Dan Lanning Pulls Back the Curtain on Oregon Ducks Injuries

EUGENE – Oregon Ducks fans will get the chance to see their team back in action for the program’s spring game at Autzen Stadium, where several new faces will don the green and yellow for the first time.

The Ducks are also set to return wide receiver Evan Stewart from injury, while fans will have to wait a little bit longer to see freshman defensive lineman Tony Cumberland in action. Oregon coach Dan Lanning provided a couple of injury updates during his recent media appearance, as well as speaking about the dynamics inside the quarterback room.

What Oregon Ducks Coach Dan Lanning Said

oregon ducks dan lanning eugene injury dante moore koa kaai quarterback dylan raiola wide receiver evan stewart mcclellan — Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning walks the field before the game as the Oregon Ducks host the Oregon State Beavers Sept. 20, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Lanning Proves Injury Update on Defensive Lineman Tony Cumberland:

“I know you guys already caught up on it with Tony Cumberland, but obviously, we're thinking about him and his family. Just kind of an unexpected deal. We know he wasn't driving the vehicle, but his family was part of that accident, and just glad that they're doing okay now, but he's gonna be on the road of recovery. We won't have him this spring, but we'll see what it looks like here in the future. But just want to make sure I communicate that to you guys.”

Wide Receiver Evan Stewart's Injury Recovery Journey:

“Spring has been really good. And I think even more than his play-making abilities, his leadership is starting to show up. I want to see even more of that. We talked about him as a pass catcher, to challenge him to let that focus show up. It’s how he blocks right for love of his teammates. But Evan’s had a really good spring so far, but he's looking really good.”

Lessons From Quarterback Dante Moore’s Redshirt Year That Could Be Applied to Dylan Raiola:

“There's a formula. And we've had a lot of guys come here and be able to execute that formula. I think it's a great learning experience for both those guys and in our league, you never know when you need another quarterback.”

“You always have to have somebody up and ready. And there's been a lot of guys in that room that are performing really well, but it's been good growth for Dylan, we're asking to do things he's never been asked to do. He has the talent to do it all. He's a very intelligent player.”

“You got other guys in that room. They're operating at a really high level as well, with Brock and Mark (Wiepert) and some guys coming along. KJ has really stepped it up, so things are really good in the room, and excited about the growth opportunities there.”

How Close Quarterback Dante Moore is to Mastering This Level:

“He's there. He's there. I'm very confident. He checked a play today in practice that we didn't even have tagged with a potential check because of the look that he saw. So, it's great to see from him that he's really out there operating as a coach on the field. We just got to get everybody else operating at that same level.”

What the Relationship Between Dante Moore and Quarterbacks Coach Koa Ka’ai Looks Like:

“Well, very similar to what it looked like last year. Like I said, Koa was really coaching the quarterbacks last year, so I think there is a lot of comfortability there. I also have Jay Johnson on staff that's really able to help and see it from another lens. He’s been a coordinator in the past and done a great job in there also.”

“So, our guys are looking for information at all times, and our coaches have to do a good job of breaking down information and delivering it to players. And Koa does a great job of that. Jay does a great job of that, Drew (Mehringer) does. We have an offensive staff that's built around teaching, and we have players that are really receptive to coaching.”

If Transfer Wide Receiver Iverson Hooks Reminds Him of Tez Johnson:

“I think we saw some of the traits that we love to see in the slot. And obviously, Tez is a slot that did really well for us here. And immediately, I think it's easy to say, ‘Okay, there's some similarities there.’ And there certainly is.”

“But what the similarities are is the speed, the twitch, the in and out of brakes, the ability to win on option routes. We call him “Strap.” The more that Strap gets comfortable going out there to win routes, the more that we're going to have an opportunity for him to have success. It has to continue to get physical at the point of attack. That's somewhere that he can improve for us, but overall, he's a playmaker, he's dynamic ability, similar to Tez.”

The Offensive Line Competition:

“I think right now, we're better run passing or run blocking offensive unit than pass at times. And we mix the groups up quite a bit here in spring ball, just so we can see a lot of different matchups and guys in different positions for versatility. But I'm excited about the size of those guys.”

“I think they can cover people up, and I'm excited about their athleticism. So, it's going to be continued progress and continued work now, and even going against the defensive line, those guys are mixed up groups as well.”

“You got to be a team that can run the ball. It starts there for us. We've always been able to do that, and then we have to be able to protect the quarterback. We've been really good at that as well. It'll be fun to see that group continue to shape up. I think we got a lot of guys in the mix. You talk about above-the-line play and below-the-line play. I think we got a lot of guys that can be above the line for us.”

If Fox Crader and the Younger Players on the Offensive Line Have Gotten More Comfortable After Reps Last Season:

“I think anytime you can play a young guy, it prepares him for an opportunity to go make an impact. Fox is certainly a guy that went in there and played games for us, played a lot of reps for us last year, but there's a lot of other guys in that room that are in a similar situation.”

“So, this spring is really vital for him. Fall camp will be really vital, and the summer workout. All those things will really pay off for Fox. But certainly, that experience that he got last year is going to be huge.”

Linebacker Jerry Mixon’s Growth from a Leadership Perspective:

“I think linebacker is similar to quarterback. It's like, how do the 11 people around you play? How are you making somebody around you play better? And linebacker is very similar and that position.”

“You can't play good quarterback unless somebody at wideout is playing well, unless the O-line is playing well. And linebacker, your first job is to get everybody aligned and assigned right. And that starts with leadership, communication style.”

“I think Jerry's communication style has really improved in his time here. His production to the ball has been always a weapon that he's had. So, continue to look for that to show up.”

Linebacker Devon Jackson’s Development:

“I think Devon does a great job, and he has some freaky traits. Devon's the fastest linebacker that I've probably ever been around. It's about now utilizing those traits. Four-four or four-three in the right directions, a lot faster than four-three in the wrong direction.”

“And part of that's him being healthy, being able to push. I think this spring ball has been really big for him. And again, similar to Jerry, he's communicating, helping other people get lined up becoming more instinctual there on the field, but it's been good to see him out there running around healthy.”

Expectations for Wide Receiver Jeremiah McClellan Next Season:

“I always expect more from J-Mac. I mean, he had an unbelievable jump last year, and I think he's a guy that's become really self-aware. For you to watch him out there on the field today, and compared to when he first got here, it’s not the same guy.”

“He has some of the same traits, but he's been so much stronger with the ball, his intellect, and where to run routes, how to run him, what to do. It's really leveled up, and he's physical at the point of attack. He catches the ball strong the quarterbacks trust him, I think that's a big piece, but I expect J-Mac to take a huge jump again this year.”

How Preparation Changes for the Spring Game:

“I think that's the biggest challenge as a coach, is you want to challenge your players from stimulating a lot of plays. How much can they handle? Throw the kitchen sink at them and see what they can do.”

“Continue to install and challenge yourself, because it's going to make it that much cleaner in the fall. But really, we want to identify who can play football. We're spending all of our time trying to figure out a lineup in a play or execute play. That means we're not figuring out who can play ball. So, it's that give and take a little bit, making sure we work on a lot of situations. But ultimately, I want to figure out who can run, who can tackle, who can block, and get off blocks. Those are the traits that we want to ID the quickest.”

How Quarterback Akili Smith Jr. Has Improved:

“I think just the mental game, and there's still big strides to take there. He's a big, strong player. I think he's getting more and more comfortable in the pocket, but there's a lot that we ask our quarterbacks to do. A lot more than what he was asked to do at times and his offense. So, it's a lot to absorb, and it's not easy just to pick up, but he's definitely grown mentally, probably the most.”

Opening Statement:

“Some good work there today, a little bit of cleanup. We've had good back and forth this spring overall, as far as offense wins one day, defense wins the next. It's probably a defensive day today. We got to clean up some of our execution and focus. But overall, good work from these guys.”

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