Oregon’s loss to UCLA didn’t just sting in the standings. It may have also opened the door for another program in the race for one of the Ducks’ quarterback targets.
Four-star quarterback Josiah Boyd wasn’t at Autzen Stadium to see Oregon fall 17-15 to the Bruins, but he was watching another upset unfold in person. Boyd, a standout from Vista del Lago High in Moreno Valley, California, was inside Kroger Field in Lexington when Kentucky knocked off No.
10 LSU in overtime, 34-33. The visit clearly made its mark.
“Watching the game live was an incredible experience,” Boyd told Steve Wiltfong of On3/Rivals. “The atmosphere was something special. Being there in person and feeling that energy made the visit even better!”
Wiltfong also pointed to how strongly Kentucky is pushing for Boyd, with former Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein at the center of that effort.
“No school is recruiting Boyd harder than Kentucky, led by the efforts of Stein who in addition to quickly turning the Wildcats around, has the clout of being Oregon’s former offensive coordinator and helping develop Heisman candidates under center there in addition to a lot of explosive plays,” Wiltfong wrote.
That connection matters because Oregon’s quarterback situation has shifted quickly. Backup Dylan Raiola earned praise after stepping in when Dante Moore suffered a scary concussion against then No.
13 USC and helping lead the Ducks to a 41-27 win on Sept. 26 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. But in the UCLA loss, Raiola was pulled immediately by coach Dan Lanning, and Brock Thomas didn’t provide much relief either, especially after a late center-to-quarterback exchange fumble.
Stein’s departure has clearly been felt in Eugene. He and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi both landed their first head coaching jobs in college this past offseason, and Oregon’s offense under 2026 coordinator Drew Mehringer has produced uneven results since then.
That has some Ducks fans wondering whether Stein’s exit is part of the reason for the shaky quarterback play. Moore had already taken a loss to then-unranked Oklahoma State in Week 2, and both Raiola and Thomas struggled in the UCLA game.
Boyd may be seeing that contrast, too. Kentucky’s recent wins over Texas A&M and LSU have given Stein and the Wildcats a strong pitch, and Oregon appears to have real competition if it wants to land him.
In Other News...
Oregons Bear Alexander Controversy Just Put Dan Lanning Under Pressure
The fallout from Oregons win over UCLA has extended well beyond the scoreboard, with defensive lineman Bear Alexander at the center of the conversation after video showed him punching quarterback Nico Iamaleava while Iamaleava was on the ground. The play came in the middle of a sequence that left UCLA fearing a serious knee injury for its quarterback, and it quickly drew public criticism from Bruins coach Bob Chesney, who called it egregious and regrettable.
Dan Lanning has now been put in the uncomfortable position of defending his player and the programs response, saying Alexander will not be disciplined because he believed the contact was part of an effort to dislodge the ball. Alexander has also expressed remorse and said he never intended to cause harm, but the incident has still become a test of how Oregon handles a moment that has landed far outside the normal bounds of postgame review. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lanning Just Put Dylan Raiola Back In Nebraskas Spotlight
After Oregons loss to UCLA, Dan Lanning had to turn the conversation from the result itself to the Ducks quarterback situation, and that quickly brought Dylan Raiola back into the spotlight. With Dante Moore dealing with a concussion, Lanning said Raiola will compete with Brock Thomas for the starting job, a development that adds another layer of intrigue to an offense still trying to find its footing.
Lanning also pointed to Raiolas composure after being replaced during the game, a small but meaningful sign in a week when the Ducks were looking for steadiness more than flash. He said the teams body language stayed positive even as the offense struggled, and added that some changes are coming to how Oregon operates without getting into specifics, leaving the bigger picture of the quarterback battle and the adjustments around it very much open. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lanning Signals Oregon Offensive Changes As Pressure Builds
After Oregons disappointing loss to UCLA, Dan Lanning made clear the Ducks are not standing still on offense. The head coach confirmed that changes are being made to the operation after a season of uneven production, a notable acknowledgment from a program that entered the year expecting much more from that side of the ball.
Lanning stopped short of spelling out what those changes will look like, and he did not say whether the staff itself will be altered. Offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer has taken heat for the inconsistency, but Lanning also pointed back to what Mehringer has done in the past while stressing the need for the group to improve moving forward. [Read more 🡒]