Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart was arrested early Sunday morning on DUII charges, prompting coach Dan Lanning to promise internal discipline but declined to reveal further details. Stewart was booked at Springfield Municipal Jail, according to official records.
At his Monday press conference, Lanning described the incident as falling short of the program’s expectations. “There was an incident this weekend that didn’t match our standard here in our program,” he said. “There will be an appropriate action taken. Still gathering some details with what that situation looks like. But that would be handled internally. I’m not gonna respond to any other questions about that. We’re gonna handle that with our guys.”
Lanning acknowledged the arrest overshadowed Oregon’s recent on-field success, referring to Saturday’s win over Nebraska as “disappointing” in light of the situation. He reiterated the team’s standards for conduct and performance but declined to comment further, saying, “I’m not going to speak on it publicly.”
When asked about unconfirmed rumors of a speeding incident involving other Oregon players, Lanning said, “I was talking about the same thing when I first addressed it,” without providing additional information.
Stewart leads the Ducks this season with 27 catches for 352 yards and four touchdowns but missed the Nebraska game due to an undisclosed injury. His arraignment for the DUII charge has not yet been scheduled, as no official charges have been filed with Springfield Municipal Court as of Monday evening.
This marks the second time in less than a year that a member of the Oregon football program has faced DUII allegations. In April, running backs coach Ra’Shaad Samples was involved in a separate incident when he allegedly backed his vehicle into a parked car outside a Eugene bar. His next court date is set for October 27.
Oregon holds a 4-2 overall record and 2-1 in the Pac-12 as they prepare for a road matchup against Illinois this Saturday at 12 p.m. PT. Lanning and the Ducks will face the Fighting Illini with Stewart’s status unclear following the arrest.
The Oregon program has recently made headlines with a rise in the College Football Playoff rankings and Lanning’s public support for expanding the playoff to 24 teams. Meanwhile, Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham recently criticized Oregon’s roster spending, adding to the program’s off-field distractions.
As the Ducks approach a critical stretch of their season, the situation involving Stewart remains unresolved publicly, with only the promise of internal consequences from the coaching staff.
According to Yahoo Sports.
