EUGENE, Ore. — Justius Lowe had a career night, and for Oregon’s emerging wide receiver, every yard and touchdown felt like a reward for years of hard work. Now 8-0 overall and 5-0 in the Big Ten, Oregon’s dominant 38-9 victory over Illinois highlighted their depth and talent as the Ducks aim to keep their unbeaten record intact.
Reflecting on his first career touchdown, Lowe explained the emotion of seeing his efforts pay off. “Just all the hard work and preparation throughout the years I’ve been here,” he said. “It’s finally starting to pay off.” He shared his perspective on the play itself, a deep pass that broke through Illinois’s defense—a defense that had previously allowed only five passes over 30 yards. “Heading into the play, they showed us a lot of man and stuff,” he noted. “But obviously, just coming out, they started playing a lot of zone. So when we did have the play call, it was just really more so like, okay, there’s a dude in front of me, I just gotta run by him, and then the ball’s gonna come. So I just kinda did just that, and shoot, I was just in the end zone.”
Lowe has benefited from Oregon’s “next-man-up” culture, where every player is encouraged to view themselves as a starter. For a young player like Lowe, this mentality has been invaluable. “I think really just having a lot of the younger guys actually take pride in like their role and stuff,” Lowe said, “and making sure that, you know, their head is in it too… if you… keep your head in the playbook, you know, you execute a practice… if you’re ready, you’re ready, and he’s going to play you for sure. So just… making sure that the young guys… take pride in their role.”
Known for his high football IQ, Lowe credits his growth to preparation. “I would say definitely in just the way I prepare,” he said when asked where his awareness on the field comes from. “I probably am in the playbook. I wouldn’t say the most, but I’m definitely in the playbook for sure. And just really playing the game before the game… even though we do have like a walkthrough and stuff scheduled, just making sure I myself get a walkthrough before… just doing things ahead of time.”
Even his teammate Evan has picked up on Lowe’s unique approach, referring to him by a special nickname. “Just a little inside joke that me and him have,” Lowe laughed. “But, yeah, it’s just, you know, me and him, it’s our relationship.”
Lowe’s connection with quarterback Dillon Gabriel has only strengthened over time, something Lowe attributes to extra practices and working on timing. “It’s definitely, the growth has been there for sure,” he said. “We… practice a lot, even just not even in our scheduled practices, but even outside of that, making sure that me and him just get on the same page with a lot of the routes and concepts that we’ve run… taking it to the next level with him… and just making sure that me and him are just making the right reads so we can… get the ball downfield.”
Gabriel’s field awareness and ability to involve any player on the field, regardless of position, have made an impression on Lowe. “I just… harp on like all 11 guys on the field have a purpose… whether the ball might not come to you,” Lowe explained. “You’re running a route for your partner to get open… Just knowing like, okay, you know, every play… It’s really your play… The ball might… might not come to you, but it definitely will. I personally didn’t think I was going to get the ball. But like I said, I executed my route the way it was supposed to be ran. I got the ball, so.”
For Lowe, playing alongside a powerful runner like Noah Whittington is a source of energy. Watching Whittington bulldoze through defenders ignited a spark in Lowe. “It just makes you want to play harder, honestly,” he said. “When I was watching it on the field, I’m like, okay, broke a tackle… one-on-one to the end zone, and the guy just… didn’t make the tackle. So, yeah, it kind of just gets you pumped up… block even harder, run your routes even harder… knowing that your teammate who just, you know, ran over a dude… just exploded through the end zone.”
Lowe also credits the physicality of Oregon’s practices as essential to his readiness. “[Our] practices are super physical,” he said. “Catching the ball, and you’re most likely gonna get hit… just make sure that practice is really… harder than what the game would actually be. So when we’re in the game, everything is starting to slow down, and it’s a lot easier.”
A native of Utah, Lowe originally committed to the Utes but felt compelled to join Oregon after a call from head coach Dan Lanning. “I was committed to Utah… but then I got a call from Lanning after he had won [the national championship],” Lowe shared. “Kind of just that connection right there, you know, him winning a national championship, but then him actually, you know, making time for me… June, of course, you know, the effort he put onto me… definitely just, you know, helped me grow a relationship with them.”
When Gabriel scores on the ground, it’s a particularly humorous moment for the entire team. “It’s really just funny, honestly,” Lowe said, laughing. “He’s probably one of the funniest dudes that’s ever walked in this locker room before. So when he goes in the end zone, you know, you know something’s going to happen. That’s funny, either, you know, whether he dances or, you know, something like that, just of that nature.”
Lowe’s experiences reflect his commitment to both individual improvement and team culture. With Oregon’s undefeated record still intact, he’ll continue building on his achievements as the Ducks march toward their next challenge in the Big Ten.
