Brandon Finney Jr. is bringing a different kind of blueprint into Oregon’s 2026 season.
The sophomore cornerback, who emerged as a true freshman in 2025, said after Wednesday’s practice that he and the Ducks are leaning into the Harada method as they chase a season built around “make history.” Finney said the approach breaks that bigger objective into smaller pieces, with the emphasis on daily habits, accountability and execution.
“Yeah, so this year we've really taken upon the Harada method. And so we really have our telescope goal, which is make history.
We have a whole bunch of other counter segments that, so it's just like we need to have a dominant defense. We're going to have to have a dominant offense and stuff like that.
We have to have a good character. We have to have good karma and stuff like that,” said Finney.
He added that the focus is on the little things first.
“So it's just like in those different quadrants, it's not really looking forward to make history yet. It's doing something small, like making sure we're respecting the game, making sure we're getting ball shots in practice and stuff like that.”
For Oregon, the opener against Boise State at 12:30 p.m. PT is the first chance to start turning that plan into something real. Finney said his motivation comes from the promises he’s made to himself.
“It really just comes from my goals and the promises I've kept to myself. I mean, I wake up every day thinking about my goals, thinking about my promises to myself.
I mean, some days I'm tired and I'm tired, but it's like I tell myself, 'People don't care that I'm tired.' So I have these goals for myself, and I'm just out to achieve them.”
Finney also pointed to the challenge waiting in the receiver room across the field.
“Yeah, no, a very good receiver room. Obviously a very respectable receiving corps.
Some new faces, some new freshmen. So, man, we're just looking to compete.”
When asked where his drive comes from, Finney went straight to home.
“Yeah, I would definitely say both of my parents. I mean, growing up, I just saw them working hard.
Specifically for my mom, throughout school, she was working hard. And when she got out of med school, she was working hard and waking up.
Me trying to sneak down and get a juice box at like 11 p.m. at night, and I'll see her just with a whole bunch of notes just going through them.”
He said Oregon’s program has made leadership a shared responsibility, not something reserved for veterans.
“Yeah, I feel like one thing you realize about our program is that we have leaders not from just older guys, but from younger guys, even freshmen, I feel like. We have a standard as a team, and it's up to anybody.
Nobody's big in the program. It's up to anybody to uphold that standard.
But one thing, if you uphold that standard, you have to make sure if you say it, you're owning it.”
Finney said the noise around him doesn’t change the job in front of him.
“I mean, it's really the same mindset. It's prepare, execute.
I mean, you talk about a lot more eyes. I'm not really worried about that.
I'm worried about what I'm doing today, what I'm doing right now. I just got pulled from a lift, but I'm worried about what I'm doing right now.
I'm not really worried about what anybody else is saying or anybody else's input on me.”
He also credited the coaching staff for keeping him on edge in the right way.
“Oh, yeah. I would say coaches obviously are just going to hold you to a higher expectation because if you don't, it'd be bad coaching to be honest. But Coach Wadood and Coach Hamp are doing a great job of just like getting on me even more and making sure the part I have to do is make sure I'm staying self-aware, self-accountable and stuff like that.”
As for the people he’s looking forward to lining up beside, Finney singled out Na'eem.
“Yeah, Na'eem, he's just been really consistent in the work he's able to do. I mean, that's my guy. And it's just like I'm really looking forward to just going throughout this year, just making plays with him.”
And when he talked about his deeper motivation, Finney circled back to family and the version of himself he’s still trying to become.
“Yeah, my why. It's really my family, but also my future self.
Like I said, I have certain goals, and it's just like there's a quote I think about a lot is, 'All I am is what I'm going after.' So it's just like every day, everything I do, that's all I am, and all I am is what I'm going after.”
In Other News...
Boise State Walks Into One Of Oregons Most Hyped Game Day Looks
Oregon is leaning into its history for a 2026 season opener that already has plenty of buzz, unveiling a classic look for the matchup with Boise State. The Ducks will go with a Gang Green jersey, yellow pants and a yellow helmet featuring the green O, a combination that ties into the programs past while fitting neatly into the ongoing Generation O series. It is also the third time Oregon has used this specific uniform set, another reminder that even in a sport built on constant change, the Ducks still know how to make tradition feel fresh.
The game day atmosphere is expected to be part of the show, too, with fans encouraged to take part in the Stripe-Out and wear green or yellow to match their seating sections. Oregon has long treated uniform reveals as part of its identity, and this one seems designed to bring that full-circle feel to a season opener that should already have attention. The only thing left is to see how the look plays on the field when the Ducks open against Boise State. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Could Catch Oregon At A Very Different Strength Than Expected
The Ducks are heading into 2026 with an injury picture that is still taking shape, and it touches both sides of the ball. Dillon Gresham is still without a clear timetable after a neck injury, Brayden Platt is expected to be limited for some time after a spring injury, and Oregon is also managing the return of Evan Stewart and Trey McNutt from ailments suffered in 2025. Dave Iuli has been practicing and is expected to be available for the opener, which at least gives the Ducks some stability up front as the season approaches.
For a team that usually wants its early-season depth settled before the real tests arrive, the lingering uncertainty is a bigger issue than any single name on the list. Oregon can lean on the fact that some key pieces are trending back, but the broader question is how quickly the Ducks can get to full strength and what version of the roster Boise State might actually see. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon 5-Star Commit Is Already Recruiting Another Elite Edge
Oregons latest big recruiting win came with a built-in bonus. Defensive coordinator Chris Hampton and edge coach Kamran Araghi landed five-star edge rusher Rashad Streets out of Milbrook High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, beating out Alabama, Ohio State and NC State for one of the top defensive prospects in the 2027 class.
Rashad Streets is already helping the Ducks try to pry more elite talent away from the rest of the national field. During his official visit, he pushed Ohio State five-star edge commit David Jacobs to take a closer look at Oregon, giving the Ducks a possible head start in a recruiting battle that could shape their future pass rush. [Read more 🡒]