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It’s been a roller coaster for Ducks junior quarterback Dylan Raiola.
He’s said it. His coach has said it. And Oregon fans have seen it as the Nebraska transfer has gone from hero to goat (not the good kind) to hero again.
“I knew beforehand there was (going to) be emotions. There was (going to) be stuff going through my head,” Raiola said after coming on in relief to lead the Ducks past Nebraska on Saturday. “This game was never about them. It was always about Oregon. It was always about us, and us getting back on track to playing our brand of football.”
The ride continues Saturday when the Ducks travel to face Illinois, with Dante Moore out yet again and the Ducks still not announcing whether Raiola or Brock Thomas will start.
Of course, being in the spotlight is what Raiola signed up for.
But over the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking about the ride the other Raiola is on as well.
After Oregon’s 17-15 loss to UCLA two weeks ago, I watched as Dylan walked off the field at Autzen Stadium alongside his younger brother Dayton, a freshman tight end who has had his own whirlwind journey to Eugene.
Dayton initially committed to Nebraska as a three-star quarterback, backed off that pledge in November and ultimately followed his older brother to Oregon, signing with the Ducks in February and switching positions to tight end.
That’s a lot of change for a freshman. Throw in having an older brother who has become a lightning rod for attention, and it can’t be the easiest first season in Eugene for the younger sibling.
“Dayton’s his own man, right?” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “He comes out to practice, has his own relationships on the team, does his own job, plays a different position.”
Lanning said it’s been fun to see the brothers connect in practice, particularly when Dylan throws passes to Dayton. But he’s also been impressed by the younger Raiola’s work ethic and how he’s carved out his own place on the team.
But if you ask Dylan, Dayton is doing far more than that.
Because while Dylan did sign up for this ride, he’s found the emotional swings a lot easier to stomach with Dayton by his side.
“My Brother’s been my best friend for a long time,” Dylan said. “I think it’s a blessing to have him here, especially through this last month. It’s kind of been a roller coaster of emotions, up, down. My brother, he’s been there for me in this month, but he’s been there for me my whole life.”
The hard lessons
A team can play poorly and take away a lot of hard lessons in a loss.
A team can play poorly and take away a lot of hard lessons in a win.
The Oregon Ducks are happy to choose the second option as they continue to figure out their offense while keeping their postseason hopes alive.
“Nobody else cares, but I think this will be the year that I’ve grown the most in my position,” Lanning said after Nebraska. “It’s challenged me in a lot of ways to really dig deep and figure out where I have to get better and improve and how I can make this better. Because ultimately, I’m responsible for all of it, and it has to look better than it has and be more consistent at times. I’ve learned a lot of hard lessons…Hard lessons, man.”
The latest on Evan Stewart
Oregon star receiver Evan Stewart will not be playing on Saturday, per Oregon’s official availability report released on Wednesday.
That’s due to injury. As for Stewart’s status with the Oregon Ducks following his Sunday morning arrest for DUII, the Ducks aren’t going to talk about it anymore.
“There was an incident this weekend that didn’t match our standard here in our program,” Lanning 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 (going to) respond to any other questions about that. We’re (going to) handle that with our guys.
“There’s an expectation of what you have to … how you have to act, and how you need to perform in our program. Kind of overshadows the success that we had on Saturday, which is disappointing, but that will be handled by us internally. I’m not going to speak on it publicly.”
New from Lookout: Stewart’s license had been suspended since March.
INSIDE look
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“I did go back and look at that week of preparation that I had and I kind of tweaked some little things in my routine, and I think that made a big adjustment in how I was able to play free and play clean.”
— Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola
UPCOMING GAMES
Thursday, Oct. 22
- Women’s soccer: at Wisconsin, 5 p.m. (B1G+)
Friday, Oct. 23
- Men’s tennis: Duck Invite, Eugene (through Sunday)
- Volleyball: at No. 16 Penn State, 4 p.m. (B1G+)
Saturday, Oct. 24
- Football: at Illinois, noon (Big Ten Network)
- Softball: vs. Oregon Tech, 1:30 p.m.
- Softball: vs. Mt. Hood CC, 4 p.m.
- Volleyball: at Ohio State, 4 p.m. (B1G+)
Sunday, Oct. 25
- Women’s soccer: at Minnesota, 11 a.m. (B1G+)
- Softball: vs. Southwestern Oregon CC, 11 a.m.
- Men’s basketball: vs. Stanford (exhibition), 1:30 p.m. (B1G+)
- Softball: vs. Southern Oregon, 1:30 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 26
- Men’s golf: The Preserve Golf Club Collegiate, Carmel Valley, Calif.
Tuesday, Oct. 27
- Men’s golf: The Preserve Golf Club Collegiate, Carmel Valley, Calif.
STORIES I’m WORKING ON
Some guy named Chip Kelly is coming to town next week.
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Now, it’s off to Illinois for the third time this year,
Tyson
