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Colorado State Football: 2022 Breakout Candidates

With the new coaching regime, who are the players primed for a breakout year? We take a look at four potential Rams who can fill that role.

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Colorado State Football: 2022 Breakout Candidates

The Rams have had a lot of turnover in the offseason. Now it’s a matter of who is the next man up for CSU.

Contact/Follow @J0shFr3d & @MWCwire

Who takes advantage of a fresh start?

Colorado State has new head coach. They’ve been predicted to go anywhere from two wins to .500 and a bowl game. The coaches have brought a breath of fresh air to this program and the community has started buying in. Now it remains to be seen how that pays off for the Rams. But if these four Rams can show out, Colorado State will be a scary team sooner, rather than later.

Clay Millen, QB

Millen was the heir apparent to Carson Strong at Nevada before Jay Norvell left Reno for Fort Collins and he followed. He showed why he is going to be a four-year starter for the Rams during spring practices and the spring game. Millen was consistently putting passes in the right place for his receivers to catch. And even when he made a mistake, such as a pick-six in the spring game, Millen wasn’t afraid to go right back to it.

Ty McCullouch, WR

McCullouch is now on his third coach since committing to Colorado State in 2018. After fighting for playing time his first two years, McCullouch woke up a little bit last season with 24 receptions for 415 yards and a touchdown (and that was in a run first offense). Just imagine what he will be able to do in an Air Raid offense with a pass-first mentality.

A.J. King, DB

After playing corner at Nevada, King will switch to safety under the guidance of new defensive coordinator Feddie Banks. He was intially reluctant when the change was put in front of him at Nevada, but has embraced the challenge for this new look Rams squad. Look for King to make more plays like the one below for Colorado State.

Drew Kulick, LB

Kulick put in the work for the Rams during the spring and then made that hard work payoff in the spring game with an interception. There are a number of injuries for the Rams that played a part here, but Kulick took advantage of the opportunities in front of him. Whether he continues that progress in the fall or remains solely a spring game star, especially within a unit that returns other stars like Dequan Jackson and Cam’ron Carter, remains to be seen. If Kulick can continue this progress, however, it looks the Rams have a cornerstone in the defensive middle for a couple years to come.

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UFC on ESPN 37: Calvin Kattar vs. Josh Emmett odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 37 odds and lines between Calvin Kattar vs. Josh Emmett, with MMA picks, tips and predictions.

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In a featherweight championship bout in the main event, Calvin Kattar and Josh Emmett meet Saturday at UFC on ESPN 37 at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. Below, we analyze the UFC on ESPN 37 Kattar vs. Emmett odds and lines, with picks and predictions.

The fights can be viewed on ESPN+ with the prelims on ESPN/ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET and the main card on ESPN/ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET.

Kattar takes the walk to the octagon with a 5-inch height advantage and a 2-inch reach advantage. He also leads with a 5.19-to-4.28 significant strikes landed per minute advantage, while posting a 43.15% significant strikes accuracy advantage.

He bounced back with a unanimous-decision victory over Giga Chikadze in the main event in mid-January after a UD loss to Max Holloway in Jan. 2021. Three straight fights have ended up going the distance, while going all the way in 12 of his previous 16 professional bouts.

Emmett is a decisive underdog, but he enters as the hotter fighter with 4 consecutive victories. That includes a unanimous-decision win over Dan Ige at UFC 269, and also a KO win over Michael Johnson back in March 2019. While just 2 of his past 6 fights have gone the distance, 6 of his 10 fights overall at the UFC have required the judges to decide a victor.

Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.

UFC on ESPN 37 Kattar vs. Emmett odds and lines

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:15 a.m. ET.

  • Fight result (2-way line): Kattar -250 (bet $250 to win $100) | Emmett +190 (bet $100 to win $190)
  • Total Rounds Over 4.5 (-150) | Under 4.5 (+110)
  • Will the fight go the distance? Yes (-133) | No (-103)

[tipico]

UFC on ESPN 37 Kattar vs. Emmett picks and predictions

Records: Kattar (23-5-0) | Emmett (17-2-0)

Fight result (2-way line or money line)

Kattar (-250) has all the physical advantages, and he leads in significant strikes landed per minute, too. The only advantage for Emmett (+190), and it’s a slight advantage, is his work in the ground game.

Still, playing Kattar with a risk of 2 1/2 times your potential return is just too much risk. Choose a method of victory, and roll with KATTAR BY POINTS (+120) at plus-money for a good value.

Over/Under (O/U)

YES (-133): FIGHT TO GO THE DISTANCE is the play here. Again, Kattar has not had a stoppage in 3 straight fights, while Emmett has ended up going all the way in 2 in a row and 6 of the past 10 outings.

Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.

Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire’s official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and soon IA. Bet now!

If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW, or try out our USA TODAY Parlay Calculator. Please gamble responsibly.

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Air Force Football: 2022 Breakout Players

The Falcons are Deep and Experienced Who Will Be 2022’s Surprise Performers? Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire Air Force will have the benefit of returning a lot of experience and equal parts production in 2022. This isn’t always the case in Colorado …

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The Falcons are Deep and Experienced

Who Will Be 2022’s Surprise Performers?

Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire

Air Force will have the benefit of returning a lot of experience and equal parts production in 2022. This isn’t always the case in Colorado Springs, so they will take it.

There certainly were some key departures from last years squad between the NFL and graduation, so there will inevitably be holes to fill. However, those gaps are opportunities for some of the Falcon’s returning members. While maybe not previous starters, there are plenty of experienced contributors returning to the fold.

A lot of these players who were counted on last year due to injuries, depth or change of pace, are going to be counted on to fill larger roles this year. These are probably names most Falcon fans are familiar with. Think Dane Kinamon, Bo Richter or Eian Castonguay.

What we want to do today, is take a look at some guys that may be under the radar now, only to surface as contributors or more in the coming season. Let’s call them wildcards.

WILDCARDS: SKILLED POSITIONS

The Falcons saw their gamebreaker, Brandon Lewis head to Tennessee to continue his career in the NFL this spring. Historically, Air Force has had a big play threat like Lewis during some of their more memorable seasons. Replacing Lewis will be tough. But the near 30 yards-a-pop that he brought to the table doesn’t have to be matched, for yard. The threat of a capable playmaker does though.

This is where track star Zach Larrier should find a considerable workload increase in 2022. With the quarterback position on lock, Larrier is too skilled, with such explosive speed to keep off the field. Look for a position switch, special packages to feature him under center and a litany of other attempts to get the ball in his hands.

With the Mountain West’s rushing champion, Brad Roberts gutting teams inside at fullback, Air Force gets more opportunities on the edge for slotbacks (wide receivers) like Micah Davis to do damage on the ground. But what about the more conventional “Halfback/Tailback” to compliment Roberts in the backfield?

John Lee Eldgridge III is likely to be a consumer of carriers this fall. The deep rotation of fullbacks will demand a lot of carries, but there will be more to go around, and Eldridge should find himself in the thick of competing for carries.

A couple other names to keep an eye on as the season draws near might be Ben Jefferson (WR), Jacob Trach (RB), Conner Carey (WR) or Owen Burke (RB).

WILDCARDS: THE FRONT SEVEN

Jordan Jackson was a staple on the Falcon’s defensive front for years, but the time to execute their succession plan is now. Jackson was drafted by the New Orleans Saints this spring, leaving a vacancy. Plenty of players rotated along the line gaining experience, and even started along side the recent NFL draftee.

A couple players who didn’t necessarily emerge last year that could factor in this fall are Alesandro Maxwell and Andrew Bois D’Enghien. There will be plenty of competition along the line, thankfully there are a lot of experienced bodies to rotate through.

The linebacker position is a group that is probably the deepest on the team, if not the entire Mountain West Conference. Replacing someone in an NFL mini camp as well as a former All-Conference performer isn’t supposed to be easy.

However, in addition to a handful of proven commodities, players like Mathew Malloy, Nasir Rashid and Jace Waters could also factor into the equation, and it shouldn’t surprise anyone. Air Force should be quite comfortably two to three deep at their linebacker spots.

WILDCARDS: THE SECONDARY

While returning one of the Mountain West’s premiere safeties in Trey Taylor, they are replacing a very experienced one in Corvan Taylor. Similarly, another NFL talent in Tre Bugg III leaves a spot open at corner. While there are a lot of guys who have gotten reps throughout the secondary that are left on the roster, the group as a whole will look a little different.

One of the players that should be in the mix at safety would be Jalen Mergerson. After a spot fill in for Trey Taylor early in the season, Mergerson didn’t see regular playing time after. That could certainly change in 2022.

Mason Bugg is in his third year now with Air Force, and that’s equal to the amount of time he’s been playing defensive back since transitioning from a high school quarterback. Don’t be surprised to see his jersey dirty come this fall.

Both Mergerson and Bugg are going to be Juniors, and it’s not uncommon for Falcon upperclassmen to make their move, and their mark during Junior year. Another Junior, Patrick Dahlen has been listed at Corner and Safety may also find his way onto the field as well.

Similar to the linebackers, there are a lot of experienced guys in the secondary, both starters and contributors. This should make for some very interesting jockeying as we move into fall camp.

CONCLUSION

There are going to be players that surface who were inevitably missed here, just as they were probably overlooked in the recruiting process. It’s hard to really anticipate what an Air Force roster will comprehensively look like week to week during the season, much less so far ahead of fall camp. Add the truest wildcard of Prep School players coming to the Academy, and it makes for some exciting speculation around a team that should be competing for a Conference title.

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Air Force Football: 2022 Non-Conference Preview

An Early Look At The 2022 Non-Conference Schedule The CiC, a rematch with the Buff’s and the usual FCS Appetizer Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire June has arrived, which means we are a new month closer to the start of the college football season! …

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An Early Look At The 2022 Non-Conference Schedule

The CiC, a rematch with the Buff’s and the usual FCS Appetizer

Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire

June has arrived, which means we are a new month closer to the start of the college football season! The Air Force spring camp concluded long before the ground thawed, back in March. Since then, the official release of the 2022 season schedule has dropped, giving plenty of opportunities for Falcon fans to start penciling in projected wins.

For those boldly tallying their record in ink, it’s worth taking a closer look at the out of conference schedule that awaits. This year’s non-conference matchups are pretty familiar foes, with the exception of their FCS matched season opener, by way of the Northern Iowa Panthers.

After their bout with UNI, the real competition comes into frame. Air Force plays Colorado and Navy at home in weeks two and five, before heading to Arlington again to face Army in their ninth game. If you follow SP+, you’ll be pleased to know that these are all expected victories for the Falcons. Oh, if it were only that easy though. Let’s get to know this year’s out of conference foes a little better.

UNIVESITY OF NORTHERN IOWA

In 2021 (fall season) the Panthers finished 6-6 overall (4-4 Missouri Valley Conference). If you aren’t familiar with FCS landscape, the Missouri Valley Conference is brutally competitive with each of the Dakota’s and Missouri State to name a few. One of their losses was a very respectable 16-10 defeat at Ames, to the Iowa State Cyclones.

In 2022 the Panthers should be plenty competitive again. Of their 17 incoming signees, three of which come from respected FBS ranks (Iowa State, West Virginia and Iowa). That will be building on last years MVC Newcomer of the Year, quarterback Theo Day who returns. Day is a Michigan State transfer, and has made an immediate impact for Northern Iowa.

The Falcons and Panthers have never met previous to 2022. However, the Troy Calhoun led Falcon’s have never lost an an FCS opponent.

UNIVESITY OF COLORADO

The 2020 Buff’s went 4-2 overall (3-1 PAC 12) in the pandemic shortened  season, giving hope to the fans in Boulder. The 2021 season looked promising for Colorado, right until they played a game against a FBS opponent, which was a 30-0 drubbing to the wildly mediocre Minnesota Golden Gophers of the B1G. Things didn’t get much better from there, seeing the Buff’s win only three games against FBS competition, going 4-8 overall (3-6 PAC 12).

In 2022, one might think the heartbreak that follows expectations should be avoided if last year is any indication, right? Tackling machine, Nate Landman is gone, and was the lone Colorado player to crack the PAC 12’s All-Conference Team. Colorado’s historic dominance over Air Force won’t alone be enough to promise a victory over a game Falcons squad. Just ask the 2019 Buffaloes.

THE UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY

In what is rare occasion, the Midshipmen are coming off back-to-back down years under coach Ken Niumatalolo. Navy got off to a slow start in 2021, which featured a severe beating from Marshall before getting whipped by Air Force for a second season in a row. The Mid’s went on to finish 4-8 overall (3-5 AAC), on a two game winning streak. The final win of the season coming against Army. You might say Navy is ready to turn things around.

THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY

The last team on the Falcon’s out of conference slate looks to be by far the tallest order. Army.

Army has had Air Force’s number in recent years, and ultimately spoiling theFalcons quest for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. The thing that matters most to all the Service Academies is the CiC, and Army has kept Air Force from it for far too long if you were to ask anyone in Colorado Springs.

Like a well oiled machine, Army’s adjusted to serious roster transition year after year, and hasn’t really lost a beat. They compete independently, so they benefit from not having the rigors of a Conference schedule. But they also take care of business against most of the teams they face. Army finished 2021 9-4, which was the second consecutive nine win campaign for Jeff Monken’s bunch.

This season will see Air Force and Army play in Arlington, Texas for the second straight year, competing in the Commander’s Classic. The Cadets from West Point got the best of the Falcons in overtime last year. Since the 2022 game against Army on November 5th comes after their contest with Navy, Air Force will have either ended or extended their CiC drought before the first Sunday of November.

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Breaking: 2023 4-star safety Kodi DeCambra commits to Oregon Ducks

Another one for the Ducks. 4-star safety Kodi DeCambra announced his commitment to Oregon, joining the 2023 class.

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The positive recruiting commitment for the Oregon Ducks is certainly continuing full-steam ahead, this time with a commitment from 4-star safety Kodi DeCambra.

DeCambra, a Bishop Gorman safety who is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 3 player in Nevada, has been a continual presence in Eugene over the past six months, making several visits to the campus.

DeCambra is the No. 16 safety in the 2023 class, and the No. 214 player overall, according to 247Sports.

Related: Kodi DeCambra details visit, admiration for Oregon Ducks culture

The addition of DeCambra continues the positive momentum for the Ducks, who have added some talented players like 4-star WR Jurrion Dickey, 4-star WR Ashton Cozart, and 4-star RB Dante Dowdell in the past several weeks. The Ducks also had a booming spring, with 4-star WR Kyler Kasper reclassifying to the 2022 class after his commitment, as well as 5-star OT Josh Conerly’s commitment to Oregon.

Contact/Follow us @Ducks_Wire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinion.
Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

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Former Vikings executive snubs Kirk Cousins in winning QB conversation

Not even a mention for Kirk Cousins.

Denver Broncos general manager George Paton knows a winner when he sees one.

It’s an undeniable quality in a quarterback that the former Minnesota Vikings executive has seen only twice in his career: once when the Vikings got Brett Favre as their quarterback and right now with Russell Wilson in Denver.

“There’s something different,” said Paton, when speaking with Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. “I experienced that for one year, two years actually, when we got [Brett] Favre in Minnesota. I remember that first practice. Really, you knew it. It elevated everyone. And it didn’t just elevate the players. It elevated the people in the building, the work ethic, the accountability. We feel that here with Russ.”

Paton served in various roles w[jwplayer qAekXmEp]ith the Vikings before getting called up to the big job in Denver last January. His tenure in Minnesota had spanned for 14 years and included work as an assistant general manager, vice president of player personnel and director of player personnel.

So he’s seen every quarterback that has come and gone in that timeframe with the Vikings, and Favre was the only one he saw as a bonafide winner on the football field.

If you’re looking for a Kirk Cousins mention, you can stop cupping your ears already because his name wasn’t spoken. Florio even personally made note of it in his write-up from the interview:

“The fact that Paton didn’t experience that same feeling with the arrival of Kirk Cousins in 2018 is relevant to this conversation as well. Cousins is not a winner, at least not consistently and not in big games. And Paton, who was with the Vikings when Cousins arrived, apparently didn’t experience the same feeling when Cousins had his first practice in Minnesota.”

Some could make an argument that Cousins’ numbers actually look better than Favre’s when under center for the Vikings.

The Hall of Fame quarterback posted 4,202 passing yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his best year with the team in 2009, while Cousins threw for 4,221 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions in just last season alone.

The numbers nearly mirror each other perfectly.

There’s also the fact that Favre’s Vikings had a top-10 defense, while Cousins’ defense couldn’t cover a twin-sized bed with a king-sized mattress. That argument alone is enough to create room for some pushback for Cousins’ enthusiasts.

But on the other side of the aisle, Cousins lacks signature moments and the overall ability to galvanize the players around him. Wilson has helped lead the Seattle Seahawks to multiple playoff appearances, despite the team hemorrhaging yards on a weekly basis in some seasons.

Why hasn’t Cousins been able to do the same in the last two seasons with the Vikings?

Paton knows all too well what it feels like to be in the shoes of general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell. He didn’t see the same player or situation with Cousins as he saw with Favre over 12 years ago.

If he’s right, the Vikings are wasting their time kicking the can on Cousins’ bloated contract, hoping for change at some point. If not, however, the team should find a way to at least be competitive in 2022.

Considering all of the moves the team made in the front office, free agency and the draft, the Vikings are all out of excuses now.

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Bo Nix ranks among most impactful transfer QBs in all of college football

Where does Bo Nix rank among the best transfer QBs in the nation this season?

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It isn’t officially Bo Nix’s job yet, but all indications after the Oregon spring game seem to be that the former Auburn Tigers’ QB will be the Ducks’ starter when the 2022 season starts this fall.

If that is the case, and neither Ty Thompson nor Jay Butterfield can supplant him this summer, the Ducks will be deploying yet another transfer QB as their starter, which follows along with a growing trend that we’ve seen over the years. Last year it was Anthony Brown, a Boston College transfer. A few years before that, it was Dakota Prukop (Montana State) or Vernon Adams (Eastern Washington.) Some of those worked out for Oregon, others didn’t.

Fortunately for the Ducks, the transfer for Bo Nix is being held in a pretty good light, with On3 ranking it as one of the most impactful QB transfers in all of college football this season.

Unsurprisingly, USC’s Caleb Williams is at the top of the list after an impressive freshman season with the Oklahoma Sooners. A couple of other notable names ahead of Nix are Quinn Ewers (Ohio State to Texas), Spencer Rattler (Oklahoma to South Carolina), Jaxson Dart (USC to Ole Miss), and Cameron Ward (Incarnate Word to Washington State).

We’ll see if Nix can put together a season with the Ducks that has him among the top QBs in the nation after all is said and done, but it’s clear going into the year that Oregon did well for themselves in the transfer portal and, should he get the starting job, have a real chance to compete with Nix.

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Oregon DB Daymon David enters the transfer portal following spring football

Oregon CB Daymon David is entering the transfer portal. Significant depth hit for the Ducks at a position where they can’t afford it.

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The Oregon Ducks took a hit to the depth chart on Thursday afternoon, with cornerback Daymon David entering the transfer portal, per On3’s Matt Zenitz.

David, who played in three games last season for the Ducks, was sidelined for much of spring football with an injury. He is a former four-star recruit who totaled three tackles in 2021.

The loss of David is certainly a hit to Oregon’s secondary, where they are already thin as it is. This spring, projected starting CB Dontae Manning suffered a leg injury that held him out of the spring game, and Trikweze Bridges was moved from CB to safety in the offseason as well.

While the Ducks did add former Colorado CB Christian Gonzalez via the transfer portal this offseason, there was a thought that they might try and add some more depth through the portal this spring. Instead, it appears that one of their defensive backs is choosing to leave the program.

Contact/Follow us @Ducks_Wire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinion.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

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Dillon Brooks suspended one game for flagrant foul against Gary Payton II

Dillon Brooks has been suspended following the flagrant 2 foul that left Gary Payton II with a fractured elbow.

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No matter what level they play is on, Ducks and Beavers don’t seem to be able to get along.

That idea was cemented earlier this week when former Oregon legend Dillon Brooks was ejected from the Memphis Grizzlies playoff game against the Golden State Warriors after a hard foul led to former Oregon State Beaver great Gary Payton II breaking his elbow.

Brooks’ foul drew a lot of ire from NBA Twitter, and it has now left him with a one-game suspension that will be served on Friday night as the Grizzlies and Warriors get set to play Game 3 back in the Bay Area.

After Brooks’ foul, some claimed it was dirty and deserved a multi-game suspension. Others waved it off as a hard foul that was worthy of a flagrant 2 ejection, but nothing more.

In the end, Brooks will have to sit for a pivotal third game of the series, with things knotted up at 1-1. As one of the more important players in the starting lineup for the Grizzlies, his absence with surely be felt.

Contact/Follow us @Ducks_Wire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinion.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

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Oregon Ducks fall out of the running for Memphis transfer Emoni Bates

5-star SF Emoni Bates considered coming to Eugene out of high school, but the Ducks are out of the running to land the Memphis transfer.

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About a year ago when 5-star forward Emoni Bates was making his college decision, fans of the Oregon Ducks were hoping that he would come to Eugene to team up with Dana Altman and Co.

As the No. 5 overall player in the 2021 class, Bates was down to a final list of Memphis, Oregon, Michigan State, and entering the G-League. He ended up choosing the Tigers, but Duck fans’ ears perked up this past month when Bates announced that he would be entering the transfer portal and looking for a new school in 2022.

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He considered Oregon once, might he consider them again?

Apparently, the answer is no. Bates cut his list of transfer destinations down to 6 this past week, with the Ducks out of the mix.

Of course, if you were attuned to Oregon Twitter at all, you would have gotten a sense that the Ducks may not be in the running for Bates, according to incoming 5-star recruit Dior Johnson.

Johnson seemed to be onto something. In the end, Altman will continue to scour the transfer portal and try to add some talent to what already looks like a pretty impressive roster in Eugene. After a frustrating end to the 2021-22 season, things are looking up for the Ducks as they eye a trip to the NCAA Tournament next March.

Contact/Follow us @Ducks_Wire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinion.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

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