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Oregon Football Recruiting: Ducks a Favorite for 4-Star Running Back

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Oregon Football Recruiting: Ducks a Favorite for 4-Star Running Back


Oregon’s recruiting dominance continues as they target top running back prospect Tradarian Ball. The Texas native is set to visit the Ducks this week as he considers his top schools.  

Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks are dominating college football recruiting. The Ducks have emerged as a strong contender for four-star running back Tradarian Ball, who is set to visit Eugene when the dead period lifts this week.  

The Texas native has already received attention from top programs nationwide, holding over 40 offers from various power-five programs. Ball has received offers from USC, Ohio State, Miami, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Georgia, Florida State, Missouri, Oregon, and more.   

Ranked as the No.2 running back and No. 5 overall prospect in Texas by 247Sports, Ball is a coveted talent. His decision-making process will unfold throughout the summer, with a top 15 list expected by its end.  

Ball has been exceptional throughout his high school career. Last Season as a sophomore, Ball dominated the football field, earning district MVP honors after rushing for 1,290 yards and 14 touchdowns. The prospect also collected 25 receptions for 411 yards and six touchdowns.  

A commitment from Ball would boost Oregon’s already talented running back room. Oregon’s Running backs are coached by Ra’Shaad Samples, who joined the Ducks in April after spending the 2023 season as the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator at Arizona State. Samples was also the running backs coach for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022 after being hired as the youngest position coach in the NFL.  

Arizona State Sun Devils WR coach/passing game coordinator Ra'Shaad Samples

Arizona State Sun Devils WR coach/passing game coordinator Ra’Shaad Samples instructs his players during spring football practice at the Kajikawa practice fields in Tempe on March 16, 2023.

Ncaa Football Asu Spring Football Practice / Cheryl Evans/The Republic / USA TODAY

Since Sample arrived in Eugene, he has contributed greatly to Oregon’s recruiting prowess. Four-star running back Dierre Hill and four-star running back Jordan Davison committed to Oregon to develop under Samples.   

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“Coach Samples is one of the brightest young coaches in all of football,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said following Samples’ hire. “He will recruit relentlessly to bring the best young men we can find to our program. I am excited to see the impact Ra’Shaad has on our players’ development as we continue to build upon the storied history of running backs here at Oregon.”  

Ball will be in Eugene to evaluate the University of Oregon’s football program July 26-28. 





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There’s Good News: A beaver birthday celebration at the Oregon Zoo!

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There’s Good News: A beaver birthday celebration at the Oregon Zoo!


PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Zoo’s favorite “branch manager” celebrated a milestone this week, turning 15 years old.  Despite his age, Filbert is still active and doing well. According to the zoo, his care team is keeping him moving with extra swim time and creative training sessions — even spreading out snacks to encourage him



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5-star QB Will Mencl reveals what led to Oregon commitment

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5-star QB Will Mencl reveals what led to Oregon commitment


The good times keep on rolling for the Oregon Ducks in the recruiting world. Dan Lanning and the Ducks scored a massive commitment from five-star quarterback Will Mencl out of Chandler, Arizona.

Oregon had been rumored to be leading the race for Mencl’s services for months, but the No. 1 quarterback in the country, per Rivals, cleared the air and committed to the Ducks on Wednesday evening. Mencl chose the Ducks over Auburn and Penn State, both of which battled hard for him down the stretch.

However, Mencl has been connected to Oregon for a long time. While he was offered last fall before breaking out in his junior season, Mencl has been a fan of the program long before he popped up on the Ducks’ recruiting radar. In a post shared by Rivals recruiting expert Steve Wiltfong, Mencl was announced as a quarterback for the Ducks when he was a kid at the 2019 NFL Draft fan experience in 2019.

Now, Mencl is ready to don the green and yellow for real and make his childhood dreams come true. The Ducks have made a point to get Mencl on campus as often as possible and as recently as last week. The continued connection between both sides is ultimately what made the decision easy for the nation’s top passer. Mencl said he told Lanning and the Oregon staff about his decision on Sunday.

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“The biggest thing was the relationship with the staff,” Mencl said after committing. “I feel like that continued to grow over time, especially when I first got there last spring. Being able to sit down with Coach Koa, really being an underlooked guy at that time, and kind of blowing up my junior season. And then, the path to the NFL. You can’t deny what they do with quarterbacks and the type of scheme they run. I felt like that was the best fit for me and my family to get to the next level.”

Koa Ka’ai, Oregon’s new quarterback coach, made waves earlier in the offseason after his recruiting test about ice cream flavors went viral, but that doesn’t appear to have scared Mencl off. In fact, the two have a close connection that Oregon hopes will translate to success on the field in the near future.

“My relationship with Coach Koa, I feel like that is super, super strong,” Mencl told Rivals. “I’ve had a lot of discussions with Coach Lanning about the culture there and how they’re going to continue to sustain greatness throughout the program.”

Mencl exploded onto the national recruiting scene with a massive junior season for Chandler. He completed more than 70% of his passes for 3,815 yards and 33 touchdowns against five interceptions in his junior season, leading Chandler to a state title berth. He also rushed for 741 yards and an additional 17 touchdowns.

The Ducks expect to have some competition for Mencl to compete with when he joins the team for the 2027 season, with Dylan Raiola and Akili Smith Jr. already on the roster and competing for a role as the backup. Oregon has gone to the transfer portal as well in recent seasons, finding success with Bo Nix, Dillon Gabriel, and now Dante Moore.

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Oregon has recruited well at quarterback in the past, establishing an NFL pedigree that attracted Mencl. Maybe he will be the one to buck the trend and give the Ducks a true, homegrown product under center.

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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Wine Enthusiast names 2 Oregon sparkling wines among best

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Wine Enthusiast names 2 Oregon sparkling wines among best


‘Pour in the largest glass you can find while slow dancing in your socks,’ a Wine Enthusiast contributor said of an Oregon wine

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Wine Enthusiast released a list of the top 40 sparkling wines around the world in 2026 – highlighting two bottles of bubbly from Oregon.

“While it can seem like you need a fortune to enjoy high quality sparkling wine, you honestly don’t. Excellent affordable bubbles are being produced around the world, often in places you might not expect. Each of the selections on our inaugural Top 40 Sparkling Wines list delivers personality, freshness, and celebration for under $75,” Wine Enthusiast wrote.

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Wine Enthusiast divided its list into separate sparkling categories including, Champagne, Italian Bollicine, American sparkling and bottles $25 and under.

Snagging a spot on the American sparkling list: Corollary Wines in McMinnville.

Corollary Wines’ 2021 Momtazi Carbonic Rose Pinot Noir scored a spot on Wine Enthusiast’s list of the top 40 sparkling wines of 2026 (Courtesy Corollary Wines).

Corollarly’s 2021 Momtazi Carbonic Rosé Pinot Noir scored 96 points from Wine Enthusiast.

“This is a Peter Max print of a wine, with vivid aromas and flavors to match the wine’s electric Kool-Aid color. It is filled to the brim with aromas and flavors of macerated strawberries, candied rose petals, apricots, and a bitter note similar to watermelon rind. Pour in the largest glass you can find while slow dancing in your socks,” wrote Wine Enthusiast contributor Michael Alberty.

The second Oregon winery to earn a spot on the list: Lytle-Barnett in Dundee.

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Wine Enthusiast also gave Lytle-Barnett’s 2018 Brut Rosé Pinot Noir Chardonnay 96 points.

Lytle-Barnett’s 2018 Brit Rose Pinot Noir Chardonnay was named among the top 40 sparkling wines of 2026 by Wine Enthusiast (Courtesy Lytle-Barnett, Lester Tsai).

“Bubbles as persistent as an eight-year-old with a question deliver aromas of dried rose petals, macerated strawberries, and a touch of fresh hay and talc. This 70/30 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blend is packed with flavors of lemon zest, Honeycrisp apple slices drizzled in caramel, and a dollop of raspberry,” Alberty wrote.

The nods to Corollary and Lytle-Barnett come as the wineries recently helped launch Method Oregon, a nonprofit made up of 50 Oregon wineries aiming to turn Oregon into a global sparkling wine destination.



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