— Fans have grown accustomed to high stakes when Oregon plays Stanford each year, but that’s not the case this season. The Emerald‘s Jarrid Denney discussed how the teams find themselves in unfamiliar territory entering Saturday’s matchup at Autzen Stadium.
— The Oregonian‘s Andrew Greif wrote that Saturday’s game itself may not carry the same weight as in years past, but getting a win is as important as ever for head coach Mark Helfrich, who is trying to save his job.
— Head coach Mark Helfrich and defensive coordinator Brady Hoke addressed defending Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey at Thursday’s practice.
— One of the highest rated recruits in Oregon football history is finished with the program midway into his sophomore season. Defensive lineman Canton Kaumatule has accepted a medical hardship, meaning he can no longer play for Oregon. He remains on scholarship and can try to get cleared to play elsewhere if he so chooses.
— Linebacker A.J. Hotchkins went from sleeping on the floor as a community college athlete to playing Division I football. He is one of several junior college transfers who endured what they call the “JuCo struggle” before joining the Ducks.
— CSN Northwest‘s Aaron Fentress analyzed the position battles for Oregon men’s basketball, which he wrote has a “Final Four feel” this season.
— Oregon volleyball is finding success in an unconventional way. The Ducks are undefeated on the road but have struggled at times in the comfort of their own arena. Other Pac-12 teams are experiencing a similar phenomenon; road teams are winning 72 percent of matches in the conference this season.
— There’s a new face at the head of the Oregon men’s lacrosse club. New head coach Markus McCaine, a graduate student and defensive coordinator last year, is conditioning the Ducks to be the “fastest team in the league.”
— Oregon women’s basketball signed a pair of international recruits to fill its final two open scholarships for 2017-18.
Follow Kenny Jacoby on Twitter @kennyjacoby