Quack-12 Football Check-In: The Panama Canal Teams
The latest stop on this West Coast-to-Atlantic Coast tour lands on the two schools that can see the Pacific but now live in the ACC: Cal and Stanford.
Cal comes in with an over/under win total of 6.5 and an SP+ ranking of +3.7, which puts the Golden Bears 56th in FBS and 11th in the ACC. Tosh Lupoi takes over as head coach in his first season, and he’s bringing in a staff that is brand new across the board.
Jordan Somerville is the offensive coordinator, Michael Hutchings is the defensive coordinator, and both are in their first seasons as well. The projected starter at quarterback is true sophomore Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, and he’s the most intriguing piece on the roster.
He started all 13 games last season as a true freshman and finished with a 131.6 passer rating, just a couple points below the FBS median.
Stanford is in a very different place. The Cardinal’s over/under win total sits at 3.5, and their SP+ ranking is -1.9, which places them 75th in FBS and 17th in the ACC.
Tavita Prichard is the head coach in his first season, making Stanford’s current setup its third coach in three seasons after Troy Taylor was fired in March of 2025. Frank Reich served as the interim coach for the full year before Prichard was hired long term.
Terry Heffernan is the offensive coordinator after spending the previous three years as Virginia’s offensive line coach, and Kris Richard handles the defense after 15 years in the NFL as either a defensive coordinator or secondary coach.
At quarterback, Stanford is projected to start Davis Warren. Oregon fans may remember him from the 2024 game at Michigan, and he later became best known for leading the Wolverines to a win over the Buckeyes in a shocking upset later that season.
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Sobering Oregon Update Leaves One Prized Freshmans Future Unclear
Tony Cumberlands first months in Eugene were supposed to be about getting on the field and carving out a role in Oregons defensive line rotation. Instead, the freshman has spent his time working his way back from a setback that has kept his football future in limbo, and coach Dan Lanning said the Ducks are focused on keeping him connected to the program while he continues his recovery.
Lanning said he does not anticipate Cumberland being out there this fall, and the uncertainty around his return has only made the support around him more important. Teitum Tuioti said teammates have been helping Cumberland with everyday things as he rehabs, a reminder that for Oregon, this has become about more than football while one of its most touted young defenders tries to regain his footing. [Read more 🡒]
Another Trusted Dana Altman Assistant Is Leaving Oregon At A Tough Time
Kevin McKenna has been one of the more steady figures around Oregon basketball for a long stretch, helping shape the program from the sideline while Dana Altmans teams kept stacking postseason trips. Over 16 seasons in Eugene, McKenna was part of a staff that reached the NCAA tournament nine times and made the Final Four in 2016, while also playing a key role in player development.
His fingerprints were especially visible in the growth of Jackson Shelstad, Nate Bittle and Kwame Evans Jr., all of whom took meaningful steps under Oregons watch. For a program that has leaned on continuity and trust to stay in the national conversation, losing a veteran assistant with McKennas background and history adds another layer of uncertainty at a time when the Ducks are already navigating a difficult stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Facing A Painful Legacy Recruiting Fight Ducks Fans Know Too Well
LaGarrette Blount Jr. is already becoming a familiar name in the 2027 recruiting cycle, and Oregon is in the mix for the cornerback son of the former NFL running back. The Ducks have stayed active with him, and so has Ohio State, with both programs making coaching visits as they work to build a relationship before the class takes shape.
Blount Jr. has also made the trip to Columbus for Ohio States June camp, a sign that this race is still very much in motion even if it has started to tilt in one direction. For Oregon, the bigger concern is less about one visit than the larger pattern around a recruit with national attention, especially when the Ducks are trying to keep pace with a heavyweight like the Buckeyes for a player whose recruitment is only beginning to unfold. [Read more 🡒]