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USA Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Checking in with the Oregon Ducks DL room ahead of the 2025 season
We are less than 50 days away from the start of the 2025 college football season, and fewer than two weeks stand between us and the beginning of the Oregon Ducks' fall camp getting off the ground in Eugene. While coaches and players wrap up their final couple of offseason weeks, we're ready to jump back into things and take a deep dive into what's set to take place at Autzen Stadium this year. The Ducks are coming off of an incredible season that saw a 12-0 regular season, a Big Ten Championship, and the No. 1 seed in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. The offseason brought significant roster turnover as Oregon sent a program record 10 players into the 2025 NFL draft; however, those players have been replaced by a young yet incredibly talented group of players ready to uphold the standard in Eugene. Will they be able to complete the job? Expectations are high, but it won't be an easy task. Over the next few weeks, many questions will be asked, and a significant number of them will be answered. Once we get a look at things during fall camp, we will be able to predict more accurately how things shape up. However, we already have our depth chart projections for offense and defense from spring. As we continue our preview of the 2025 season, leading up to the kick-off vs. Montana State on August 30, let's take a deep dive, position by position. Previous Position Previews Now let's take a closer look at the defensive line as we prepare for fall camp. Overall Oregon Ducks Defensive Line Check-In The Ducks sent a lot of players to the NFL draft, but no position group was hit as hard as the defensive line. Derrick Harmon went in the first round to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Jamaree Caldwell went to the Los Angeles Chargers in the third round. While there are a lot of talented players returning to Eugene in 2025, not many have the production that was lost. Like many other positions on the roster, though, there's a sense that the standard is going to be upheld; we just need to see the young guys on the field and get a sense for what they're capable of. Departing Oregon Ducks Defensive Linemen Oregon Career Stats: 14 games, 45 tackles, 11 TFLs, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries Analysis: Oregon's most significant loss on the D-line is Derrick Harmon, who became a first-round pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers this past April. Harmon played just one season with the Ducks, but he wasted no time making an impact, and he was a significant factor in Oregon's 2024 success. Oregon Career Stats: 14 games, 29 tackles, 5 TFLs, 1 forced fumble Analysis: Harmon is the most significant loss, but Caldwell is a very close second. He may not have the stats Harmon does, but Caldwell clogs up the middle from the nose tackle spot as well as anyone, helping make plays for the rest of the defense. Caldwell landed with the Los Angeles Chargers in the third round of the NFL draft this past April. Oregon Career Stats: 60 games, 78 tackles, 11 TFLs, 4 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries Analysis: The Ducks' final graduation departure on the interior defensive line is Keyon-Ware Hudson, one of the last remaining recruits from the Mario Cristobal days. Hudson never was able to break into a starting role during his six-year Oregon career, but he made valuable impacts off of the bench. Oregon Career Stats: 3 games, 1 tackle Analysis: Last on the list is My'Keil Gardner, who announced his transfer to the Arizona State Sun Devils in January. Gardner played a bit in 2023 but was kept off the field for all of 2024 with an injury. Hopefully, he'll be back to full health in 2025 and hit the ground running in Tempe. Returning Oregon Ducks Defensive Linemen Oregon Career Stats: 22 games, 12 tackles, 2 TFLs Analysis: A'Mauri Washington is the returner Oregon Ducks fans should be most excited about on the D-line. A 4-star recruit two seasons ago, Washington hasn't seen many in-game reps, but the small sample he's earned has been exciting. I expect him to play a significant role for Oregon's defense this year and play it well. Oregon Career Stats: 2 QB pressures in 17 defensive snaps. Analysis: Even greener than Washington is Aydin Breland — the 5-star jewel of Oregon's 2024 recruiting class. Breland played just 17 defensive snaps as a freshman, but in year two, it's fair to assume that Breland will climb the ladder by a few rungs. Oregon Career Stats: 4 games, 1 tackle Analysis: Next up is Tionne Gray, another member of Oregon's 2024 recruiting class. Gray wasn't rated as highly in the recruiting process as Breland, but in four games this season he played a similar amount of snaps to Breland. Both will have big opportunities and chances to make major impacts in 2025. Oregon Career Stats: 10 games, 7 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 sack Analysis: Terrance Green is another name that could rise this fall. Entering his third season as a redshirt sophomore, Green has the necessary experience to play D-line, and this could be the season where he breaks out. This will be a competitive position, but no one's role is guaranteed. Oregon Career Stats: N/A Analysis: Next up is Jericho Johnson, a former 4-star recruit who was a freshman in 2024. Johnson played just two games and six snaps last fall, but that's typical of a D-line freshman. With all the young talent in this room, it seems like at least one young D-lineman is primed for a breakout season in 2025. Maybe it will be Johnson. Oregon Career Stats: N/A Analysis: Another 4-star tackle from the 2024 class, Xadavien Sims played just three snaps in as a freshman last fall. Sims is a bit undersized for his position, but he doesn't lack the necessary strength to play D-line. Just like Johnson, Sims could be one of the players primed to break out this fall. Incoming Oregon Ducks Defensive Linemen Career Stats: (Georgia and USC): 28 games, 61 tackles, 10 TFLS, 3.5 sacks Analysis: Oregon's sole newcomer on the defensive line is Bear Alexander, a transfer from USC who Dan Lanning helped bring to Georgia out of high school when he was the Bulldogs defensive coordinator. Alexander has immense talent and potential, but he has yet to utilize either in college football. A transfer to Oregon could be precisely what Alexander needed, and if he can realize his potential, he'll be exactly what the Ducks need. Projection Oregon Ducks Defensive Lineman Starters Defensive Tackle: A'Mauri Washington Nose Tackle: Bear Alexander I see the starters shaking out with Washington at DT and Alexander NT. Those two feel like the most game-ready players on the line, though there are a lot of talented guys who will rotate in early and often. I expect guys like Breland, Gray, Johnson, and Green to get a lot of playing time. Overall Oregon Ducks Defensive Line Outlook Oregon has recruited very well at this position over the past few years under Dan Lanning, and there are some big bodies in the trenches, just waiting for an opportunity. With guys like Aydin Breland, A'mauri Washington, and Jericho Johnson primed and ready, the future is bright at this position. We will see how quickly they can click in 2025 and get down to business, but there should be a lot of optimism among the fans that the Ducks will be dominant in the trenches for years to come. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Yahoo
Colorado dentist drugged wife years before alleged poisoning murder, friend testifies
Angela Craig's lifelong best friend took the stand Monday as the Colorado murder trial of dentist James Craig entered its second week, telling jurors that the mother of six was never the kind of woman who gave up easily. "She wasn't a risk-taker. She wasn't manipulative," Nicole Harmon told the court. "And she never said anything — ever — about wanting to die." Dr. James Toliver Craig, 47, is charged with first-degree murder in the March 2023 death of his wife, 43-year-old Angela Craig. Her cause of death was determined to be lethal doses of cyanide and tetrahydrozoline. Dentist Accused Of Poisoning Wife's Shake Said He Gave Her 'Too Much Protein': Co-worker On March 9, 2023, approximately one week before the 43-year-old was pronounced brain-dead, Angela texted Harmon asking for help checking her blood sugar. When she arrived, she found Angela curled up. "She hadn't eaten. She couldn't stand," Harmon said, telling the jury that James had made his wife a shake that morning. Read On The Fox News App When the friend texted and asked what was going on, she testified, James brushed it off. "Post-COVID," he texted. "Not diabetes." Not once, she told jurors, did he mention poison. "Angela never knew what was killing her," the witness said. Harmon shared that she and her husband, Mike, had known the Craigs since the 2000s. Angela was hospitalized for five days. Through Angela's prolonged hospital stays, Harmon said that she never expressed that she wanted to die. Follow The Fox True Crime Team On X Harmon's testimony went back to 2019, when the witness said James made a confession to her and her husband. He told them in 2019 that he planned to inject himself with a lethal substance and had drugged Angela first so she wouldn't stop him. David Gelman, a criminal defense attorney who has been following the case, told Fox News Digital that the drugging incident could help the prosecution "because it shows that James was predisposed to drugging Angela before." "It required intent and thought. The same motive that the prosecution has now for James," he said. "That is an aspect I would really hammer if I'm the prosecution." Sign Up To Get The True Crime Newsletter James also admitted to the Harmons that he, in 2019, was dealing with a "sexual addiction," and told them that he was in therapy, she testified. Angela, her friend said, never brought it up. Harmon testified that she sent Angela a message later: "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were dealing with this." Angela replied: "You weren't there when I needed you." Colorado Dentist's Alleged Internet Search History Takes Center Stage As Murder Trial Begins From that moment, the decades-long friendship fractured. "She was angry," Harmon said. "Really mad at her life and how it was turning out. And I was OK with that. I was OK with her taking it out on me." Gelman said the years-long gap in communication between Angela and her best friend doesn't undermine the witness's reliability. "It doesn't hurt her credibility. She can only testify by what she has observed and her conversations with Angela," he said. "Obviously, she is not privy to the inner workings of the marriage with James since the relationship fractured, but her credibility is still intact since she was not confused or crossed up on the stand." The longtime friend testified that Angela never opened up about the inner workings of her marriage. "She had all the chances," the witness said. "She never told me. She didn't want me to see her husband differently." READ THE INCIDENT REPORT – APP USERS, Click Here GET REAL-TIME UPDATES AT THE FOX NEWS True Crime Hub Investigators alleged in court documents obtained by Fox News Digital that, in the weeks before his wife's hospitalization and death, James used a dental office computer to search for "undetectable poisons" and how to obtain them (later purchasing arsenic and cyanide by mail), "how many grams of pure arsenic will kill a human" and "is arsenic detectable in an autopsy?" Alongside these online searches, investigators alleged he made YouTube queries such as "how to make poison" and "Top 5 Undetectable Poisons That Show No Signs of Foul Play." Fox News Digital has reached out to James Craig's lead attorney, Lisa Fine Moses, for article source: Colorado dentist drugged wife years before alleged poisoning murder, friend testifies
International Business Times
17-07-2025
- International Business Times
Father of Child Victim in Rape Case Killed After Being Offered $12K Bribe to Drop Charges in St Louis, Hitman Also Found Dead
July 17, 2025 15:03 +08 Lavor Harmon Facebook A key witness, who was the father of a sex crime victim, was offered a bribe to not press charges in the case. He refused to accept the hush money, leading to his murder and the death of his killer. The man killed was a witness in the case against Lavor Harmon. Harmon, 39, faces three counts of second-degree statutory sodomy and one count of second-degree statutory rape. He was charged in June. Lavor Accused of Engaging in Sexual Activities with 15-Year-Old Child Charging documents against Harmon said that on or about March 21, he met his victim while she was walking home from the school bus. The charging documents said they exchanged phone numbers, and he later picked her up and took her shopping. After that, he took her to a home and engaged in sexual activities. The victim was 15 at the time. Prosecutors allege his 44-year-old sister, Lavonda Harmon, showed up at the father's doorstep with a mystery man and a handful of $12,000 in cash. The father reportedly refused the to court records obtained by Fox2Now, the father was fatally shot on July 8 at his home on Bayview Drive in Ferguson. Those records indicate a minor child was present when the man was shot to death. Hitman Found Dead on the Same Day, Getaway Vehicle Torched Police said a white Kia was spotted driving away from that scene. Later that same day, the suspected male shooter was found executed in St. Louis, according to investigators. The getaway vehicle was located nearby – torched. Lavonda Harmon is already out of jail after paying a full $100,000 cash-only bond. Her brother, Lavor Harmon, jailed on a newly-increased $2 million cash-only bond.
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Iowa basketball makes final six schools for 2026 4-star Katrelle Harmon
After signing highly-touted forward Trey Thompson, Iowa basketball is among the final six schools for elite 2026 guard Katrelle Harmon. In addition to Iowa, Harmon's five other finalists include Alabama, Creighton and Big Ten foes Oregon, Rutgers, and Washington. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Seattle native currently attends Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah, after transferring there before his 2024-25 junior season. Also a member Nike EYBL's Vegas Elite, Harmon earned first-team All-Circuit honors in Phoenix's Session I after averaging 24.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Harmon was also a Nike EYBL 17U Spring All-Circuit third-team member with Vegas Elite after posting averages of 16.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Per 247Sports, Harmon ranks as the No. 3 prospect in the state of Utah, as the No. 9 combo guard and as the No. 55 overall recruit in the 2026 class. Harmon has already taken an official visit to the Hawkeyes on June 25. The visit impressed Harmon and fostered confidence in head coach Ben McCollum's ability to develop point guards through his system and in the opportunity that Iowa would provide for him to become a leader, per his conversation with Rivals' Joe Tipton (subscription required). 'Another perfect fit actually. Ben's development of point guards is almost unmatched over the last 10 years in the college game. So the positional development would be great. It's a proven offensive system that one-third of the NBA uses. I'd be the on-court leader of that group, an extension of the coach. Amazing opportunity and challenge to take over after Bennett Stirtz leaves," Harmon said. While Harmon plans to schedule two more official visits before making his commitment, the Hawkeyes' rapid reversal of their national image on the college basketball recruiting landscape following the hire of McCollum certainly appears to have sparked significant interest from Harmon. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
Chicago Tribune
08-07-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Illinois Senate President Don Harmon appeals potential $9.8 million fine for improperly accepting campaign cash
An attorney for Illinois Senate President Don Harmon's political operation says state election authorities reached an 'absurd' conclusion earlier this year in issuing nearly $10 million in penalties against Harmon's campaign fund after determining he violated campaign fundraising limits. In an 11-page appeal filed late last week with the Illinois State Board of Elections, attorney Michael Kasper also laid out what amounted to a legal justification for Harmon's unsuccessful attempt in the closing hours of this spring's legislative session to pass a measure that could have negated the case and the $9.8 million potential penalty. At issue is whether Harmon, a Democrat from Oak Park, improperly accepted $4 million more in campaign contributions after the March 2024 primary than permitted under limits established in a state law he co-sponsored. The elections board leveled the charges this spring after a Chicago Tribune inquiry about the fundraising activities of his Friends of Don Harmon for State Senate campaign fund. Using a frequently used loophole in a law purportedly designed to help candidates compete with wealthy opponents, Harmon contributed $100,001 to his own campaign in January 2023. It was precisely one dollar over the contribution limit threshold that allowed him or anyone else running for his Senate seat to accept unlimited funds for that race. In campaign paperwork, Harmon indicated he thought the move allowed him to collect unlimited cash through the November 2024 election cycle. But board officials informed him that the loophole would only be open through the March 2024 primary, meaning they viewed the campaign cash Harmon collected above campaign restrictions between the March primary and the end of the year was not allowed. Responding to a June 5 letter in which elections board staff notified Harmon's campaign of the impending fine, his attorney argued that the January 2023 contribution should have lifted the contribution limits at least through the end of 2024, if not through the March 2026 primary, when Harmon's seat will next appear on the ballot. 'The staff's analysis would create an absurd system that unfairly benefits self-funding candidates and also turns campaign finance compliance into simple accounting gimmicks,' Kasper wrote. The state elections board had no comment on Harmon's appeal, spokesperson Matt Dietrich said Monday. Harmon campaign spokespersonTom Bowen said the appeal 'speaks for itself.' The next step is for a hearing officer to hold a hearing with both sides and make a recommendation to be reviewed by the board's general counsel before the board issues a final ruling, possibly as soon as its August meeting. In the filing, Harmon's campaign argued the elections board's interpretation would allow a candidate in his position to accept unlimited contributions during a period well before an election when no opponent has entered the race and then have limits put back in place closer to when voting begins. Conversely, a candidate in Harmon's position could also simply lift the limits again by refunding his own cap-busting contribution the day after a primary and depositing it back into the campaign fund 'on the same day — the same hour — the same minute,' the campaign said in its appeal. 'Does the money even have to move accounts, or can it just be an accounting entry?' Kasper wrote. 'According to the Board's staff, (due to) the fact that Mr. Harmon did not go through this, frankly, silly exercise, he now faces almost $10,000,000 in fines and penalties. 'The General Assembly did not enact the thorough and time-tested campaign finance regime that we have today by requiring candidates to jump through accounting hoops simply for the purpose of jumping through the hoop.' In arguing that the contribution cap should have been off through at least the end of 2024, Harmon's filing also calls attention to how the board's determination treated his situation differently than it would a member of the Illinois House, where each seat is up for election every two years. Senate seats, by contrast, have two four-year terms and one two-year term each decade. This issue was at the heart of Harmon's controversial attempt to add language into elections legislation on the final day of the spring session that would have declared it 'existing law' that senators halfway through a four-year term 'shall be deemed to have been nominated at the next general primary election, regardless of whether the candidate's name appeared on the general primary election ballot.' Defending the move to the Tribune days after backlash to the provision tanked the broader elections bill, Harmon said: 'A fundamental notion of campaign finance law is that House candidates and Senate candidates be treated the same. The state board staff's interpretation treats House candidates and Senate candidates fundamentally differently.' In the recent filing, Harmon's attorney points out that a section on contribution limits in the board's own campaign disclosure guide notes, 'Candidates seeking office in the General Assembly have their election cycle reset every general election regardless of participation.' 'It makes little sense that the Board would treat Senate and House candidates the same for purposes of applying contribution limitations, but differently for removing contribution limitations after a primary election,' Kasper wrote. 'Instead, the General Assembly structured election cycles so that all legislative candidates are treated the same.' Calling the board's penalty — a payment to the state's general fund equal to the more than $4 million it says Harmon raised in excess of the limits, plus a nearly $5.8 million fine calculated based on 150% of that same amount — 'excessive' and 'unconstitutional,' Harmon's campaign asked for the matter to be dismissed.
