In the Trenches, Oregon Linemen Hone Their Game

Horisk, a three-star recruit in the 2026 class from St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, Calif., trains at The Front, a defensive line school run by Matayo Uiagalelei's uncle Iona Uiagalelei. He has his students working position-specific drills throughout the year, teaches them to have a game plan for every rep and snap. There's a heavy emphasis on tactics, agility and all-out intensity.

Though rated a three-star by the services, at 6-foot-2, 240 Horisk is a three-year starter for the Braves who plays like a Tasmanian Devil. He's quick, violent and displays tremendous desire. He's due for a rise in the rankings after a breakout performance at the Rivals Camp Series in Los Angeles. 

Veteran scout Adam Gorney of Rival said, "Four-star edge defender Dutch Horisk, another Ducks verbal in the 2026 class, was firing off the ball throughout the camp. He plays with a high motor and consistently generated pressure and opposing tackles fits." (Rivals is the only one of the services to have Horisk at four stars, but that's likely to change as he prepares for his senior year.)

He committed to the Ducks in August of 2024 after attending Saturday Night Live. In the 2024 highlight film he shows pursuit, desire, intensity and quickness in addition to the training and technique he's refined at The Front.

Laloulu came to the Ducks from Farrington High School in Honolulu, Hawaii, a 6-2, 325 interior lineman in the class of 2023. He played in all 14 games as a true freshman and started in the Fiesta Bowl, taking over from Jackson Powers-Johnson as the full-time starter at center last season.

Poncho nailed down an 86.1 grade from Pro Football Focus after the 34-13 win at UCLA last September, named the best center in the country that week. Through Oregon's first eight games he did not allow a sack in 270 pass snaps, just two quarterback pressures, an integral part of an offensive line that earned Joe Moore Award finalist status in a 13-0 regular season. 

When Laloulu won a spot in the Under Armour All-American Game as a high school senior, he told Alan Hoshida of KHON News, "It really means a lot to go represent the 808. Everywhere I go, I make sure to represent our islands really good. I don’t go there just for fun. I go there to let them know that us kids from the islands, the beautiful islands of Hawai’i, we don’t play around when it comes to football. Some of us use this as a ticket to help our parents.” 

“Right before, I told my mom and my dad that I promise that I will get an invite to the All-American game, so that all the hard work that they’ve been doing for me, it shows off through me, especially helping me in the classroom and onto the field. The sweat and dedication they put just for me, so that I can accomplish my dreams.”

The time in the lab, working on fundamentals, hand placement and technique is all a part of that process. For these guys, the effort they apply to the craft of football is what separates them from the pack. After the Ducks dumped Oregon State in Corvallis last season Laloulu said, "As Coach Terry kind of reminded us, we’ve gotta get back to the basics, let’s get back to playing with good hands, good leverage, good feet.”

It's in the lab that those basics are perfected.