Oregon
Why Tosh Lupoi sees a silver lining in Oregon’s poor defensive performance against James Madison
EUGENE — It’s easier to get a message across about effort, tenacity and finishing when the most recent result is an affront to those attributes.
Oregon’s defensive effort in its win over No. 12 seed James Madison, particularly in the second half, was “unacceptable” to defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi. He’s found the silver lining in the third straight postseason performance allowing 34-plus points and 500-plus yards though, calling it “the best thing that could ever happen” as the No. 5 Ducks prepare to face No. 4 Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl.
“I think it’s another reminder of this is the best of the best, these teams. If you go to sleep for one down, one quarter, one half, they’re going to make you pay,” Lupoi said. “It makes it easier when the players see (themselves) not performing to the standard in that second half.”
JMU scored 28 points and averaged 8.4 yards per play in the second half. Though Oregon backups and third-teamers were in for some plays, starters were back in for the final 99-yard touchdown drive.
Five of JMU’s seven passes of 20-plus yards and a 49-yard run also came during the second half. Oregon allowed just 20 passes of 20 or more yards in its first 12 games.
“There’s things that we can definitely attack that we can do better,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “The biggest piece is getting off the field. We had some sustained drives in that game and we gave up more explosive plays in that game than we have in the past.”
Those are particularly critical areas against Texas Tech (12-1). The Red Raiders have one of the most explosive offenses in the country, trailing only the Ducks in passes of 20-plus yards, and rank 11th nationally on third down.
Linebacker Bryce Boettcher felt the defense responded well at practice in the week since the first round win.
“Practice has been physical with a lot of energy before Christmas and now we’re getting back to it right after Christmas,” Boettcher said. “I’ve been impressed with the way everyone’s responded.”
No. 4 Texas Tech (12-1) vs. No. 5 Oregon (12-1)
- When: Thursday, January 1
- Time: 9 a.m. PT
- Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
- TV: ESPN
- Stream: You can watch this game on DIRECTV (free trial) or with Sling (a Sling day pass to watch this game and more is just $4.99). Streaming broadcasts for this game will be available on these streaming services locally in Oregon and Washington, but may not be available outside of the Pacific Northwest, depending on your location.
The biggest and final weekend of official visits is finally here for the Oregon Ducks. The program has made the most of its prior rounds of visits, adding five commitments this month alone.
Dan Lanning and his staff will get a chance to lock in a top-five recruiting class this cycle with another tremendous list of visitors this weekend. Oregon will welcome back a pair of committed gems in the class, including quarterback Will Mencl and edge rusher Rashad Streets. However, the biggest visitors are those who have yet to decide on their college future.
Here’s a look at which recruits are expected to be in Eugene this weekend, as well as where they rank in the Rivals Industry Ranking.
- 5-star WR Xavier Sabb (No. 30)
- 4-star QB Will Mencl (No. 46) (Oregon commit)
- 4-star EDGE Rashad Streets (No. 47) (Oregon commit)
- 4-star WR Tae Walden Jr. (No. 69)
- 4-star LB Brayton Feister (No. 135)
- 4-star DL Brayden Parks (No. 166)
- 4-star TE Anthony Cartwright III (No. 343)
- 4-star RB Caden Waye (No. 359)
- 3-star IOL Lex Mailangi (No. 697)
It’s a loaded weekend for the Ducks, and they are well positioned to land several of the visiting recruits this summer. With Mencl and Streets both in town as well, two of the most vocal recruiters in Oregon’s class, don’t be surprised if the Ducks manage to earn a commitment or two before the weekend is over.
On the heels of adding wideout Dakota Guerrant to their class, the Ducks are the frontrunners for Xavier Sabb, who is making the trip across the country from New Jersey. Sabb, whose brothers both play at Alabama, is one of Oregon’s favorite targets in the cycle, and one that Mencl has publicly called for the Ducks to bring to Eugene.
As a junior, Sabb played both receiver and safety at Glassboro High School. He made 59 catches for 896 yards and 13 touchdowns last season and was named Gatorade Player of the Year in New Jersey. After visiting Alabama last weekend, Oregon will get the last word on Sabb’s recruitment and could add a pair of elite receivers to pair with their star quarterback.
The Ducks are also in great position to finalize a commitment with both linebacker Brayton Feister and tight end Anthony Cartwright III. Cartwright will commit on June 28, and Oregon is already viewed as the leader in the race for the 6-foot-5 pass-catcher from Detroit. Feister is fresh off a visit to Georgia, and the Bulldogs made a big push. However, the Ohio native and No. 10 linebacker in the class has always been strongly linked to the Ducks. An official visit this weekend could be enough to push the recruitment to the finish line.
There are a couple of question marks making their way to campus as well. Wide receiver Tae Walden Jr. and defensive lineman Brayden Parks are both leaning elsewhere, but the Ducks have a reasonable shot in both recruitments. Auburn has led the way for Walden, but a strong visit to LSU last week did make a difference. Oregon could do something similar this week, but as of now, he is thought to wind up in SEC territory.
Parks has been a Notre Dame lean, but the momentum over the past few months has swung between the Irish and the Ducks. Oregon gets the final say this weekend, and it could make the difference. Parks didn’t commit after he visited South Bend last weekend, leaving the door open for the Ducks to swoop in at the final hour before the dead period.
Oregon has been a leader for Mater Dei offensive lineman Lex Mailangi as well, but recent visits to Cal and UCLA have narrowed the gap. The Ducks could use another lineman in their class, with Gus Corsair being the only interior lineman committed. The Ducks have some work to do to regain the lead in the race.
Caden Waye is a late add to the list. Although he has had the Ducks at the top of his list since he narrowed his recruitment in the winter, his list has changed after a trip to UCF last weekend put the Knights in his top three. Oregon already has four-star running back CaDarius McMiller committed and is pushing hard for four-star Landen Williams-Callis. Waye is a bit of a wild card for the Ducks, so it will be interesting to see how his visit to Eugene goes.
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.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon State Police are investigating a deadly officer-involved shooting that took place in Lincoln County on Wednesday.
Officers from the Newport Police Department, as well as OSP, responded to the 1500 block of the Siletz River Highway just before 4 p.m. to conduct a follow-up investigation, which later escalated into a fatal shooting.
The suspect is dead, and no officers or members of the community were injured, OSP said.
The investigation is ongoing.
The 2026 MLB Draft is around the corner, which means the Oregon Ducks will soon get the answer to some big questions surrounding next season’s roster. Who will be drafted and sign with an MLB team, and who will opt to suit up for the Ducks in 2027?
The Ducks could have a better idea of where they stand next week, when the program watches three stars and a committed prospect participate in the 2026 MLB Draft Combine in Phoenix, Arizona. The combine is set to begin on June 23 at Chase Field and will showcase 335 draft prospects during the four-day event.
Many of those prospects are collegiate stars. Oregon will watch second baseman Ryan Cooney, shortstop Maddox Molony and right-handed pitcher Cal Scolari all suit up for the combine to solidify their draft position less than a month away from the big day.
The second baseman for the Ducks slashed 331/.420/.524 and led the team in hits (82), doubles (22) and extra-base hits (31) while swiping 13 bases. Cooney also earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and a spot on the Eugene Regional all-tournament team. He is likely to be the first Duck selected in the upcoming draft, but he could return for his final season of eligibility.
Molony is also able to return to his hometown team for one final season, and he remains one of the biggest questions for the Ducks after an unusually poor season at the plate. Entering the season, Molony was a top-50 prospect for the 2026 MLB Draft with the potential to sneak into the first round. However, Molony put together his worst season at the plate in his three seasons with the Ducks, hitting for just a .233 average with 12 home runs and 39 RBIs. The most recent prospect rankings slid Molony to No. 173 overall. His outstanding defense is still enough to warrant a high selection.
Scolari dominated down the stretch for the Ducks, landing him on MLB draft prospect watch lists. He finished the season with a 3.32 ERA and 85 strikeouts. Scolari’s mid-90s fastball paired with a wipeout slider has elevated him as a prospect. He also throws a changeup and a slow curveball. The Nevada native could also return to Oregon, still with two seasons of eligibility.
One Oregon commit will also make the trip to the desert for the combine, putting his potential future with the Ducks on the rocks. Outfielder Andruw Giles from Basic Academy in Henderson, Nevada, will take the field and potentially boost his draft stock enough to skip the college path altogether. The left-handed outfielder has a smooth swing at the plate, hitting for average and power, and he has a strong arm to play a corner outfield spot. Giles was named the Prep Baseball Nevada Co-Player of the Year, despite limited action at the plate.
“The numbers don’t lie as (Giles) put up a .494 batting average, collecting 38 hits in just 77 at-bats,” Prep Baseball’s Brett Harrison wrote. “He proved to be a legitimate extra-base machine, spraying the field with 11 doubles, 4 triples, and 5 home runs while crossing the plate 28 times and driving in 23 runs. His ability to drive the ball while maintaining discipline allowed him to reach base at a .606 clip, making him one of the most consistent table-setters not only in the state, but the west region.”
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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