Oregon
Why the Pressure Is Only Building for Dan Lanning, Oregon Ducks
Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning has the program built up as a consistent contender, but Oregon’s previous two eliminations from the College Football Playoff, a 20-point loss to Ohio State followed by a 24-point loss to Indiana, adds some pressure onto Lanning’s plate heading into 2026.
While the Ducks’ only three losses in the past two seasons have come at the hands of the eventual national championship winner, Lanning and Oregon are perceived by some as a coach and team who can’t win when it matters the most.
Oregon fans may disagree, pointing to games in 2024 like the Ducks’ regular season win over Ohio State and the Big Ten Championship Game over Penn State. In 2025, Oregon beat Penn State and USC in the regular season before shutting out Texas Tech in the CFP.
However, the Ducks appearing non-competitive in their last games of the last two seasons only adds to the pressure for Oregon to perform in the postseason.
Dan Lanning on Oregon’s Progress in Spring Practice
After Oregon’s spring game on April 25, Lanning spoke about the positives and the negatives with respect to this current roster’s growth.
“Well, I think the intelligence of this group is really high. In the acumen and ability to execute offense and defensive plays is really up there. So they know and understand what we’re trying to do. We’ve got a lot of stuff packaged well that these guys can operate really well.”
“So, I’d say that part’s ahead. We become a much more connected team this spring that’s got to continue as we go through the remainder of this offseason. We got to get stronger. We got to continue to become the physical team that we’ve been here in the past, so there’s a lot of areas still for growth, but I think we’re a really smart team right now and understand what we want to accomplish.”
As mentioned by Lanning, there is still work to be done before the fall starts and even during the season as the Ducks aim to earn a third consecutive CFP berth.
Lanning always seems quick to call pressure a privelege, and the Ducks are quite privileged heading into 2026.
With a more experienced roster, highlighted by quarterback Dante Moore, center Iapani “Poncho” Laloulu, and Oregon’s four starters on the defensive line all deciding to forgo the 2026 NFL Draft and return to school, the expectations have only risen for the Ducks.
The Ducks may have one of the more talented rosters in the country, but the program is also replacing offensive coordinator Will Stein and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi, whom Lanning replaced with internal promotions for Drew Mehringer (offensive coordinator) and Chris Hampton (defensive coordinator).
Oregon enters the season with the third-best odds of winning the Big Ten (+290) and the fourth-best odds of winning the national championship (+800), per oddsmakers at FanDuel Sportsbook.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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UMATILLA, Ore. (KATU) — The Oregon Department of Corrections reports that an inmate at Two Rivers Correctional Institution has died.
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Officials say Virgil McDougal, 83, died May 11.
“As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified,” the agency said.
McDougal was convicted of several sexual abuse crimes in Marion County in 2011 and began serving his sentence in July of that year.
His earliest release date was March 2028.
CENTRAL OREGON (KTVZ) — New rules approved by Oregon regulators aimed at how utilities charge large energy users are expected to have implications beyond Portland General Electric, including for Central Oregon customers served by Pacific Power.
The Oregon Public Utility Commission approved changes allowing Portland General Electric to charge higher rates to large energy users such as data centers. The goal is to ensure those customers pay for the cost of expanding the power grid, rather than shifting those costs onto smaller or household ratepayers.
The move comes after six consecutive years of rate increases for Oregon customers, driven in part by what PGE describes as an unprecedented rise in electricity demand, with data centers as a major factor.
Under the new rules, large energy use facilities must pay 100% of the cost to expand distribution systems needed to serve them. They must also use at least 90% of their contracted power capacity, with requirements for contract lengths and penalties for exceeding usage or exiting early.
The rules define large energy users as facilities capable of drawing more than 20 megawatts of power at a time. A separate category for “very large loads” — those exceeding 100 megawatts — includes a 1 cent per kilowatt-hour surcharge, with funds going toward reducing energy burden for vulnerable customers.
The order also includes a queue system to ensure new large users can only connect when enough zero-emission energy is available to meet demand under House Bill 2021.
While the decision directly applies to PGE, Pacific Power is proposing a similar approach for customers in Central Oregon.
PacifiCorp exclusively sent a statement to KTVZ News, saying utilities have seen a growing number of extremely large new load requests in recent years, requiring significant investments in transmission and generation infrastructure.
The company has filed a proposed tariff with the Oregon Public Utility Commission under House Bill 3546 to create a new rate schedule for “New Large Energy Use Facilities.” Under the proposal, large energy users such as data centers would be required to cover the costs of infrastructure upgrades needed to serve them.
PacifiCorp said the approach would allow the utility to meet the needs of large energy users while continuing to invest in infrastructure and protecting affordability for other customer classes.
PGE has until June 3 to file a new pricing system to implement the order, which would take effect June 10. The utility is also required to begin annual reporting on large energy users starting June 1, 2027.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — The Oregon Department of Forestry is asking Oregonians to be careful when disposing of yard debris this spring.
READ MORE | High pressure brings 48-hour warmup to western Oregon as temps near 90 Tuesday
“There have already been 23 escaped debris burns for a total of 83 acres reported on ODF-protected land in 2026,” the agency said.
The agency said that at this time last year, it had responded to 37 escaped burns.
“More than 70% of wildfires every year in Oregon are human-caused, with escaped debris burns topping the list,” ODF said. “With record-low snowpack and an abnormally warm winter, forecasters are anticipating a hotter and drier summer than usual.”
The Central Oregon District of ODF has already declared the start of fire season.
On May 14, fire restrictions will go into effect for all Bureau of Land Management lands in Oregon and Washington.
“We are increasingly concerned that 2026 could rival the most extreme years on record for heat and dryness in the Pacific Northwest,” said Jeff Fedrizzi, assistant chief of operations for the Pacific Northwest, U.S. Wildland Fire Service. “Every visitor must understand that even one small spark can lead to a costly and destructive fire in these high-impact conditions.”
Officials say the restrictions will help reduce the risk of human-caused fires. BLM officials say anyone who violates the prohibition could be fined up to $100,000 and/or face up to 12 months in prison.
More information on fire season is available on the ODF website.
The Bureau of Land Management website has additional information on fire restrictions and closures.
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