Tag: Spencer Webb

BREAKING: Tragic accident at Triangle Lake leaves Oregon TE Spencer Webb dead

Oregon Ducks tight end Spencer Webb tragically died in a fall at Triangle Lake on Wednesday afternoon, according to multiple reports.

Ducks Wire can confirm a report that Oregon Ducks tight end Spencer Webb suffered a tragic head injury on Wednesday afternoon that left him dead.

According to the Lane County Sheriff’s Office, a 22-year-old person suffered an apparent head injury after slipping on the rocks at the Triangle Lake rock slides on Wednesday afternoon.

The name and identity of Webb were not initially released as next of kin was notified, but the first report came on Wednesday afternoon at around 4 p.m.

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office has yet to officially identify the deceased male as Webb, but we have confirmed that detail via multiple sources.

Here is the release from LCSO:

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office responded to the rock slides just a short distance west of Triangle Lake at approximately 2:30pm after receiving the report of an injured person.  Upon arrival, deputies learned that a 22 year old male recreating in the area fell and struck his head.  Bystanders and responding paramedics were unable to revive him.  Lane County Sheriff Search and Rescue personnel responded to assist with bringing him back to the roadway as he was approximately 100 yards down a steep trail.  

There is no evidence of foul play and his death appears to be accidental.  The victim’s name is being withheld at this time pending next of kin notification.

In three seasons with the Ducks, Webb played in 20 games, catching 31 passes for 296 yards and 4 touchdowns. He was set to be a big piece of the Oregon offense in the 2022 season, which would have been his fourth with the Ducks. 

The team is yet to release a statement on the matter, but head coach Dan Lanning had this to say on Twitter:

After word got out on social media on Wednesday night, Oregon teammates and fellow athletes reacted on Twitter.

Patrick Herbert sustains knee injury in scrimmage

The injury bug bit Patrick Herbert once again as Mario Cristobal announces the tight end suffered a knee injury in the scrimmage Saturday.

It’s never good when an injury occurs in football, but when it’s during the first scrimmage of fall camp, it especially hurts.

According to Oregon Ducks head coach Mario Cristobal, tight end Patrick Herbert sustained what he called a “pretty good knee injury” during Saturday night’s scrimmage inside Autzen Stadium.

Herbert has had to deal with injuries ever since he arrived at Oregon and this is just the latest blow to what was, and possibly still could be, a promising career. When Herbert was finished at Sheldon High School in Eugene, he was the No. 1 recruit from the state and fans were hoping to see a Herbert-to-Herbert connection with star quarterback Justin Herbert, but that never materialized.

With Patrick Herbert out of the mix for the time being, the tight picture just got a little more clear. Oregon welcomed DJ Johnson back to practice and Cam McCormick, also with a history of injuries, has had a great fall camp so far.

Spencer Webb will definitely see time on the field and Terrance Ferguson, the four-star out of Colorado, has already opened a lot of eyes in camp.

‘I might shed a tear:’ Cam McCormick’s return to football goes far beyond the scoreboard

After ankle reconstruction surgery and multiple years of football lost, TE Cam McCormick is setting out to prove he still has a lot to give with the Ducks.

The Oregon Ducks practiced inside Autzen Stadium on Friday afternoon as they prepared for a scrimmage that’s set a take place on Saturday night. For tight end Cam McCormick, it was one of the first times he’s run around with teammates in 11-on-11 drills in approximately three years.

The 23-year-old may be classified as a senior, but three consecutive seasons that were cut short by an ankle injury left him with two more years of eligibility. As we approach the start of the 2021 season, there is no focus on the future, but rather an eagle-eyed determination to get back onto the field and stay there.

To hear the Ducks’ veteran pass-catcher describe it, a broken fibula and torn deltoid ligament against Bowling Green in 2018 was the first injury to take place. After rehabbing throughout the offseason, McCormick said that he felt discomfort in the ankle heading into the 2019 fall camp, and they found a hardware malfunction that caused him to miss another season.

Repeat the same events heading into the 2020 season; rehab, preparation, discomfort, hardware malfunction. This time, it caused McCormick to ultimately rupture his posterior tibial tendon.

Finally, McCormick got set up with a new doctor in Green Bay, Dr. Robert B. Anderson, who performed a full ankle reconstruction surgery on December 23rd of last year. Since then, more rehab, more pain, and more exhaustion when it comes to the mental health side of things.

But finally, No. 84 is back playing again, and through a week of fall camp practices, he is ready to see the field at long last.

“Now I’m here, I feel good to go, and this is the best I’ve felt in a really long time,” McCormick said on Friday afternoon following Oregon’s 7th fall camp practice.

But what was it that kept him going through all of the hard times? Injuries are the bane of an athlete’s existence, and while rehabbing through one major surgery takes a toll, a majority of players might call it quits after being asked to do it multiple times. What made Cam different?

“Just the want to play football,” McCormick said. “I don’t think I’ve accomplished all that I want to accomplish here yet. I’m not going to give up on my dream of playing football. I’m not ready to be done. I have things I’ve got to accomplish on the field for myself to feel good. So until I do that, I’m going to stick around.”

He’s hopefully going to have a chance to do that very soon. Oregon is holding a scrimmage on Saturday night, and while McCormick couldn’t say whether or not he would be playing, there’s a belief that he will be out there when Week 1 rolls around against Fresno State.

When he ultimately does take the field, and catch that first pass, it will be far more meaningful than just a reception in the stat sheet. To hear teammate and fellow tight end Spencer Webb describe it, that moment will be worthy of celebration.

“Honestly, we haven’t really talked about it, but I might shed a tear,” Webb said. “I’m going to the freaking loudest one on the sideline, going crazy. I might run on the field and get a penalty. I’m just excited for him and can’t wait for that moment.”

That sentiment was shared by McCormick, but it’s still a ways away. For now, there is work left to be done in the rehab process, and in preparation for the season as a whole.

“I’m just head down, I’m just focused on being back at 100% and doing what I can do,” McCormick said. “I think I might shed a tear myself, I’m not gonna lie. When I get out there, catch my first pass or something, it will be a surreal moment, just being back out there. It’s been a really long time.”

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With Patrick Herbert and Spencer Webb healthy, Oregon’s tight end depth is looking dominant

Both Herbert and Webb struggled with injuries during the 2020 season, but their return this spring has Oregon’s TE group looking deep.

Sharing a last name with one of the most famous players to put on a Ducks uniform is definitely a pressure-packed spot to be in, but for redshirt freshman Patrick Herbert, the stove isn’t likely to be too hot.

His 2020 season was cut short due to an injury, but the younger brother of Justin Herbert has bounced back and is ready to write his own story with the Ducks this year, hoping to carry on the family name and have an impact on the offense.

“It was great to see Patrick bounce back because Patrick is a guy we all know is going to be a really good football player,” head coach Mario Cristobal said after Saturday’s scrimmage. “You can coach him hard and he responds and he’s continued to develop and grow.”

Herbert has played in just a single game in his college career, but the high school standout came to Oregon as a 4-star recruit from Sheldon High School as the consensus top-ranked TE in the state.

Alongside him is Spencer Webb, who is also coming back from an injury last season that saw a promising season ended early. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound tight end had 209 yards and three touchdowns in 2019, and he projects to be one of the top guys at that position this season.

“Losing (Webb) last year was something that really hurt us offensively. It’s good to see him have a really good spring as well,” Cristobal said.

While the return of both Herbert and Webb are helpful, it will still likely be a combo of Cam McCormick and DJ Johnson at the top of the depth chart. McCormick has had an injury-riddled career at Oregon, but he’s shown flashes of talent that give us hope for eventual production.

Health has played a significant role at this position for the Ducks over the past several years, unfortunately, but we may now be in a position where a knick or a bruise won’t tank the spot as a whole. Any one of these guys can step up when called upon and will have Oregon’s receiving group clicking on all gears.

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Spring Position Preview: It might finally be time for Herbert 2.0 to lead Oregon tight ends

Patrick Herbert will finally have the chance to show his stuff for Oregon as the starting tight end spot could be up for grabs.

When it comes to the depth chart for tight ends at Oregon, size certainly won’t be an issue.

What might be an issue is to figure out who is going to step up in the spring and fall to claim the starting spot on the roster, though. Thankfully for Mario Cristobal and his staff, they have a lot of good options to choose from.

(AP Photo/Chris Pietsch)

Most, if not all of the Ducks faithful are going to want to see what Patrick Herbert has to offer. Justin Herbert’s younger brother was a standout himself at Sheldon High School as a tight end, and his 6-foot-5, 244-pound frame makes for a perfect target over the middle, while also providing some value in pass protection.

Herbert was the No. 1 recruit to come from the state in 2018 and he was a USA Today first-team All-Oregon selection at the tight end position, earning first-team 6A All-State honors by The Oregonian as a tight end and honorable mention recognition as a punter. Herbert had 43 receptions for 797 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior for the Irish.

Many were hoping for that Herbert-to-Herbert connection when Justin was a senior, but the younger Herbert played in just one game in 2019 before redshirting and didn’t see any game action in 2020. Offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead’s scheme does feature the tight end, which should highlight Herbert’s unique abilities.

Most likely, however, junior DJ Johnson and sophomore Spencer Webb will be the frontrunners to be the starting tight end for Oregon.

Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

After transferring from Miami and sitting out a season, Johnson was able to finally make some plays for the Ducks in 2020. At 6-foot-5 and 258 pounds, the former defensive end turned TE caught 10 passes for 113 yards and three touchdowns.

As for Webb, the 6-foot-6, 240-pounder played in all 12 games in 2019 as a redshirt freshman, catching 18 passes for 209 yards and three scores. Unfortunately for Webb, he was injured for most of 2020 and didn’t get to play. Oregon is hoping those injury days are behind him and Webb can turn back into his 2019 form.

The same can be said for Cam McCormick, a 6-foot-5, 251-pounder from Bend, Ore. His career has been plagued with injuries for the past three seasons. If he can somehow avoid the injury bug, the senior can provide some extra muscle and another huge target to throw at.

If for some reason Webb and/or McCormack can’t play at full capacity, Oregon brought in one of the top prep tight ends in the nation in 6-foot-6, 240-pound Moliki Matavao from Henderson, Nevada. Nearly every school gave him a scholarship offer despite his senior season being canceled for the pandemic.

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