to influence Oregon’s justice system today. Viewers can watch the full video for a detailed timeline and explanation of the changes.
