Oregon Ducks defensive back Daylen Austin, who was charged with a hit-and-run felony that ended with a fatality, will be permitted to play football this fall ahead of his trial date next spring, according to a report from The Oregonian’s James Crepea.
Head coach Dan Lanning made this clear on Thursday at the Big Ten Media Days.
“Based on all the facts that we have, I don’t think we could operate any other way, with knowing what we know,” Lanning told James Crepea of The Oregonian. “Now, is there something out there that we don’t know? There may be. But we know, every indication is this guy should get the opportunity to play football this season.”
Austin was involved in an accident that resulted in a fatality. The hit-and-run charge Austin faces is a Class B felony, which is failing to perform the duties of a driver when another person is injured.
Lanning said everybody is innocent until proven guilty and he believes Austin has a case to claim innocence and doesn’t want to take Austin’s ability to play football.
“I’m comfortable with giving an opportunity to a young man that deserves an opportunity to play in a country where innocent until proven guilty should mean something,” Lanning said. “If we don’t do that, it would eliminate his ability to play. In the future if he was found to be innocent, which all indications for us are there are some clear facts that really support his case and the story that he’s told.”
Austin will be a redshirt freshman this season for the Ducks. He had three tackles in 2023 before utilizing his redshirt.
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