Oregon Fans Will Love What Dan Lanning Said About Receiver Evan Stewart

Oregon Ducks fans are anticipating finally watching wide receiver Evan Stewart's return to the field this spring after missing the 2025 season due to injury.

Stewart’s build-up to playing in the Spring Game headlined the topics Oregon coach Dan Lanning spoke about following a recent spring practice.

What Oregon Ducks Coach Dan Lanning Said

oregon ducks evan stewart injury wide receiver dante moore spring game tight ends dan lanning jamari johnson offensive line — Oregon coach Dan Lanning greets Fighting Ducks running back Jayden Limar before the game as the Fighting Ducks face off against Mighty Oregon in the Oregon Ducks spring game on April 26, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Wide Receiver Evan Stewart’s Return from Injury:

“Getting more more fluid every single day. I think he's a smart player. We've been able to move him around. He's played a lot of positions here for us, and that's showing up this spring, whether he's in the slot or at x or z.”

“That versatility has been really good to see. There's times where we're really conscientious of what we're putting them in, situationally, you notice we can make sure we protect them and get them there to the season, but want to be able to see that physicality, show up as we continue through spring ball, but he's been the player we hoped he would be.”

Quarterback Dante Moore’s Growth Since His First Spring Season at Oregon:

“Again, he's been operating all spring. So, quarterback maybe doesn't change quite as much as it does. Ultimately, for some other positions that are going to get tackled to the ground, we're not tackling our quarterback to the ground, but decision making, process, ability to make checks, all those things are operating on a high level right now for him.”

The Next Step for Wide Receiver Jeremiah McClellan:

“J-Mac actually talked to the team today after practice. He's got unbelievable passion and energy. And sometimes that can be your greatest strength, and sometimes that can be your greatest weakness. He knows that. He's self-aware of that.”

“I think just continuing to own that temperament of ‘I got to be the guy that can get high when I need to get high, but also be neutral when I need to as well.’ He's made some outstanding catches in practice so far, but he's also blocked his tail off right when the moment provides that opportunity.”

“So, really impressed with his growth. And if we want to be the team we want to be, he's got to be a guy that keeps making strides, because we're really counting on him.”

Thoughts on Jamari Johnson And the Tight End Group:

“Jamari has been extremely consistent, very smart player. I'm really pleased with his leadership that's shown up this year. He's a coach on the field right now for us with those guys, and he's kind of following suit, like, just like T-Ferg was, and (Patrick) Herbert was. Just like Kenyon was for him.”

“Now he's doing the same thing for some of those other guys in that room, and guys are making big strides. That first day didn't look good, and it got better and better and better, and it's improved. And whether that's Andrew (Olesh), whether that's Kendre (Harrison), whether it's Dayton (Raiola) and A.J. (Pugliano), all those guys have really stepped it up, and they're getting better, you can see it.”

How the Team is Connecting:

“I think that's something that happens naturally here. When the ball is getting snapped out there, it's offense versus defense, and those guys are battling each other, but they appreciate the fact every guy on offense, if you ask them, they want to have a great defense. And every guy on defense wants to have a great offense.”

“So when you have those groups going hand in hand, and really battling each other I think that's going to create great competition in practice and we step off the field that we got to kind of take an opportunity to go become best friends off the field and those guys we spend a lot of time with each other outside of football. I think that's the separator.”

If the Starting Point is Higher Than It’s Been in Years Past:

“It's probably higher on both sides of the ball. Because we really return a relatively good amount of people on both sides of the ball. And ultimately, there's certainly days defense has won. There's certainly days offense has won.”

“This spring, there's been some good back and forth. I think it always starts off in spring ball, where defense has a little bit of an end to create that speed that's going to show up in a scrimmage-like setting, but we've had good back and forth consistently. And I think our knowledge as a team right now is ahead of where it was last year.”

What Encouraging Moments He’s Seen from the Newcomers:

oregon ducks evan stewart injury wide receiver dante moore spring game oregon ducks evan stewart injury wide receiver dante — Oregon running back Jordon Davison carries the ball during warmups as the Oregon Ducks take on the Washington Huskies on Nov. 29, 2025, at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“There were, there were real positives on both sides. And I know you guys love to have names. I'm not going to share a lot of names, but I saw young guys out there that proved that they can play level football.”

“When the meeting started today, I'm showing Nasir Wyatt last year in this scrimmage, what he did and what allowed us to say, ‘Okay, we need to figure out a way to get this guy on the field.’ At times, I showed clips of Jordon Davison doing that, and then I showed clips of Kenyon Sadiq and saying, ‘Hey, this guy's not here anymore. Who's going to replace that?’ Those are the things I need to see today. Some guys will step up.”

What He Remembers About Linebacker Will Straton Spying on the Team Before Joining Them:

“I don't remember when I found out, but I remember reading through his notes, and it was funny. He was like, ‘This guy's not very fast. This quarterback always stares down his target.’ I remember reading the notes. ‘Alright, when they've got two guys into the boundary.’ He wrote down some detailed notes.”

“But I remember that day distinctly, and I don't think I met Will that day, but Kenny (Farr’s) chasing him around outside the practice field. We grabbed his notebook and take from him. I read all his notes, and there wasn't anything that was going to hurt our chances of having success on the field.”

“But I love that story for Will, and he has been an unbelievable member of our team. He's been one of our production leaders this spring at linebacker. He’s earned everything that's come his direction. I'm really proud of his growth, and glad that God works in mysterious ways and lets guys like that join your team.”

Opening Statement:

“A really good day at practice. Thought the guys did a good job of being physical. We were tackling out there today, and they were doing a good job of protecting their teammates, but still maintain the physicality necessary to go out there and have success. Some good back and forth, some good competition throughout the day. That's the opportunity to get to the film and evaluate that.”

What Needs to Improve:

“A lot of early notes. I mean, ultimately, I think we had six penalties today in the scrimmage. That's not necessarily high, but ultimately, we want to be able clean that up. More operational stuff from the coaching staff, things that we got to be able to do a good job of on both sides of the ball.”

“Coaching situations a little bit better, being a little bit cleaner in execution and the rotations that we want to see out there on the field. From a player standpoint, just assignment, knowing my job. We like being a team that can do multiple things out of multiple personnel groups.”

“Guys got to know what that looks like when they get out there. But today is about evaluating who can play football, who can tackle, who can block, who can catch. So, we saw some of those moments today, and there's going to be some opportunities to improve there.”

On Watching Wyndham Clark And The Masters:

“Wyndham? Go Ducks. I love it. I love it. That's it's an awesome event, man. I'll be trying to track it on my phone. I watched some of those shots like at midnight last night on the Masters app, try to catch up. I wish I could hit the golf ball like those guys.”

What He’s Seen from the Offensive Line:

“There was some positive, and I think there always will be, until we solidify, hey, this is that group that we're running out with. Here's the guys that are playing above the line football. It’s tough when you mix our groups the way we do. What I do see is, you see a lot of guys that have the ability to play here, and some young guys that are stepping up and really advancing quickly.”

Where the Defensive Communication is at:

“I think those guys have done a really good job of that. It seems like, from a knowledge standpoint, we're certainly ahead of where we've been, at times. I think there's some positives really showing up there.”

How the Punt And Kick Competition Went at Practice:

“It was clean operation. Ultimately, we set it up differently than some places. We don't really have a look team. We try to make the best team we can on both sides of the ball. We have the best punt team going against the best PBR team.”

“I’ll have to go watch the film and see what it looked like. We got to clean up some of our return game and solidify some of those blocks up front, because we did a good job on kickoff cover today. But punt operation was good. The punt returners did a good job fielding the ball. Hit some long field goals today as well.”

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