Take Two: Choose Hard The most revealing thing about Oregon this spring is not who flashed, but how often players and coaches keep describing a program built on competition, accountability, and the harder road to growth.

Something that @oregonfootball DT @FleezyT12 said yesterday struck a chord: Choose Hard. Today's Take Two ($) is based on that comment.

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Recruiting Notebook: Oregon Gains Ground After Busy Weekend Some visits confirmed Oregon’s position, others reopened the door, but the bigger takeaway was that the Ducks came out of the weekend in better shape than they went in

Been very tied up from first thing until late at night the last few weeks as we work on a contract extension for the day job, but ICYMI, here was my recruiting notebook from this morning:

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Oregon Spring Overview: A team that looks further along than the calendar says Oregon Ducks football, Dan Lanning, Oregon recruiting, college football, NIL, Big Ten, Pac-12, Scott Reed, Duck Sports Central, recruiting news

Scott Reed - Duck Sports Central
A quick article on takeaways from today's itnerviews with @Coach_CHampton, @DrewMehringer, @FleezyT12, and @Jord0n2

www.ducksportscentral.com/2026/04/oreg...

DSA Inside Read: 3-2-1 Look Ahead to Spring Game Oregon Ducks football, Dan Lanning, Oregon recruiting, college football, NIL, Big Ten, Pac-12, Scott Reed, Duck Sports Central, recruiting news

This morning on the DSC Inside Read I took a look ahead to the Spring Game with three observations, two questions, and one prediction

www.ducksportscentral.com/2026/04/dsa-...

Sunday Morning Sidewalk: What Spring Is For The beauty of April football is not that everything looks ready. It is that you can finally see what might be coming.

Sunday Morning Sidewalk: A Field, a Dog, and a Football Team
From wild weather swings to the unfinished work of spring camp, hope arrives in the space between what is and what could be.

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Flock Talk: Running on Empty Oregon Ducks football, Dan Lanning, Oregon recruiting, college football, NIL, Big Ten, Pac-12, Scott Reed, Duck Sports Central, recruiting news

Flock Talk: Running on Empty — moving the season up a week is not real reform if college football still runs deep into January and playoff teams still get shoved into portal and coaching chaos before the season is truly over.

www.ducksportscentral.com/2026/04/floc...

Take Two: Little Things Oregon basketball searches for the right mix while Oregon football chases the finer details that could turn a playoff team into a champion.

Tuesday Take Two is up, with a look at why Oregon basketball has to build smarter and why Oregon football’s national title hopes may come down to the little things.

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Monday Recruiting Notes: What the Weekend Revealed From quarterback ripple effects to key visitor impressions, Oregon came out of the weekend with a clearer recruiting picture.

Good morning. For my premium subscribers a quick look back at some recruiting notes from this past weekend:

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DSC Inside Read: 3-2-1 Look back at the weekend Oregon Ducks football, Dan Lanning, Oregon recruiting, college football, NIL, Big Ten, Pac-12, Scott Reed, Duck Sports Central, recruiting news

First up this morning a free 3-2-1 look back at the weekend that was in Oregon football:

www.ducksportscentral.com/2026/04/dsc-...

Commit Impact: Josiah Molden gives Oregon more than a legacy win Oregon Ducks football, Dan Lanning, Oregon recruiting, college football, NIL, Big Ten, Pac-12, Scott Reed, Duck Sports Central, recruiting news

Scott Reed - Duck Sports Central
Next up is a look at the impact of the commitment from @westlinn_fb standout. Commit impact story is always free:

www.ducksportscentral.com/2026/04/comm...

Scouting Report: Josiah Molden The legacy name stands out, but the film tells the story of a polished corner with a bright future

Oregon picked up a big time commitment from @Josiah_Molden
today. First up is my scouting report on the four-star defensive back:

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Spring Scrimmage Takeaways: What mattered most Saturday A sharper edge, a defense in front, and an offense still taking shape

A sharper edge, a defense in front, and an offense still taking shape. My thoughts following Saturday's scrimmage:

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Sunday Morning Sidewalk: Homeward Bound What a week away from Oregon football revealed about routine, place and the pull of home

Scott Reed - Duck Sports Central
Sleeping at home again hits different. Today on the Sunday Morning Sidewalk, what a week away from Oregon revealed about routine, place, and the pull of home:

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Scouting Report: 2027 CB Ai’King Hall The Dothan standout brings the size, verified speed and movement skills that give him the look of a true high-end outside corner with multi-position upside.

This happened quicker than I thought it would. Oregon picks up their second big time commit of the last three days with the addition of the No. 39 overall player in the nation @AiKingHall08

Here is my scouting report:

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Sunday Morning Sidewalk: The Thing That Stays Spring has a way of reminding us that hope is not foolish when it is rooted in growth you can actually see.

Also a little Sunday Morning Sidewalk reflection on hope, spring camp, recruiting momentum, and the small signs that something good may be taking shape at Oregon. This week’s Sunday Morning Sidewalk is free. Give it a read on your morning walk.

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Spring Camp Notes: Finding the New Voice of Oregon’s Defense Jerry Mixon is stepping into command at linebacker while Tony Tuioti believes Oregon’s defensive front has the experience, talent, and hunger to turn continuity into something bigger

Did a deeper dive into the comments from DL Coach Tony Tuioti and LB Jerry Mixon today

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Everything They Said: Jerry Mixon and Tony Tuioti Oregon Ducks football, Dan Lanning, Oregon recruiting, college football, NIL, Big Ten, Pac-12, Scott Reed, Duck Sports Central, recruiting news

Everything Tony Tuioti and Jerry Mixon said Saturday following practice

www.ducksportscentral.com/2026/04/ever...

Take Two: Hope, Rivalry and Reality Why Oregon football feels close, why the USC recruiting debate is more complicated than it looks, and why basketball faces a defining offseason.

New Take Two is up: a thought on Oregon’s 2026 ceiling, the USC class debate, and why basketball is at a real crossroads. ↓

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DSC Inside Read: Early look at midweek visits Oregon Ducks football, Dan Lanning, Oregon recruiting, college football, NIL, Big Ten, Pac-12, Scott Reed, Duck Sports Central, recruiting news

Oregon is set to host five visitors tomorrow as spring practice reopens for the Ducks. This is my early look at the group (deeper dive later this morning for premium):

www.ducksportscentral.com/2026/03/dsc-...

DSC Inside Read: Early Returns and Hard Truths Oregon Ducks football, Dan Lanning, Oregon recruiting, college football, NIL, Big Ten, Pac-12, Scott Reed, Duck Sports Central, recruiting news

This morning on the DSC Inside Read: Oregon baseball is off to a 19-4 start and looks like a team with real staying power. Women’s basketball made progress this season, but Sunday’s loss to Texas was a blunt reminder of how far there is to go.

www.ducksportscentral.com/2026/03/dsc-...

Sunday Morning Sidewalk: New Shoes Comfortable shoes, culture, and why the right fit matters more than the splashy one

Sometimes my long walks lead me on strange tangents. Yesterday was one of those times. Here are my thoughts on new shoes, culture, and why the right fit matters more than the splashy ones. (FREE!)

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FlocK Talk: Flock Talk: The Known and the Unknown Oregon Ducks football, Dan Lanning, Oregon recruiting, college football, NIL, Big Ten, Pac-12, Scott Reed, Duck Sports Central, recruiting news

This might be the most talented Oregon team ever.

That doesn’t mean it will be the best.

Wrote about what I’m really watching as the season takes shape ⬇️

Later today, I’ll go deeper on what Oregon is building through recruiting.

www.ducksportscentral.com/2026/03/floc...

Recruiting the Future: Defensive Line Building the next wave up front as Oregon looks to sustain its edge in the trenches beyond 2026

This morning I took a look at the depth chart for the DL in 2026 - and there are really still a lot of questions about who fits where on the DL Depth chart, but took an early best guess at some of them.

Link to preview is in my look at 'Recruiting the Future: DL

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Take Two: Trust, Pressure, and the Cost of Leadership Why Dan Lanning’s hires weren’t shortcuts and why Dante Moore’s words say more about leadership than any Saturday ever could

I thought I knew what today’s piece was going to be.

Then I read Dante Moore’s letter… and everything changed.

This one isn’t really about coaching hires. It’s about trust, pressure, and what leadership actually looks like.

Take Two: ⬇️

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DSC Inside Read: Oregon opens spring practice with familiar message: improvement starts now Oregon Ducks football, Dan Lanning, Oregon recruiting, college football, NIL, Big Ten, Pac-12, Scott Reed, Duck Sports Central, recruiting news

In the second article of the morning, I dove into the interviews with Dan Lanning, Chris Hampton, and Drew Mehringer from the first two spring practices for a free piece:

www.ducksportscentral.com/2026/03/dsc-...

DSC Inside Read: Recapping the weekend visitors Where Oregon stands with a loaded weekend visitor list and which recruitments quietly moved forward

Scott Reed - Duck Sports Central
Two articles for this morning at Duck Sports Central. First up is my review of the weekend recruiting visits for our premium subscribers.

Check out all the details here:

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Sunday Morning Sidewalk: The Moments We Don’t See Coming Long walks have a way of reminding us that the moments that define us are rarely the ones we plan.

Sometimes a long walk leads to deep questions about reality and consciousness.

Sometimes it simply reminds you what really matters.

Today’s Sunday Morning Sidewalk reflects on football, friendship, and the moments that stay with us.

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Scouting Report: Zane Rowe One of the top defensive line prospects in the 2027 cycle, Rowe blends size, strength, and relentless effort with the upside to anchor a Power Four defensive front.

Following his commitment earlier tonight, I did this scouting report on teh newest Oregon commit Zane Rowe

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Flock Talk: The Culture of One The most dangerous day in sports might be yesterday.

Dan Lanning said something about Dillon Gresham yesterday that stuck with me.

It connects to a story about a tattoo artist, a philosophy I call the Culture of One, and why football — and life — is really about today.

ducksports.substack.com/p/flock-talk...

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