
EUGENE - Football in spring: a gift for Oregon Duck fans during an exciting postseason. As five former Ducks and counting are hearing their names read during the NFL Draft, coach Dan Lanning ushers in a team welcoming several returning veterans a few exciting fresh faces.
The spring game also boasts the return of several returning past Duck favorites, leading the Combat Ducks and the Fighting Ducks in a battle of friendly fire.
Oregon receivers Dakorien Moore and Evan Stewart both scored touchdowns, but the defensive line consistely pressured the Ducks quarterbacks.
Q4 00:00: Dylan Raiola finds Markus Dixon for an eight-yard completion, but his second attempt to Tradarian Ball falls incomplete as the clock hits zero.
Q4 00:21: Quarterback Brock Thomas finds Dakorien Moore down the sideline for a 60-yard touchdown to likely win the game for the Combat Ducks.
Q4 00:30: Akili Smith is back in with the Fighting Ducks, but the Combat Ducks defense forces a three and out. The Combat Ducks force a punt
Q4 01:27: Dylan Raiola now leading the Combat Ducks, and his first two passes in the two-minute drill fall incomplete.
Q4 01:49: Matayo Uiagalelei gets a sack for a third down on Fighting Ducks.
Q4: On a fourth down, Raiola goes for it but doesn't quite get there. Combat Ducks take over.
Q4: Carl Williams IV called for a pass interference against Raiola. 15 yard penalty and first down.
Q4 12:50: Akili Smith Jr. is sacked for a fourth down and 24 yards to go. Punt team comes out for the Combat Ducks.
Q4 13:11: Akili Smith Jr. is sacked for a third down.
Q3: After some deep passes with no where to go, Combat punts to Fighting Ducks.
Q3 08:31: Riaola sacked again for a fourth down. Fighting punts back to Combat on the Combat 20 yard line.
Q3 09:25: Quarterback sack against Raiola.
Q3 10:39: Dylan Raiola passes deep left to Messiah Hampton to hit a first down at the Combat 33.
Q3 11:30: Dylan Raiola at quarterback for Fighting. Dierre Hill Jr. carries to the Fighting 34.
Q3 12:41: Smith Jr. gets sacked for a fourth down and 12 to go. Punt team comes out with Dierre Hill Jr. deep for Ducks. Punt rolls dead. 1st and ten on the Fighting 28 yard line.
Q3 13:53: Akili Smith starts at QB for Combat, handing the ball off to Jordon Davison to get a second down and three to go.
Q2 00:00 FIGHTING SCORES: To end the half, Fighting Ducks under the leadership of QB Brock Thomas punch in a field goal to even out the score.
Q2 00:39: On the punt, Combat feels convinced they picked off the ball, but the play is recalled and the ball is given to the Fighting Ducks. Iverson Hooks is called for interfering with the punt and gets a 30 yard penalty.
Q2 00:57: Dante Moore gets sacked on a third down for the Combat Ducks. Redshirt freshman and Oregon State transfer Bleu Dantzler had some definite pressure on the next play.
Q2 01:44: Fighting Ducks kick on downs and miss a 52 yard attempt. Combat's ball.
Q2 01:55: With Fighting at Combat's 35 yard line, Raiola aims for Evan Stewart in the endzone and misses.
Q2 02:00: Tommy Tofi called for a false start.
Q2 03:57: Dierre Hill Jr. almost made a break away touchdown for Fighting (he ran all the way into the endzone for 50 yards), but was pronounced down at the 50 yard line. Dylan Raiola comes in as Fightings' quarterback.
Q2 04:33 COMBAT SCORES: Combat makes a field goal. After a handful of missed connections from Smith Jr. to the endzone.
Q2: Akili Smith comes in at quarterback for Combat. At 06:43, Smith makes a deep pass up the middle caught by Dakorien Moore at Fightings' 19 yard line.
Q2: Fighting Ducks' first drive of the quarter included several throws from Brock Thomas to four different receivers and began with a loss of four on a QB keeper peppered in with runs from Da'Jaun Riggs.
Q1: After a pass from Smith Jr. to Dakorien Moore that doesn't gain yards needed, the Combat Ducks punt 37 yards to the Fighting Ducks. That ends the first quarter.
Q1 01:35: False start on Douglas Utu. 5 yards back to Combat's 33 yard line.
Q1 02:44: Akili Smith Jr. in at quarterback for Combat Ducks.
Q1 04:06 FIGHTING TOUCHDOWN: Raiola makes a pass deep right to Evan Stewart, who takes the ball up the border for a touchdown. That score went 76 yards.
Q1: Dylan Raiola makes his debut as a Duck, leading the Fighting Ducks.
Q1 COMBAT TOUCHDOWN: Combat Ducks score. Extra point is good.
Q1 : Brock Thomas sacked for a loss of 6 yards by Matt Johnson. Leads to a 44 yard punt from Fighting to Combat, ending Fighting's first drive with three plays.
Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart is making his return from a torn patellar tendon suffered before the 2025 season, and he will be wearing a non-contact jersey during the Ducks' spring game, like the team's quarterbacks.
With a high of 65 degrees and sunny in the Eugene area, the Ducks are about to play in some prime conditions for a friendly scrimmage. Lanning spoke further about his expectations for the spring game during a recent practice media availbility.
“It was a good scrimmage today. Certainly some stuff that we want to be able to clean up. But first want to recognize the next weekend, on the 25th, is the Spring Game, and great opportunity to celebrate our military as well as some of our other sports, with baseball and softball playing that afternoon. So, expect to see a great turnout. Spring Game is at one o'clock. We’ll hope for beautiful weather, like we did today," Lanning said.
Stepping in as a guest coach for the Combat Ducks tomorrow…
— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) April 24, 2026
one of the all-time greats, @peneisewell58!@BoNix10 - we’re bummed you won’t be able to make it but can’t wait to see you back in Eugene soon! #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/C8UlQ2aMXS
Continuing the tradition of inviting guest coaches to represent both sides of the Oregon team, Tampa Bay Buccaneer wide reciever Tez Johnson, New York Giant's Edge Kayvon Thibodeaux, Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell, and San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir will step in to lead the Combat Ducks and Fighting Ducks.
Sewell stepped in for Denver Bronco's quarterback Bo Nix, who was originally slated to coach the Combat Ducks with Thibodeaux.
Combat Ducks ⚫️ vs. ⚪️ Fighting Ducks
— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) April 24, 2026
Who are you rolling with tomorrow? #GoDucks
https://t.co/csXvZwHomu pic.twitter.com/yMbbgHuNzI
The Combat Ducks features quarterbacks Dante Moore (returning starter) and redshirt freshman Mark Weipert. The Fighting Ducks features quarterbacks Dylan Raiola (Nebraska transfer), former backup and sophomore Brock Thomas, redshirt sophomore Ryder Hayes.
Raiola, who's taking the No. 8 in honor of former quarterback great Marcus Mariota (he recieved his blessing for the honor among transferring to Oregon) is one of the big focuses of this match-up due to the quarterback transferring from Nebraska before Moore decided to forgoe the 2026 NFL Draft for another year with the Ducks.
Another highlight is the returning players for Oregon. Linebacker Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei, center Iapani Laloulu, defensive tackle A'Mauri Washington, and wide reciever Evan Stewart headline a lockerroom that retained a large number of veteran talent.
The split up of teams basically features the starting offense from last years' season against the starting defense from 2025-2026.
As the spring game continues, don't be surprised if there's a mention about the five (and climbing) former Ducks drafted in the 2026 NFL Draft. Kenyon Sadiq ended up with the New York Jets (pick No. 16), Dillon Thieneman went to the Chicago Bears (pick No. 25), Emmanuel Pregnon ended up with the Jacksonville Jaguars(pick No. 88), Jadon Canady found a home with the Kansas City Chiefs (pick No. 109), and Bryce Boettcher got picked up by the Indianapolis Colts (pick No. 135).
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