EUGENE - Jeremiah McClellan looked like the guy Oregon could keep leaning on all afternoon.
In the Ducks’ win over Boise State, the junior receiver tied a career high with six catches and shattered his previous best in receiving yards, finishing with 150. He was the spark behind several of Oregon’s biggest offensive moments, including a 51-yard grab that helped turn an uneven day into one the Ducks could still control.
After starting the final eight games for Oregon in 2025, McClellan is making a real push to carve out his own space in a loaded receiver room. Oregon coach Dan Lanning said the consistency McClellan showed Saturday is the same thing the staff sees from him every day.
“Yeah, he had juice and energy, the consistency that I see every single day in practice,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “That’s something I want to keep challenging him to bring, but he brought that consistently throughout the day today.”
McClellan’s emergence came in a game where plenty of attention was still trained on Evan Stewart. The explosive receiver drew buzz all fall camp because of his return from injury and his connection with Dante Moore, and he delivered too, posting eight catches for 72 yards. But his special teams mistakes also stood out.
Lanning said he told Stewart after the game that he still believed in him, and Stewart remains positioned as Moore’s top target on a weekly basis. His speed and feel for the game still jump off the field.
Even so, McClellan’s performance was impossible to miss. From Moore’s perspective, none of it was surprising.
“I’m not surprised at all,” Moore said. “I mean, J-Mac has had a great off season.
Always coming to my house watching film. We’re always bowling together.
I mean, this is a guy that has been so dialed into his process when it comes to the weight room, on the field things.
“And he actually didn’t get caught short at the one-yard line this time. He actually scored.
So, he did a great job making sure he finished that play. But yeah, he’s a baller.”
Moore was referring to McClellan’s touchdown catch, an eight-yard play in which he stretched the ball over the pylon. The play was reviewed after he was initially ruled down, and it showed the kind of strength and determination that have become part of McClellan’s game.
For an Oregon offense that already has plenty of options - even with freshman Jalen Lott and UAB transfer Iverson Hooks out injured - McClellan’s reliable hands and ability to create explosive plays give the Ducks another dangerous piece to work with.
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