Tag: de’anthony thomas

Oregon Football teases release of ‘Generation O’ uniforms coming this week

The Oregon Ducks have announced that they will unveil the first set of ‘Generation O’ uniforms this week in a new video.

At long last, Oregon Duck fans are going to get what they’ve been waiting for — a look at the new ‘Generation O’ uniforms.

On Sunday afternoon, the football team unveiled the newest teaser for the uniforms with a video from Oregon legend De’Anthony Thomas. In the video, DAT — like many fans — pleads with Nike for a sneak preview of the new look. Unlike other fans, though, DAT gets his wish and has a jersey shipped to him overnight in the video.

The team then goes on to state that the first reveal will come later this week on June 26th.

“If you look inside the box, you’ll see a color fit for a Mamba.”

This line of the video alludes to the fact that the first uniform we see will be black since DAT is known as the Black Mamba.

How long will it be until we see other uniforms in the line? That’s yet to be seen, but at least we can wait with anticipation to see the first look in a few days.

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SIGNED: 4-star Ryan Pellum is officially a Duck

The Oregon Ducks officially signed 4-star WR Ryan Pellum, adding him to the 2024 class.

That receiver room at Oregon is going to have to make room for one more.

Wide receiver Ryan Pellum, once thought to be a lock for USC, has changed his mind on signing day and has signed on to be an Oregon Duck.

At 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds out of Long Beach, Pellum turned down Alabama, both Arizona school and of course the Trojans in order to become a Duck.

According to national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins of 247Sports:

Pellum is a two-way player who is being recruited primarily as a receiver. He shows the ability to be a game-breaker and a true home run hitter from anywhere on the field. He’s a natural pass catcher with strong hands and is a smooth route runner. He’s explosive after the catch as well and should be an early impact guy in the return game. He’s a fiery competitor, which you like, but it’s also something he needs to reign in at times as his emotions can get the best of him. At his best, he’s an impact player with the talent to play immediately at the college level. He has the skill set and toughness to be big time corner in college as well but prefers the offensive side of the ball.

It will be interesting to see how the Ducks plan on using Pellum, perhaps has another Tez Johnson-type, a receiver in the slot as well as a kick returner. Both would make a lot sense. The last player in this mold that spurned USC for the Ducks is De’Anthony Thomas and that worked out all right.

Here are some highlights from Pellum:

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‘He paved the way for little guys;’ Tez Johnson talks about love for De’Anthony Thomas

De’Anthony Thomas and La’Michael James inspired a generation of smaller athletes, such as Tez Johnson, to do some big things.

Players of Tez Johnson’s stature — 5 feet, 10 inches and 160 pounds soaking wet — are not easily found on a Division I college football program roster. By the looks of it, Johnson would probably fit in better among the fans at Autzen Stadium than on the field.

He looks more like a second baseman than a wide receiver for the Oregon Ducks. Role models of his size are likely few and far between. Thankfully for Oregon, a couple of those role models happen to be former Ducks: LaMichael James and De’Anthony Thomas.

“Before De’Anthony it was LaMichael James. I was watching LaMichael James back before I even knew who the Black Mamba was,” said Johnson at Oregon media day. “I watched LaMichael James when he played against Tennessee and went crazy like ‘OK, Oregon is that team.’”

While LMJ might have been the “in” for Johnson to start liking the Ducks, it was DAT who truly turned the passion up to another level.

“And then De’Anthony Thomas got there and started doing things that I can do as a little guy,” Johnson said. “He really paved the way for little guys to believe that they actually can do it. Him, Tavon Austin, and LaMichael James — those three gave a guy like me hope to dream big.”

It’s not often you get to test your skills directly with a role model, but Johnson was able to go up against Thomas in some offseason workouts this summer. As expected, the younger athlete got the best of the “old man.”

“Running with him in practice was surreal. I’m faster than him now, though,” Johnson said with a laugh. “Back then I wasn’t faster than him, but I’m leaving him now.”‘

Based on what we saw from Johnson both in the Oregon spring game and in practices, there are a lot of people that he will be leaving in the dust on the field, not dissimilar to either LMJ or DAT.

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Long list of Oregon legends to be in attendance at Ducks’ spring game

Oregon Ducks from the past and present will be in Autzen Stadium for the annual Spring Game on Saturday.

The Spring Game is about more than just the football occurring in between the sidelines. It’s a celebration as a whole for the program and a chance for some familiar faces to show themselves once again inside Autzen.

There will be some notable alumni coming back to campus to check out what the current version of Oregon football looks like. Alumni such as quarterback Dennis Dixon, and receiver De’Anthony Thomas will be joined by other former Ducks.

Quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota and defensive back Jevon Holland will also be in the house as guest coaches.

“Anytime you have guys that were just tremendous Ducks that care so much about our program and make an effort to give back, it’s always great to recreate that,” Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said. “That’s special for our players, but it’s just special for our fans. They’re loved and adored by every Duck out there. (We) love having them back for us.”

Here’s the updated list of Oregon legends expected in attendance for Saturday’s festivities.

Seven McGee feels the pressure of ‘De’Anthony Thomas 2.0’ comparisons

“It’s a lot of weight on my shoulders.” Seven McGee knows that fans want him to be De’Anthony Thomas 2.0 heading into the spring game.

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There was a time earlier in this offseason when Oregon’s Seven McGee was strongly considering leaving the program entirely. Now, he’s entering his second spring game while dealing with the heavyweight comparison to one of his Eugene idols.

Thanks to his new position change, transitioning him from a running back to more of a hybrid slot receiver, there is maybe no player on the Oregon offense who fans are more anticipated to see on Saturday than McGee. We know that he has all of the tools to be explosive — McGee was a 4-star commit, ranked as the No. 9 RB overall and No. 1 player in New York — but with a new emphasis on getting him the ball more in the Ducks’ offense, it’s been common practice to hear that McGee might be the new De’Anthony Thomas 2.0 in Eugene.

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“It’s a lot of weight on my shoulders,” McGee said on Thursday leading up to the spring game. “But at the end of the day, just being me, working my craft day by day, listening to coaches, and getting the coaching.”

That comparison should not be made lightly. ‘DAT’ was one of the most electric players that we’ve seen not only in Eugene but in all of college football over the past decade. His 1,890 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns were one thing, but when you add to it the 1,296 receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns, you see what a dynamic offensive threat Thomas was. He even contributed in the special teams game, with 5 total return touchdowns in his career.

Those are certainly some big shoes to fill, but McGee knows that all comparisons are made out of a desire to see him succeed.

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“It means a lot, you know,” McGee said. “Watching the Ducks in the Rose Bowl, watching the Ducks who went to the national championship, watching De’Anthony Thomas when he was here. He’s a great player, and I’m glad he’s gonna be here this weekend.”

We aren’t exactly sure who divided up the teams for Saturday’s scrimmage, but with De’Anthony Thomas acting as an honorary coach for the yellow team, it seemed more than fitting that McGee would show up dressed in yellow as well. In the third quarter, the honorary coaches — Thomas, LaMichael James, Haloti Ngata, and Arik Armstead — are going to be calling the plays.

Don’t be surprised if you see a heavy dose of Seven — or rather, De’Anthony Thomas 2.0 — during that time.

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’s rich football history will be front-and-center for Ducks’ spring game

“This program was built on players like those guys,” Lanning said. “We want to do everything we can to reconnect those people with our program.”

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Embracing Oregon Ducks football history hasn’t really been a feature in the last two coaching regimes in Eugene. That’s not to say that coaches like Mario Cristobal or Willie Taggart showed any disregard for Oregon legends of the past, but rather that they didn’t make an openly concerted effort to celebrate the Oregon lore.

Dan Lanning is actively changing that.

On Tuesday night, it was announced that he has invited Duck legends Alex Molden and Walter Thurmond III to come back to campus and watch the Spring Game. On Wednesday, TE Ed Dickson was added to that list as well. Lanning is also having De’Anthony Thomas, Arik Armstead, LaMichael James, and Haloti Ngata on the field as honorary coaches during the game.

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According to the first-year head coach, it’s all about recognizing what came before and celebrating those who took the Ducks to new heights.

“I know this program was built on players like those guys,” Lanning said on Tuesday. “Legends, they’ve really put in blood, sweat, and tears for Duck football and we want to do everything we can to reconnect those people with our program.”

I asked Lanning if this was a new wrinkle in the spring game that he expects to continue years down the road, assuming that it will be a success.

“I don’t completely know that answer,” Lanning said. “Obviously, they’ve gone on to have great careers and we’re gonna have a lot of players in the future that go on to do the same thing. And we want them back around our program as much as possible.”

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The Oregon Spring Game on April 23 will be just one of many athletic events on campus throughout what is being called “Duck Day.” Track and Field will host the Oregon Relays throughout the day at Hayward Field with the first event set for 10 a.m., and fans can watch the soccer team’s 11 a.m. spring exhibition vs. Seattle U at Papé Field before walking over to Autzen Stadium.

Fans can then stroll on over to PK Park following football for the Oregon baseball team’s game against Washington State at 3 p.m., and then over to Jane Sanders Stadium to watch the Ducks’ softball program take on Washington at 5 p.m.

For his first official event as the Ducks’ head coach, Dan Lanning and the Oregon program are going all out. A host of the top recruits in the nation will be on the sideline for the game to soak in the Autzen Stadium atmosphere, and while there is an emphasis on getting the young guys to fall in love with the program, the old guard will be in attendance as well, watching on and hopefully appreciating a bit of what they helped to build in Eugene.

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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Watch: Former Duck Devon Allen runs blazing 40-yard dash at Oregon Pro Day

Track speed on the football field. Devon Allen impressed some pro scouts with his 40-yard dash at Oregon’s Pro Day.

He’s still got it.

Former wide receiver and track star Devon Allen participated at Oregon’s Pro Day inside the Moshofsky Center in the hopes of catching the eyes of some NFL scouts.

Hopefully, they didn’t blink.

We don’t have an official time for Allen’s 40-yard dash just yet, but those in attendance could hear the scouts’ approval as Allen crossed the finish line. He hasn’t played a down of football since 2016 when he was injured. From that point on, Allen concentrated on the Olympics and World Track Championships where medaled in several events.

 

But with track now behind him, Allen is looking forward to putting on the pads once again and playing in the NFL for the first time. It was thought former teammate De’Anthony Thomas would also show the scouts his talents, but those plans were put on hold. He is currently under contract with the BC Lions of the CFL.

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 reciever and track star Devon Allen to participate in Oregon Pro Day

Former Duck receiver Devon Allen is about to give football another try as he will participate in Oregon’s Pro Day April 1.

The last time Oregon Ducks football fans saw Devon Allen on a football field, he was limping off the field with an injury at Nebraska. It was the second injury after blowing his knee out at the Rose Bowl nine months earlier.

Fast forward six years and some World Championship track medals, Allen is going to give football one more chance.

The former receiver and kick specialist will participate in Oregon’s Pro Day April 1 with the hopes of catching the eye of some NFL scouts and landing a free agent contract.

Allen played a better part of three seasons with the Ducks where he 54 passes for 919 yards (17 ypc) and eight touchdowns. As a kickoff returner, Allen averaged 26 yards a return.

Among those joining Allen on Pro day will be De’Anthony Thomas and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Thomas, like Allen, will be looking to sign with an NFL team as a free agent. Thibodeaux is expected to be a high first-round draft pick.

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De’Anthony Thomas set to make an NFL comeback bid with Pro Day workout

De’Anthony Thomas will participate in Oregon’s Pro Day in hopes of landing an NFL contract.

A talent like De’Anthony Thomas needs to be in the NFL.

The former Oregon Duck receiver/kick return specialist will be participating in Oregon Pro Day on April 1 in hopes of catching footballs and the attention of some NFL teams.

Thomas has spent six seasons in the NFL, five with the Chiefs, where he was used primarily a kick returner. He was with the Baltimore Ravens for one season, sat out 2020 due to COVID. Although he just signed with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League, Thomas is shooting for a return to the NFL.

Whoever Thomas signs with, hopefully, that team can figure out how to use his unique set of skills as he was the first hybrid player to play for the Ducks. At Oregon, Thomas scored 45 touchdowns in his three seasons.

Thomas also be at the Oregon spring game April 23 where he will be the offensive coordinator for one of the teams.

Four Oregon legends of the gridiron will return for the Spring Game

The Ducks are pulling out all of the stops for the spring game, announcing that 4 Oregon legends will be honorary coaches.

De’Anthony Thomas, LaMichael James, Arik Armstead, and Haloti Ngata have several things in common. They’re all Oregon Duck football legends that helped propel the program to achieve unprecedented success.

Now they all have one more thing in common …  being coordinators for the annual Spring Game on April 23.

The game will be split between the Green Team and the Yellow Team. Thomas will serve as the offensive coordinator and Ngata will be the defensive coordinator for the Yellow team. On the other sideline, James (OC) and Armstead (DC) will be honorary coaches for the Green Team.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome these four legends and so many other incredible alumni back to Autzen Stadium,” Oregon head cooach Dan Lanning said. “This program is built upon the foundation that all of our former Ducks have established, and we’re honored that they are returning to Eugene for this event. We need our fans to pack Autzen Stadium to welcome these guys back and create an awesome atmosphere for the Spring Game.”

The football game will begin at 1 p.m. with the Autzen Stadium parking lots set to open at 10:30 a.m. and gates opening at noon. As for the game itself, the first three quarters will simulate a real game between the Yellow and Green teams, with rosters set to be released at a later date. The honorary coaches will call plays for the teams during the fourth quarter, with other on-field activities planned to get fans involved in the action.

The football Spring Game will be one of many athletic events on campus throughout what is being called “Duck Day.” Track and field is scheduled to host the Oregon Relays throughout the day at Hayward Field with the first event set for 10 a.m., and fans can watch the soccer team’s 11 a.m. spring exhibition vs. Seattle U at Papé Field before walking over to Autzen.

But wait! There’s more.

Fans can go to PK Park following the football game for the Duck baseball team’s game against Washington State at 3 p.m., and then if one should find the fancy, go over to Jane Sanders Stadium to watch Oregon softball take on Washington at 5 p.m.

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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