– The Ducks got an early-season christmas present when former Eastern Washington quarterback Vernon Adams announced he will be joining the team for his final season of eligibility, via his Instagram. Adams will be granted immediate eligibility once he graduates from Eastern Washington this June and is expected to join Oregon right away. In his two career games against Pac-12 teams, Adams totaled 13 touchdowns with no interceptions and a QBR of 97.2. In a weird twist of fate, Adams will begin his career as a Duck in a game against his former team on Sept. 5.
– Once considered a longshot to make the NCAA Tournament, the Oregon men’s basketball program has now firmly placed itself in consideration after winning four of its last five conference games, including a thrashing of Washington State on Sunday.
– The Pac-12 baseball coaches poll been released and the Ducks are predicted to finish second in the conference. After receiving 84 total votes and two first place votes, Oregon trailed only UCLA and its 96 total votes and six first place votes. Rounding out the top-five in the conference are Arizona State in third, Stanford in fourth and Oregon State, last year’s conference champion, is predicted to finish fifth. Oregon will enter the season ranked 15th in national polls.
– The Oregon hockey team’s season came to an end in the championship game of the Pac-8 tournament when the No. 3 seed Ducks fell to No. 1 seed Utah 5-1. Oregon battled for much of the game but in the end, Utah’s depth and talent won out as the Ducks were unable to overcome all the penalty minutes.
– In an otherwise stellar start to his career, Oregon freshman basketball player Jordan Bell suffered his first setback of the season when he was suspended for the Ducks’ game against Washington State this past Sunday. Bell was issued a one-game suspension by head coach Dana Altman after an incident occurred between Bell and a UO police officer regarding a parking ticket. With Bell’s suspension served, the team’s leading blocker should be back in action when Oregon faces USC on Wednesday in Southern California.
Follow Ryan Kostecka on Twitter @Ryan_Kostecka