EUGENE — A starting receiver and veteran defensive lineman were not at practice for Oregon on Tuesday.

Gary Bryant Jr. and Keyon Ware-Hudson were not on the field with the Ducks Tuesday afternoon at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex for the 11th practice of fall camp.

Outside linebacker Ashton Porter, who missed multiple practices last week, was back and wearing cleats.

Fellow outside linebacker Emar’rion Winston was no longer with the limited players and did not appear to be favoring his right leg as much as last week.

Offensive lineman Dave Iuli (toe surgery) and cornerback Jahlil Florence (right knee) remain limited.

Other observations:

• Punt returners were Tez Johnson, Evan Stewart, Dillon Gresham, Ryan Pellum, Jeremiah McClellan and Jack Ressler
• Kickoff returners were Noah Whittington, Jordan James, Rodrick Pleasant, Jayden Limar, Da’Jaun Riggs, Nikko Reed and Jay Harris.
• Gage Hurych worked with the punters behind Ross James, who had multiple bombs from the back of the end zone past the opposite 40, Luke Dunne and Tyler Kinsman.

It’s been a while since Oregon Ducks junior Noah Whittington ran a route for Oregon Football in full pads. His comments on returning to contact play for fall camp may make you feel like he has a screw loose.

“It feels great,” Whittington said. “It feels like everything I’ve been missing. You know, I’m just excited. It feels good to get tackled. I don’t even know how to explain it after not getting hit for a long time. It’s kind of like nervous the first time about to get hit after, it’s kind of like, feel like I never left.”

The running back has been heavily involved with the Ducks on the field since entering as a sophomore transfer from Western Kentucky. He played in all thirteen games his first season and came in second on the team that year for rushing yards with 779. Whittington also racked up 139 carries and five rushing touchdowns on said yard.

However, Whittington tore his ACL in Oregon’s contest versus Colorado, cutting his junior season short during only the fourth game of the 2023 campaign. Whittington utilized a redshirt after this injury.

It stands to reason Whittington might have been apprehensive to have his body hit the turf again.

“Yeah, I was kind of mentally like, ‘uhhhhh,’ but after I got tackled the first time, I was able, you know, actually hit the whole lot harder. So now it’s just like, it’s really no hesitation,” Whittington said.

Whittington confirms that he is at one hundred percent for fall camp, after Oregon coach Dan Lanning told the press before spring practices that Whittington was quickly progressing in his physical therapy treatments.

“My goals?” Whittington said. “It was kind of just, you know, to be back out there and be able to actually practice, and I feel like, Yeah, I’m doing a pretty decent job.”

With a fully-stacked running back room, Whittington has a challenge ahead of him to compete for that starting job. Whittington admits that the coaches are also putting on the pressure to perform.

“How we attack adversity. You know, our coach really been challenging us a lot, you know, to stack good days, and when we don’t have them, he can really, like, rip into us. So it’s just like being able to overcome that and actually accept his challenges and come out the next day. I feel like mentally, we’ve done a great job at doing that,” Whittington said.

Under first-year Oregon Football assistant head coach and running backs coach Ra’Shaad Samples, there’s a balance of tough love.

“I mean, it’s been how it should be, you know, like we have times where it’s laid back, it’s chill, you know, we get to connect and know him on a personal level. Then when we’re not upholding the standard of the room. He let us feel it,” Whittington said.

Whittington wants a slice of kick-off action as well in the fall.

“I would love to, but it’s not up to me,” Whittington said. “It’s up to coach, Joe Lorig, and he gon’ tell me. He might say something about, like, how I’ve catched the ball, but, I mean, I’ve been trying to catch it how he want me to catch it. So he’ll put me back there.”

And though kick returns have been an issue for the Ducks in the past, Whittington is ready for a revenge tour that includes aiding the special teams.

“Yes, it’s a big emphasis on that in the special teams meeting. And I feel like we gonna get the job done this year. We might get a goal, I say, like five, five or four. Oh, for real. We really been getting, like, detailing it like it’s been on the front end of like, what we need to get better at,” Whittington said.

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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Oregon, a program of J Bar J Youth Services, is proud to announce that they have been awarded a generous $285,000 grant from the Marie Lamfrom Foundation. This substantial funding will enable the organization to provide crucial mentorship and support to over 225 children each year for the next two years.

The grant from the Marie Lamfrom Foundation represents a significant investment in the future of Central Oregon’s youth. With these funds, Big Brothers Big Sisters will continue its mission to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the potential of young people in the community. The grant will be used to enhance the Community-Based Mentoring Programs including recruiting and training new mentors and ensure that each child receives the personalized attention they need to thrive.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Marie Lamfrom Foundation for this transformative grant,” said Jenn Davis, Program Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Oregon. “This support will allow us to reach more children, provide them with life-changing mentorship, and build a brighter future for our community.”

Over the next two years, the funding will directly impact the lives of hundreds of children in Central Oregon by providing them with caring, supportive mentors who will guide them towards academic success, emotional well-being, and positive relationships. The grant will also help Big Brothers Big Sister expand its outreach efforts, ensuring that more children in need have access to these valuable programs.

About Marie Lamfrom Foundation

The Marie Lamfrom Foundation is dedicated to supporting nonprofit organizations that empower individuals and strengthen communities. Through its philanthropic efforts, the foundation invests in programs that foster education, health, and opportunities for all. Learn more about the Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation by visiting www.marielamfrom.org.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Oregon

A program of J Bar J Youth Services, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Oregon was founded in 1994. The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Oregon is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. BBBSCO serves over 220 youth annually and continues to grow programming. We are committed to serving at-risk youth and youth facing adversity with mentors in our community.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Oregon is a 21 Cares for Kids partner.