Emptying the Oregon Media Day Notebook

Oregon Football kicked off the 2025 season with the annual Fall Camp Media Day. Over
the years, the event has evolved a bit. Some traditions have stayed the same, while
others have changed. Gone are the days of one-on-one interviews, replaced by podium
style interviews in front of a media scrum. While I personally enjoyed the ability to chat
with players one-on-one, I think the newer format allows for a better learning
environment for the team, providing many with a taste of the media, before a post-game
interview session hits.

An additional benefit to the podium style format is that Oregon records each of the
interviews, allowing us to eventually hear all the responses from all the players. With
four interviews occurring at the same time, that would be impossible even with two of
us, Max Torres and I, covering the event.

Oregon has made efforts to continually improve the Media Day experience in the
Autzen Club. The view from the room is spectacular, but the windows have often
caused lighting issues. For the last few years, the athletic staff brought in temporary
curtains to block some of the sunlight out. While not completely fixed, it does show the
attention to detail is present in the program and how continual improvement is part of
Oregon Football.

Before getting to the real meat of the event, I will give a nod to another Media Day
standard – Hawaiian plate lunch provided by Kona Café located in Springfield. This
tradition has spanned multiple coaching staffs and the food has become one of the
highlights of the event (for the media).

Now (moving on to the important part), throughout the interviews, one thing really stood
out about Oregon’s program: Team unity through relationship development. Dan
Lanning mentioned that he would ultimately be judged by wins and losses. To Lanning,
the development of the individual is of the greatest importance. Dan wants to train great
men, husbands, and fathers.

Development goes beyond lip service. There is a great emphasis on players spending
time together and in taking the opportunity to give back to the community. This was
especially evident with several of the transfers who noted an increase in the number of
players they interacted with and across multiple position groups at more than a surface
level.

Beyond work within the local community, a few players have travelled out of the country
to do service work, including building basketball courts for kids. For more than a few
Ducks, growing up without much isn’t a foreign concept, but this also teaches them how
they can use what they have now to give back.

Between the extensive offseason workouts, time has been spent at leadership camp,
traveling to see different spots in Oregon (including the Blue Pool and Crater Lake), and just hanging out with teammates. Oregon added more avid fishers to the roster, including incoming running back transfer, Makhi Hughes, who mentioned that he had enjoyed fishing since he was five years old.

Understandable empathy was displayed whenever the topic of Evan Stewart came up,
but there was a sentiment that “this is Oregon” and “next-man up.” Although the wide
receiver room lacks experience in the Oregon offense, the feeling is that the talent level
is there for players to step up and perform at the highest level. Dakorien Moore
continues to draw praise from multiple teammates.

Oregon has a good deal of non-battle tested and incoming talent, but the overall feeling
is the level of talent has continued to improve within the program. Isaiah World is a very
large human. Returning outside linebacker Blake Purchase had high praise for both
World and Alex Harkey, as they attempt to replace NFL draft picks Josh Conerly and
Ajani Cornelius. Each of the defensive backs were mentioned to be 6’1” or taller, and
speed and size is evident across the entire roster.

Speaking of large humans moving at high speed, Kenyon Sadiq has been clocked at 23
mph and Devon Jackson mentioned being around 240 pounds and pushing above 22
mph. During the Big Ten Media event, Lanning noted the team putting on a combined
1,300 pounds, including an average of over 17 pounds per freshman. If this was simply
a weight gaining competition, it would be one thing, but speed is of great emphasis in
the Duck system.

One of the more amazing stories coming out of Media Day is that of Roger Saleapaga.
Roger tore his ACL towards the end of last season, and with the help of the
medical/rehabilitation team at Oregon has not only come back, but feels like he is ready
to contribute to his full potential. Saleapaga was a big contributor to special teams last
season and will be called upon by the offense this season, as the Ducks look to replace
Terrance Ferguson and Patrick Herbert.

As a closing note, I just wanted to add that I came away impressed by Bear Alexander.
Coach Lanning mentioned that he was one of the hardest working players in the locker
room and that he spent extra time going over film. Alexander’s former teammate at
USC, Emmanuel Pregnon, was only positive about Bear and held no resentment for the
way he left USC last season.