Oregon
Oregon Receiver Evan Stewart Shocked That Ducks Are ‘More Physical’ Than SEC’s Texas A&M [EXCLUSIVE]
![Oregon Receiver Evan Stewart Shocked That Ducks Are ‘More Physical’ Than SEC’s Texas A&M [EXCLUSIVE]](https://i2.wp.com/images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_5735,h_3225,x_580,y_42/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/ducks_digest/01jesx4dwgm9cy5tj9k1.jpg?ssl=1 "Oregon Receiver Evan Stewart Shocked That Ducks Are ‘More Physical’ Than SEC’s Texas A&M [EXCLUSIVE]")
Oregon Ducks wide receiver Evan Stewart is undoubtedly acrobatic with a unique perspective as a transfer and a top Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) player in college football.
Oregon Ducks on SI talked with Stewart about his newest NIL partnership, his emotions after winning the Big Ten Conference Championship, how Oregon compares to Texas A&M and the SEC, his NFL Draft goals and addressed how the Ducks can win the Rose Bowl and College Football Playoff.
The experience watching the championship confetti fall after beating the Penn State Nittany Lions in a thrilling 45-37 victory in the Big Ten Conference championship was unlike anything that the star wide receiver has ever experienced in his life. Stewart mentioned that he has never won anything before at that magnitude.
“I was kind of twisted between feelings because I’ve never won before. I was like where’s the confetti? And really, I was just standing there soaking in the moment. I was thinking about the fact that that wasn’t the last game. It was a quick celebration and as coach Lanning says, we’re trying to celebrate afterwards for three to four days.”
– Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart
Texas A&M at College Station and the University of Oregon in Eugene couldn’t be more two completely different places. When asked about what the biggest difference in culture between the schools is, Stewart pointed out that the physicality of Oregon is more intense than the SEC’s Texas A&M.
“For the football side of things, A&M is SEC ball. Like South ball. Out here, with it being a West Coast vibe, a lot of stuff is more laid back but they both got a common factor of physicality. Coming out here to Oregon, things are way more physical than what they were at A&M during my time there. And that was a big shock.”
– Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart
“As for the living situation, it’s College Station. You’re right down the street from Houston. You don’t go to Dallas too far, Austin. You got Northgate. It’s a bunch of community and opportunities to meet new people. Out here in Oregon, not too much to do. You go win a game, you go home, you’re happy about it. Things are much more relaxed.”
– Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart
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Stewart recently signed an NIL deal with Mountain Dew and 7-Eleven to promote their Blue Shock Slurpee. In celebration of the nostalgic flavor, Stewart along with five other college football athletes formed the “Mountain Dew Blue Shock Slurpee Squad” to drive excitement around tailgating and gameday this college and professional football season.
Stewart mentioned that he’s a true Mountain Dew Blue Shock Slurpee fan and has been frequenting 7-Eleven throughout the season. He will continue to do so during the holidays while the drink is still available. When asked what the craziest thing that he’s spent his NIL money on, he brought up his new car.
“I haven’t been spending much. A lot of saving for me but I’d probably say my car. One of my cars got stolen while I was at Texas A&M so I had to go buy a new one. It’s an AMG GLE 63S Mercedes which was my dream car growing up.”
– Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart
Oregon coach Dan Lanning has a lot of talent across the offensive board but Stewart’s speed, especially right off the snap, plus his ability at the wideout position to catch 50/50 balls is special. Despite the plethora of different offensive threats that the Ducks possess, he continues to find ways to make himself stand out.
“As you said, our team is pretty good. It’s not like you just need that one person to keep making this play or this one person to make that play. Everybody is either going to have their days or somebody new is going to have their days. I’m just playing my role.”
– Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart
In his junior campaign, Stewart has totaled 613 passing yards and caught five touchdowns on 48 receptions. He gives a ton of credit for his success with the work that was put in during the offseason.
“My hands weren’t as assured at A&M, if that makes sense. I had a couple of dropped passes in the past couple of seasons, balls I shouldn’t have dropped. That was definitely one of the things I keyed in on this offseason. My hands, my hand-eye coordination, the placement of how I catch the ball and secure it. Seeing it all the way to the tuck. We’re seeing the difference this season.”
– Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart
Stewart has dreams of playing the NFL in the future and knows he’s not perfect. If a scout were to ask him what one part of his game that needs to improve upon in order to succeed at the next level, Stewart would say that he needs to continue to get stronger and live in the weight room.
“I would say my strength. I’m talking on multiple levels. Like with the run game since coaches like people that can block. In the NFL, everybody’s not the same size. You got Fred Warner’s walking around. Defensive backs get bigger too. You got the Jalen Ramsey’s. Just being stronger in the play style, with running routes, breaking tackles.”
– Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart
Stewart and the Ducks now await the winner of the No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers vs. the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes which will take place in Columbus on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 5. p.m. PT. The Rose Bowl Game is set for Wednesday, Jan. 1st at 2 p.m. PT.
Stewart addressed what it’s going to take to continue Oregon’s winning ways throughout the College Football Playoff.
“Everybody’s best. Especially with a bunch of transfers and a bunch of seniors. A lot of people haven’t been this far. Everybody is about to take their first steps in the water that is the College Football Playoff. As long as we have the same mindset just like we did going into every week this season, then we’re gonna give our best 60 minutes of football every single game.”
– Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart
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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.
“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.
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.
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‘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.
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.
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.
Wine Enthusiast also gave Lytle-Barnett’s 2018 Brut Rosé Pinot Noir Chardonnay 96 points.
“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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