Oregon Ducks Shockingly Lose Commitment In 2026 Recruiting Class

The Oregon Ducks have lost one of their hometown commitments in the 2026 recruiting class this offseason.

Per an announcement on social media, Oregon three-star defensive line commit Viliami Moala has decommitted from the Ducks and will reopen his recruitment.

Moala had enrolled at Willamette High School, just 15 minutes west of Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. At 6-3, 340 pounds, he is the No. 69 defensive lineman prospect and the No. 3 overall player in the state of Oregon in the 2026 cycle, per 247Sports' rankings.

Oregon Ducks Shockingly Lose Commitment in 2026 Recruiting Class — Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning speaks in a press conference after the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2025 Rose Bowl college football quarterfinal game at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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However, Moala won't be staying in Eugene for much longer. Along with his decommitment announcement, Moala revealed that he will be transferring from Willamette across the country to Thompson High School in Alabaster, AL.

"First and foremost I wanna thank God for giving me the strength to make this decision," Moala wrote on X. "Second I would like to thank The University of Oregon for everything that they have done for me and my family and all of the people of Eugene! With that being said I would like to announce that I am decommitting from the University Of Oregon. I would also like to announce that I am transferring from Willamette High School in Eugene to Thompson High School in Alabaster Alabama. Please respect my decision."

Given his ties to Eugene, Moala's decommit came as a shock to some, especially considering that he had orginaly flipped to Oregon in October after being committed to the USC Trojans for only one month. His flip to the Ducks came after their thrilling win over the Ohio State Buckeyes during the regular season. Moala had originally called USC his "dream school."

Now, he will have to make his third "commitment" in the 2026 cycle. Some of the other offers Moala has received include the BYU Cougars, Miami Hurricanes, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Iowa State Cyclones, Arizona State Sun Devils, Houston Cougars, Texas Tech Red Raiders, UCLA Bruins, Arizona Wildcats, Utah Utes and many more.

Moala took unofficial visits to both USC (Sept. 7) and Oregon (Oct. 12) last season before taking an official visit to Eugene on June 20. However, it's clear the latest visit didn't do much to improve Oregon's chances of retaining him.

Despite losing Moala, the Ducks still retain a ultra-talented 2026 class, headlined by five-stars like safety Jett Washington, tight end Kendre Harrison and offensive tackle Immanuel Iheanacho along with four-star talents like quarterback Bryson Beaver, running back Tradarian Ball, wide receiver Messiah Hampton, linebacker Tristan Phillips, offensive tackle Tommy Tofi, safety Devin Jackson and defensive lineman Tony Cumberland among others.

Decommitments can leave a sour taste among fanbases but there's clearly tons of talent to be excited about for Oregon moving forward into the 2025 season and beyond in 2026.

Oregon will begin its regular season at home against the Montana State Bobcats on Aug. 30.