The Oregon Ducks will go into Saturday’s matchup with Northwestern short-handed again, and this time the absence comes with a bigger off-field story attached. Freshman wide receiver Messiah Hampton has been ruled out, and late Friday night reports surfaced that he was arrested by the Springfield police.
Hampton is charged with two felony counts of attempting to elude police in a car and one misdemeanor count of reckless driving, according to the KEZI report. Ryan Clarke of Oregonlive.com reported that the arrest came after a high-speed chase in Springfield early in the morning on October 18th. That date also matches the day Evan Stewart was arrested for a DUII, after Oregon’s win late on the 17th over Nebraska.
With the news coming down so late on Friday night, there was no immediate word from Dan Lanning before the Northwestern game on Saturday.
Hampton’s on-field absence matters too. He had emerged as one of Oregon’s brighter spots as a true freshman, piling up 18 catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns. When Jeremiah McClellan was sidelined for an extended stretch, Hampton stepped into a larger role and gave the Ducks another option when they needed one.
Now Oregon has to keep patching together an offense that has struggled to settle in without Dante Moore. The Ducks are also dealing with a new offensive coordinator this weekend after firing Drew Mehringer, which makes Hampton’s absence even tougher to absorb. Jalen Lott and Evan Stewart are expected to return after missing the Illinois game, but Hampton had been shaping up as an important piece for the stretch run and for Oregon’s future.
In Other News...
Oregon Fans Now Wait For The Programs Response To Messiah Hampton
Messiah Hamptons arrest has put Oregon in an uncomfortable spot as the Ducks sort through the fallout from a case that began with a high-speed chase in Springfield on Oct. 18. The freshman wide receiver was booked on charges of reckless driving and eluding police after being identified as the driver of one of the vehicles involved, and he has since been released from the Lane County Jail.
For Oregon, the next question is how the program chooses to respond to a situation that now sits well beyond the field. Other Ducks players were mentioned in connection with the incident, but they are not considered suspects, leaving Hampton as the central figure in a developing story that could still bring further attention from the school. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Receiving Depth Takes Another Hit Before Saturday
Oregons receiving room took another jolt this week when freshman wide receiver Messiah Hampton was arrested and charged in connection with a high-speed chase on Oct. 18 involving two vehicles. Hampton was booked and later released from Lane County Jail, and the legal situation adds another layer of uncertainty for a Ducks offense that has already had to keep adjusting its depth chart.
Hampton has been listed as out for Oregons upcoming game against Northwestern, leaving the Ducks to sort through their options without one of the younger players in the mix. For a team trying to stay steady heading into Saturday, the timing of the off-field development is hardly ideal, especially with the season already demanding more from the wide receiver group. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Ground Game Just Took Another Scary Turn
Oregons offense was already navigating a thin margin, and the ground game took another hit in the first half against Northwestern when Jordon Davison left the field with an injury and headed to the locker room. Before exiting, Davison had 17 yards on three carries, giving the Ducks another reason to keep an eye on a backfield that has been asked to absorb plenty of pressure.
The bigger concern is the broader picture around the offense, where Oregon is already dealing with multiple injuries at wide receiver and quarterback. With Davisons status unclear, the Ducks are left waiting on another key piece while trying to piece together enough healthy options to keep the attack moving. [Read more 🡒]