EUGENE- The University of Oregon’s football program boasts arguably the most dominant wide receiver room in the nation headlined by Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart. The Ducks are the No. 1 receiving corps in the nation, according to Pro Football Focus.
“I know we have the best room in the country.”
– Traeshon Holden
The Ducks are favorites for the Big Ten Conference Championship as well as top contenders for the 2024 College Football National Championship, and their talented group of receivers is a large reason why.
Oregon White Team wide receiver Traeshon Holden waves to the crowd as the team takes the field during the Oregon Ducks’ Spring Game Saturday, April 27. 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
Oregon returns a core of experienced playmakers, including Traeshon Holden and Gary Bryant Jr., who combined for 892 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Holden was a force last season setting career-highs in receptions (37) and receiving yards (452) while matching a career-high with six touchdown catches.
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Tez Johnson, who made a stellar debut in his first year with the Ducks, is back to bolster an already potent receiving unit. Last season, Tez made history breaking the single-season record for receptions (86) while also racking up 1,182 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Johnson’s 11 receptions for 176 yards in the 2024 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl ranked second in Oregon bowl game history.
Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson (15) runs after a reception against the Liberty Flames during the second quarter of the 2024 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
“As a group, nobody can touch us,” Johnson said Monday. “We play sound, fast, physical. That’s our room. That’s us at heart. We’re the best in the country and I’ll continue to say that. You’ve got Evan Stewart in the room, a new addition. You also have myself, Traeshon (Holden), Gary Bryant (Jr.), you have (Justius) Lowe and Kyler (Kasper) that adds a totally different game when they step on the field.”
It is not only veterans who are expected to make an impact for Oregon in the upcoming season, but several newcomers are poised for excellence as well. Joining the Ducks this season is highly touted transfer Evan Stewart out of Texas A&M.
Sep 9, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Evan Stewart (1) catches the football against Miami Hurricanes defensive back Jaden Davis (22) during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Last season as an Aggie, Stewart ranked second on the team in catches (38), touchdown receptions (4), average yards per game (64.3), and third in total yards per game (514).
Stewart’s addition forms a potentially unstoppable duo with Johnson at the top of the depth chart. This dynamic pair has been dubbed the nation’s best receiving duo by Pro Football Focus. This is a dangerous duo for any defense in the Big Ten Conference as the Ducks chase their first national championship.
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“I never won a state title or a district title or anything in football,” Stewart said. “To win with this team would mean the world.”
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning speaks during Oregon football’s media day Monday, July 29, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
Oregon’s receiver corps extends further with former five-star recruits true freshman Gatlin Bair and sophomore Jurrion Dickey. Bair isn’t the only young newcomer to the wide receiver room, as he’s joined by four-star freshmen Jeremiah McClellan, Ryan Pellum, and Dillon Gresham. These talented receivers are part of Oregon’s No. 3 ranked 2024 recruiting class, trailing only powerhouse programs Alabama and Georgia in 2024 recruiting rankings.
Oregon’s tight end room also contributes significantly to Oregon’s aggressive offense. Terrance Ferguson, Patrick Herbert, and Kenyon Sadiq form a dynamic trio that can stretch the field and create mismatches for opposing defenses.
Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks tight end Terrance Ferguson (3) against the Liberty Flames during the 2024 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
“The goal is a national championship, and we’ve been vocal about that because we believe it, and everyone in the building has that one goal,”
– Terrance Ferguson
With a core group of experienced receivers returning and a wave of talented young players joining the fold, Oregon’s receiver room is shaping up to be a dominant force in college football.
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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
PORTLAND, Ore. — A New Jersey man was sentenced to federal prison last Friday for conspiring to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.
Mark T. Eager, 34, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
“This defendant showed a blatant disregard for human life by trafficking fentanyl across the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Bradford. “My office will continue to pursue those who profit from poisoning our communities, and we will use every available resource and partnership to combat fentanyl trafficking and keep Oregonians safe.”
“This investigation brought together law enforcement agencies from across the nation,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “Homeland Security Investigations special agents from Portland, Newark, and Houston contributed to the case, along with the Portland Police Bureau and HIDTA HIT officers, who were instrumental in identifying Eager. His 11-year sentence sends a clear message: no matter where you are in the country or the world, if you attempt to sell narcotics online to Americans, we will find you.”
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“Fentanyl trafficking poses a grave threat to communities across the United States, and Homeland Security Investigations is committed to working with our partners to disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks responsible,” said HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas. “This case demonstrates the power of interagency collaboration under the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, leveraging resources from across the country to hold traffickers accountable and protect the American people. We will continue to pursue those who endanger lives through the distribution of dangerous synthetic opioids, and we remain steadfast in our mission to safeguard our communities from the violence and instability caused by transnational criminal organizations.”
“By following this offender’s digital trail, Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners nationwide executed federal search warrants, dismantled an active dark web fentanyl packaging operation and recovered deadly amounts of fentanyl, thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency, and a trove of electronic devices and packaging materials,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “This case is a powerful example of how coordinated, data-driven investigations can disrupt dangerous networks and help protect our communities from lethal synthetic opioids.”
According to court documents, from November 2023 through June 2024, Eager and his co-conspirator sold fentanyl on the Dark Net and Telegram. Eager operated as the vendor WRSEH10 and marketed the fentanyl as “China White Synthetic Heroin.”
In June 2024, HSI agents executed search warrants on two residences associated with Eager in Kearny, New Jersey, and seized over 360 grams of powdered fentanyl, counterfeit M30 pills, drug ledgers, cellular phones, two computers, and drug packaging consistent with three deliveries that were sent to Oregon.
On September 4, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a four-count indictment charging Eager with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl.
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On February 4, 2026, Eager pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
HSI Portland and HSI Houston investigated this case with assistance from HSI Newark, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Task Force (HIT). Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey assisted the U.S. Attorney’s in Oregon in obtaining the search warrants that were executed in Kearny.
