Oregon
TOT PRO DAY RECAP: Oregon
The Talk of Troyâs 2024 Pro Day tour kicked off Tuesday in Eugene at the University of Oregon. TOTâs Ben Papp, Kasey Kazliner and Sullivan Maley analyzed all of the eventâs drills. All measurables and times are courtesy of University of Oregon Athletics.
EUGENE, Ore. â Highly touted draft prospects Bo Nix, Troy Franklin and Bucky Irving headlined the Ducksâ 2024 Pro Day events at the University of Oregonâs Moshofsky Center on Tuesday, but 12 other players also participated in the events to show NFL teams what theyâre made of.
It was a jam-packed morning consisting of vertical and broad jump tests, 40-yard dashes, shuttle drills and more. Prospects Popo Aumavae, Mase Funa, Jamal Hill, Steven Jones, Camden Lewis, Casey Rogers, Steve Stephens IV and Sam Taimani werenât invited to the Combine, but had a chance to showcase their skills to NFL teams for the first time. Hill (linebacker) and Lewis (placekicker) especially caught the attention of scouts in attendance with standout performances to surely aid their draft stock come April.
Jamal Hill took advantage of his moment in front of the scouts, running an impressive 4.41-second 40-yard dash, faster than any linebacker that participated in the Combine. He also recorded an impressive broad jump at 10-foot-1, and showed good footwork and coverage skills in field drills. The highlight of his drills came on an impressive high point catch during a flat coverage drill that surely left NFL teams impressed with his potential to play either outside linebacker or safety.
Lewis went 10-for-10 on an ambitious lineup of kicks ranging in distance from 33 to 60 yards. While a few of Lewisâ kicks brushed the posts, they were mostly accurate with many sailing far over the crossbar, suggesting his ability to hit from even further. Lewis certainly benefited from a strong Pro Day after a shaky season that included a crucial miss against Washington from 43 yards that kept the game from entering overtime, handing the Ducks their first loss of the season.
Nix had a chance to practice with some of his other offensive weapons for the final time, including Terrance Ferguson and Tez Johnson. He also connected with fellow draft prospects Franklin and Irving on numerous passes. His throwing script consisted of short game, deep balls, play-action and off-platform throws. Nix threw from a number of drops and rollouts, and the drill occasionally included simulated pressure.
Nixâs throws were mostly accurate with some struggles on out-breaking routes. His deep balls were more impressive than in Indianapolis, including a beautiful wheel route to Irving that displayed elite touch and timing.
Franklin, who struggled at the NFL Combine, needed a stellar Pro Day to further cement his spot in the first round given the stacked class of receivers. While he showed flashes of his speed on deep balls and some clean short game work, his overall performance wasnât striking or consistent enough to silence the questions raised by his performance in Indianapolis.
Franklin ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, the 10th fastest among participating receivers. The time placed him behind prospects like Xavier Legette, Anthony Gould and Brian Thomas Jr., a lackluster mark for a receiver whose main upside is said to be athleticism.
âI didnât know you had to put that much work into the 40,â said Franklin.
Franklinâs gauntlet drill was widely regarded as one of the worst at the NFL Combine, veering multiple steps off his line on most catches. He was especially outshined by other receivers like Xavier Worthy, Ladd McConkey and Brian Thomas Jr. who raised their stock with impressive Combine performances.
Undersized at 183 lbs, NFL teams would expect him to display strong route-running to justify using a first-round pick on him. Franklinâs routes on Tuesday, while solid, didnât display the elite fluidity and crisp cuts likely necessary to fully recover his definite first-round pick status.
Full Pro Day Results (alphabetical order)
(^) NFL Combine invitee
(*) NFL Combine measurement
DNP = did not participate
DL Popo Aumavaeâ6â²3 ½â296 lbs
10 â â Hand, 32 â â Arm, 77 â â Wingspan
40-yard dash: 5.16
Vertical: 29 ½
Broad: 9-foot
Three-cone drill: 8.03
Bench press: 17 reps
DL Brandon Dorlus^â6â²3â286 lbs
9 ½â Hand, 32 â â Arm, 79 ¾â Wingspan
Did not participate in measurable drills.
WR Troy Franklin^â6â²2 ½â183 lbs
8 â â Hand, 31 ¾â Arm, 77 ½â Wingspan
Did not participate in measurable drills.
EDGE Mase Funaâ6â²2 â â254 lbs
10â³ Hand, 32 â â Arm, 77 ¼â Wingspan
40-yard dash: 4.88
Vertical: 30
Broad: 9-foot-2
Three-cone drill: 7.57
Bench press: 18 reps
LB/SAF Jamal Hillâ6â²0â216 lbs
8 ¾â Hand, 32 â â Arm, 78 ¾â Wingspan
40-yard dash: 4.41
Vertical: 33
Broad: 10-foot-1
Three-cone drill: 7.16
Bench press: 17 reps
RB Bucky Irving^â5â²9 ¼â195 lbs
9 â â Hand, 29 ½â Arm, 69 â â Wingspan
40-yard dash: DNP
Vertical: 31 ½
Broad: DNP
Three-cone drill: DNP
Bench press: 15 reps
CB Khyree Jackson^â6â²3 â â203 lbs
9 â â Hand, 32 ¾â Arm, 77 â â Wingspan
40-yard dash: DNP
Vertical: 32.5
Broad: DNP
Three-cone drill: DNP
Bench press: 11 reps
OL Steven Jonesâ6â²5 ¼â342 lbs
10 ¾â Hand, 34 â â Arm, 84 â â Wingspan
40-yard dash: 5.43
Vertical: 21
Broad: 7-foot-9
Three-cone drill: DNP
Bench press: 23 reps
PK Camden Lewisâ5â²11 ½â206 lbs.
8 ¾â Hand, 28 â â Arm, 69 ¾â Wingspan
Did not participate in measurable drills.
QB Bo Nix^â6â²2 â *â 217 lbs.
10 â â* Hand, 30 â â* Arm, 74 ¼â* Wingspan
Did not participate in measurable drills.
OL Jackson Powers-Johnson^â6â²3 ¼â326 lbs.
9 ¾â Hand, 32 â â Arm, 78 â â Wingspan
Did not participate in measurable drills.
DL Casey Rogersâ6â²4 â â294 lbs.
9â³ Hand, 32â³ Arm, 78 ½â Wingspan
40-yard dash: 4.82
Vertical: 35
Broad: 9-foot-8
Three-cone drill: 7.45
Bench press: 27 reps
SAF Steve Stephens IVâ5â²11 â â194 lbs
10 â â Hand, 31â³ Arm, 75â³ Wingspan
40-yard dash: 4.59
Vertical: 36
Broad: 9-foot-10
Three-cone drill: 7.21
Bench press: 12 reps
DL Sam Taimaniâ6â²1 ½â309 lbs
10 ¾â Hand, 31 â â Arm, 77 ½â Wingspan
40-yard dash: 5.33
Vertical: 25
Broad: 8-foot-6
Three-cone drill: 7.95
Bench press: 19 reps
SAF Evan Williams^â5â²11 ¾â206 lbs
9 â â Hand, 30â³ Arm, 73 ¾â Wingspan
40-yard dash: 4.56
Vertical: DNP
Broad: DNP
Three-cone drill: 7.10
Bench press: 18 reps
Oregon
University of Oregon Greek Life staffer on leave after telling Trump voters to ‘jump off a f–king bridge’
A University of Oregon Greek Life administrator was placed on leave after he launched into an expletive-filled rant about Donald Trump’s 2024 election win, callously telling supporters of the president-elect to “jump off a f–king bridge.”
Leonard Serrato, the fraternity and sorority life assistant director, faced immediate backlash following the offensive tirade he posted on his personal Instagram page.
“I say this in the most disrespectful way possible: I don’t care if you are my family, I don’t care if you are my friend, I don’t care if we’ve been friends our entire lives, you can literally go f–k yourself if you voted for Donald Trump,” Serrato said, according to The Oregonian.
Serrato, who proudly called himself a “petty person,” then took aim at voters who were concerned about inflation.
“If you are so sad about your groceries being expensive, get a better f–cking paying job,” he said.
“Do better in life, get a f–king education, do something because you are f–king stupid and I hope you go jump off a f–king bridge.”
The school has placed him on administrative leave and opened an investigation into the matter.
“As a public university we take our duty seriously to provide an environment that welcomes diversity of thought and respect in alignment with our education mission,” the spokesperson told The Post in an email.
“While we investigate, we are providing support for concerned students and employees, including resources for mental and emotional health.”
The school also counseled Serrato in the aftermath and confirmed the post was taken down, the spokesperson said.
A message to Serrato was not immediately returned Thursday night.
Serrato was jailed for 90 days more than a decade ago after the then-senior at Fresno State brought alcohol for a party with new members at his frat house, according to a report.
An 18-year-old pledge died that night, which landed Serrato in legal trouble, he recalled in a 2021 press release about him joining a job at the University of Indiana.
Since that tragic night, he said his focus was on ending hazing and improving Greek Life.
“My focus is accountability: holding our Greek communities accountable for their actions, but also holding myself accountable that they’re being educated properly,” he previously said.
Oregon
10 Questions With… Manoj Shukla | OSU Today
10 Questions with Manoj Shukla, incoming department head of Crop and Soil Science. He is currently a professor of soil physics at New Mexico State University (NMSU), where he leads and manages the soil physics program.
What drew you to Oregon State University?
Oregon State University is a top-tier research institution (R1) with an outstanding online program. Its global online presence is crucial for success in the challenging years ahead. OSU collaborates closely with a diverse range of stakeholders to address agricultural challenges, with the goal of improving the lives of people in the state. The campus is beautiful, and the surrounding landscape is breathtaking. While my previous job responsibilities were similar, the scale at OSU is much larger, providing a perfect opportunity to push myself further.
What makes you passionate about higher education?
I strongly believe that higher education is fundamental to improving the lives of people. Being able to work with students, teach them and learn from them, and just having an opportunity to make a positive impact on their lives is what makes me passionate about higher education.
You have a strong passion for mentoring both faculty and students. How will you bring that passion to Oregon State?
Early in my career, I worked hard to build a solid foundation, and along the way, many people helped me achieve my goals. As I progressed in my career, I realized that it is now my turn to engage with younger faculty and students in a meaningful way and support them in achieving success. In the Department of CSS, there are many early-career faculty members and students. I plan to reach out to them, listen to their needs, and find ways to motivate and guide them as they navigate their own paths to success.
What advice would you give the younger version of yourself who was just starting college?
Education is an opportunity that they must avail themselves of. They should always try to give their 110% because when you move in the right direction with sincerity and dedication, success takes care of itself.
Crop and soil science includes many faculty both on the Corvallis campus and in Extension and experiment stations across the state. In your role as a department leader, how will you balance the unique needs of those various groups?
You are right, the CSS department is highly diverse, both in terms of expertise and geographic location, with each member bringing unique expertise. However, many departments within U.S. colleges of agriculture face similar issues. My prior experience as both a member and chair of the college’s promotion and tenure committee has given me a deeper understanding of the strengths that faculty in teaching, research, extension and outreach at both main and branch campuses possess. I am also familiar with some of the connectivity issues and other challenges faced by faculty at branch campuses. While there are no easy solutions, I believe that by leveraging technology and available resources effectively, I can reach out to these faculty members and hopefully inspire and motivate them. The bottom line is that a department can only make meaningful progress when everyone is fully engaged and on board.
What was your favorite course in college?
It was hydrology. I was always interested in water.
Research funding is essential to your department. How do you plan to work with faculty to increase grants?
I will focus on increasing awareness of funding opportunities and, whenever possible, alert faculty to relevant grants. Additionally, I will work to foster connections between senior, more established faculty members and early-career faculty. Early-career faculty are often highly motivated to secure external grants, and I will collaborate with them to identify and overcome any obstacles to applying for large grants.
You lived in Las Cruces for almost two decades. What will you miss the most about New Mexico?
I will miss my neighbors. I live in a community where many people have migrated from different places, and we have formed a close-knit group. We interact frequently and support one another like family.
What places or experiences are you most looking forward to when you move to Oregon?
I am looking forward to visiting the east side of the state to have a better understanding of the rain shadow effect and irrigation practices to mitigate it.
What is your favorite non-academic pursuit or passion?
I would say hiking or going for long walks.
Oregon
Oregon women’s basketball takes down Nevada to move to 2-0 before Baylor showdown
Though the Oregon women’s basketball team didn’t get off to a hot start like it did Monday against Cal Baptist, it took care of business with its defense in a 76-58 win over Nevada Wednesday at Matthew Knight Arena.
The Ducks fell into an early hole in the first quarter, 14-12, before a dominant second quarter set them apart from the Wolf Pack (0-1). Oregon won the second frame, 28-9, holding Nevada to 3-for-13 shooting from the field and forcing eight turnovers.
“When we amp it up defensively, it creates better offense and we just play better,” Oregon coach Kelly Graves said. “We just got more aggressive.”
While the Oregon defense put a lock on the Nevada offense, North Carolina transfer guard Deja Kelly did exactly what she was brought in to do, scoring 21 points on 9-for-13 shooting from the field with three 3-pointers. Fellow senior guard Peyton Scott had 12 points, and Amina Muhammad (13 points) and Alexis Whitfield (10 points) rounded out double-figure scorers.
“We want her to be more aggressive and more assertive,” Graves said of Kelly. “She has showed what she can do when she’s the focal point. I thought she played really, really well with a good floor game.”
What’s next for the Oregon women’s basketball team?
The Ducks (2-0) take on No. 12 Baylor at Matthew Knight Arena at 7 p.m. Sunday Last season, Oregon lost to Baylor in Waco, Texas, 71-51.
Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football, volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com and you can follow him on X @AlecDietz.
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