RECRUITING NOTES THIS WEEK
It’s been a busy week in Oregon recruiting, with some big developments and plenty to unpack. Let’s start with Darrell Carey, the 6’3” safety out of DeMatha Catholic in Maryland. Oregon officially jumped into the mix with an offer last month, and Carey’s reaction was exactly what you’d hope for—calling Oregon a “dream school” and sounding genuinely excited about the coaching staff. Chris Hampton and Connor Boyd are building a solid relationship with him, and he seems intrigued by the Ducks’ vision for him as a big, physical safety. He’s got a strong list of schools pursuing him, but Oregon seems to have his attention. Now, the key will be getting him on campus for a visit.
Speaking of visits, we also got some clarity on how Oregon’s official visit weekends are shaping up, and it looks like the Ducks are putting a lot of emphasis on June. The headliner, of course, is five-star quarterback Jared Curtis. Ever since he decommitted from Georgia, Oregon has been all over him, and there’s a growing sense that the Ducks might actually be the team to beat here. That visit the first weekend of June could be huge. They’re also getting top tight end Brock Harris back on campus, which is always a good sign, and hosting four-star safety Joey O’Brien, though that one feels more like a long shot with Penn State and Notre Dame in the mix.
Then there’s the ongoing quarterback shuffle, which has been a hot topic. Oregon lost Jonas Williams to USC, which was a tough pill to swallow given how much effort they put into landing him last summer. The question now is whether they can close on Curtis or, if that doesn’t happen, pivot to someone like Ryder Lyons. Losing Williams doesn’t feel like a catastrophe—yet. But if they swing and miss on Curtis, it could put them in a tough spot for 2026. The staff is taking a calculated risk here, banking on their ability to land an elite QB in the next cycle, but it’s definitely something to keep an eye on.
And while we’re on the subject of recruiting battles, Oregon is still making a strong push for some top offensive linemen. Grant Wise recently put the Ducks in his final five, but Alabama seems to have an edge right now. The hope is that they can get him back on campus and make a stronger case. They’re also working on flipping running back Chris Henry from Ohio State, which will be tough but not impossible, especially with the relationships they’re building.
Bottom line—there’s a lot going on, and Oregon is in the mix for some big names. The next couple of months will be critical in determining how this class shapes up, especially with those key visits coming in June. The Ducks are swinging big, and if they can land a few of these priority targets, they could have a really strong class on their hands.
BASKETBALL NOTES THIS WEEK
There’s something about late-season basketball that just hits differently—especially when a team pulls off a win like Oregon did at Wisconsin. Coming back from 17 down, hitting clutch shots, and grinding out a win in overtime? That’s the kind of game that makes you believe this team might have something special brewing.
Jackson Shelstad’s game-tying three with 12 seconds left was ice cold, but it was Nate Bittle who really took over, leading the Ducks with 23 points. This was one of those classic Dana Altman performances—where the team looks out of sorts early, then locks in defensively and finds a way to claw back into it. For all the inconsistency we’ve seen from this squad, when they play like they did in the second half, you can’t help but wonder if they have a tournament run in them.
That brings us back to a familiar conversation: How close is this team to getting back to the level of the 2017 Final Four squad? The pieces are there—athleticism, size, a mix of veteran leadership and young talent. But the consistency just hasn’t been. That’s been the story of the season, really. When the Ducks are locked in, they look like a team that could make some noise in March. When they aren’t? Well, we’ve seen some rough stretches, too.
On the women’s side, there’s been real improvement. After a couple of tough years, this team feels like it’s starting to turn the corner. They’re playing with more confidence, and while they’re not at the Sabrina Ionescu-era level, you can see the foundation being rebuilt. If they can finish strong, it could set them up well for next season.
And then there’s baseball. Coach Waz and the Ducks always feel like they’re right on the edge of breaking through, but can this be the year they finally take that next step? Spring sports bring a different kind of excitement—longer seasons, more games, and that slow build toward the postseason. For Oregon baseball, the potential has always been there, but turning that into a true national contender has been the challenge.
One of the best things about this time of year is that everything is still possible. The men’s basketball team could go on a run and surprise people in the Big Ten tournament. The women’s team could keep growing. Baseball and softball could start fast and build momentum. It’s the season of unknowns, and that’s what makes it fun.
Plenty of questions left to answer, and as always, plenty to think about—whether it’s on the court, the field, or even during a six-hour dog walk.
FOOTBALL NOTES THIS WEEK
As we approach spring football, the Oregon staff is working feverishly behind the scenes, fine-tuning plans for everything from practice structure and recovery protocols to travel logistics and season-long preparation. This is the time of year when every detail matters, as the foundation is being laid for the grueling season ahead. But beyond just the X’s and O’s, the modern era of college football brings an added layer of complexity that makes coaching at this level more challenging than ever.
One of the biggest ongoing challenges? The relentless demands of roster management in the age of NIL and the transfer portal. Coaches are no longer just recruiting high school athletes—they’re constantly re-recruiting their own players, navigating NIL negotiations, and evaluating transfer options to fill inevitable roster gaps. The process never stops, and for many college coaches, the constant grind has pushed them toward the NFL in search of more stability. Oregon has been fortunate to maintain continuity in key areas, but the loss of a coach like Junior Adams highlights the ongoing struggle to retain top talent in the college ranks.
This reality makes strategic coaching hires all the more important, and the return of Cutter Leftwich as assistant offensive line coach is a move that should provide stability in one of Oregon’s strongest position groups. His ability to develop young talent, as he showed at North Texas, will be key as the Ducks look to maintain their dominance in the trenches.
On top of all that, quarterback recruiting remains one of the most difficult—and high-stakes—pieces of the puzzle. Unlike running backs, where size, speed, and strength directly translate to success, quarterback success is tied to far less quantifiable traits—decision-making, leadership, and mental processing speed. This is what makes evaluating and landing an elite QB so difficult, and it’s why Oregon’s current quarterback situation is such a delicate balancing act.
Jonas Williams flipping to USC has put the Ducks in a precarious position. They’ve put a ton of effort into recruiting Jared Curtis, but if they miss on him, they could be left scrambling to fill a critical spot in the 2026 class. There’s talent in the pipeline—Dante Moore for 2025 and possibly Ryder Lyons down the road—but in today’s game, the best programs secure an elite quarterback every year to maintain a strong succession plan.
The stakes are even higher now with NIL involved, making quarterback recruiting not just about finding the right player, but also about navigating financial incentives and managing expectations. Oregon’s staff has taken a calculated risk by prioritizing Curtis, but there’s always the danger that they could end up missing on both their top options. It’s a tough position to be in, but that’s the nature of quarterback recruiting at this level.
Between player retention, NIL battles, coaching stability, and the high-wire act of quarterback recruiting, Oregon’s staff has its hands full. Every decision made in the next few months—from how they approach spring ball to how they handle recruiting—will have ripple effects on the future of the program. It’s a constant juggling act, but in the modern era of college football, adaptability is the only way to survive.
LINKS FROM THE WEEK AT DSA
2026 DB Darrell Carey talks about his dream offer
QB dominoes continue to fall after Jonas Williams flips to USC
Ducks overcome 17-point deficit for thrilling overtime win at Wisconsin
Sunday Morning Sidewalk: Walking, Wondering, and Duck Sports
DSA Inside Read: Official visits taking shape
Take Two: Coaching chaos, QB chess moves in the NIL era
Wednesday War Room: More official visits, recruiting buzz, and coaching move
QUAAAACK! Xavier Lherisse impact scouting report
