**Editor’s Note: This story first appeared in the Emerald’s Duck Season magazine, a preview of the Oregon football team’s upcoming season that is currently available for free at all Duck Store locations in Eugene. We will post each story in the days leading up to the first day of fall practice on Aug. 10.

Oregon linebackers are often plagued by inadequate open-field tackling and gap discipline, and Ohio State exploited those weaknesses in the National Championship. Interior starters Joe Walker and Rodney Hardrick will return and provide leadership to an inexperienced group of outside linebackers that includes touted true freshman Fotu Leiato and two junior college recruits. Junior Torrodney Prevot and sophomore four-star recruit Justin Hollins both possess the playmaking ability to fill the shoes of graduates Tony Washington and Derrick Malone on the edge. Danny Mattingly and Jimmie Swain also figure to see increased roles since Oregon tends to rotate frequently on each side of the ball.

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UPDATE: The University of Oregon and the survivor of an alleged sexual assault involving three men’s basketball players have settled their lawsuit, UO President Michael Schill said in an email to members of the campus community, Tuesday.

The survivor, Jane Doe, said in a statement: “I am so glad to have this case behind me today and to be able to focus on my studies. I am very grateful for the outpouring of support that I have received from students, faculty, and other organizations. The response from the UO community has been remarkable and I know that the increased awareness around these issues on our campus can only serve to help us. I would be remiss to not specifically thank the Dean of Students Office and my therapist from the UCTC and other UCTC personnel for their continued assistance throughout this experience. Without those services, it would have been very difficult to stay in school here during these events and for that I am very grateful.”

Schill said in his email: “I do not believe any of our coaches, administrators, or other university personnel acted wrongfully, nor do I believe that any one of them failed to live up to the high moral standards that we value and that they embody in their work every day.”

The plaintiff’s federal Title IX lawsuit with the University was ongoing for 11 months.

The survivor dismissed the team’s head coach, Dana Altman, from a civil lawsuit, DuckTerritory.com reported Saturday.

The lawsuit alleged that Altman and others knew Providence transfer Brandon Austin had been suspended due to allegations of sexual misconduct when they recruited him.

The players involved in the alleged assault — Austin, Dominic Artis and Damyean Dotson — were dismissed from the team and later banned from the UO campus in spring 2014.

The official document of the dismissal — dated and signed on July 31 — can be found on UO Economics Professor Bill Harbaugh’s website, UO Matters.

John Clune, one of the plaintiff’s attorneys, provided the following statement to the Emerald via email:

“Our client has agreed to dismiss her claims against Dana Altman and she looks forward to concluding the rest of her matter shortly.  We will make no other statements at this time.”

Altman and the UO provided these statements to DuckTerritory:

From Altman: “On Friday, the plaintiff voluntarily dismissed her lawsuit against me. I appreciate the support I have received from the university and its fans. I look forward to the upcoming season.”

From the university: “We are pleased that the claims against Dana Altman have been dismissed, and we look forward to bringing this matter to a close. We cannot make additional statements at this time.”

The plaintiff, referred to in legal documents by the pseudonym “Jane Doe,” sued Altman in January. The university and Altman filed and dropped a counterclaim against Doe in February.

A full timeline of events can be found here.

The Eugene Emeralds came into Monday night’s bout with the Boise Hawks with a clean slate. They lost seven games the past eight days, but today marked the beginning of a new-ish season.

Eugene (17-21) finished third to division-winner Hillsboro (22-16) in the Northwest League South’s first half. If it wins the second half, it will play Hillsboro in a three-game playoff series starting Sept. 7. The winner will play the North winner in the league championship round.

“Our mulligan’s over,” manager Gary Van Tol said. “We were riding a pretty good wave and we lost that. Most of the guys in the clubhouse tasted that. Now let’s kick it into gear and address some things we can do better.”

The Emeralds burst the second half open with a strong offensive showing that was overdue. They tallied 11 hits in their 9-5 win, and scored their highest run total in the past 18 games.

Second-round draft pick Donnie Dewees flexed his offensive prowess again after first-rounder Ian Happ was called up to South Bend last week. He extended his hitting streak to seven games, tallied 3 RBIs and launched his third home run in five games, a solo shot off Angel Lezama. He led off the first inning by singling then stealing second and third base.

“He’s a hacker,” Van Tol said of Dewees. “He gets things going. He’s not there to take pitches and when he runs into one he’s got some pop. He’s doing things at the top of the order to be that spark plug guy.”

Eloy Jimenez put Eugene on the board with a ground rule double that knocked Dewees home, and then tied the score on Ian Rice’s RBI double. Matt Rose attempted to score from first but was gunned down at the plate by the shortstop on a relay from the left fielder.

Oscar De La Cruz suffered a rare hiccup in his seventh start for Eugene. He balked in a run in the first inning and spread five earned runs across five innings.

“He wasn’t his most efficient, but he grinded it out,” Van Tol said of De La Cruz. “It always seems like [a balk] happens with a runner on third. For whatever reason, I think he lost focus a little bit.”

The Hawks scored three runs off De La Cruz in the third, but gave two back on errors in the inning’s bottom half. Jimenez reached base with two outs on the shortstop Herrera’s high throw to first, and advanced to third on Matt Rose’s double. Both runners came around to score when Albert Mineo’s sharp ground ball ricocheted off the glove of Boise second baseman Forrest Wall, and the Emeralds took a 6-5 lead.

The Emeralds took off with the game from there. Blake Headley delivered Eugene’s fifth double and scored Mineo in the fifth inning. Rose picked up an RBI on a sixth-inning single. Dewees’s RBI groundout in the seventh gave Eugene a four-run edge.

The Emeralds are now 1-0 in the second half and tied 1-1 in the series. They’ll play the rubber match against Boise tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. before heading north to Spokane for a four-game series with the Indians.

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Former Oregon track and field star Andrew Wheating won gold in the men’s 1500 at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.

Wheating, who now runs for Nike OTC Elite, finished in 3 minutes, 41.41 seconds. The time was his fastest since his personal best in Monaco in 2010 (3:30.90), the fifth-fastest time in the world.

Wheating’s gold medal is his first as both a professional and a member of the USA national team. He was crowned NCAA champion when he posted a time of 3 minutes, 47.94 seconds in the 1500 for the Ducks in 2010.

This was the first time Wheating earned a medal on an international stage. Wheating finished 8th in his 1500 heat at the 2011 World Track and Field Championships in Daegu. He placed 12th at the 2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene and failed to qualify for the IAAF World Championships in Moscow.

As a member of Team USA, Wheating advanced to the quarterfinal of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the semifinal of the 2012 London Olympics.

Wheating hadn’t raced since he qualified for the team with a fifth place finish at the June national championships in Eugene.

Such an incredible moment! Thank you Toronto! Thank you #TeamWheating supporters! This gold is for you!#TO2015 #USATF pic.twitter.com/A9u93rfSXS

— Andrew Wheating (@AndrewWheating) July 25, 2015

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Former Oregon track and field star Andrew Wheating won gold in the men’s 1500 at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.

Wheating, who now runs for Nike OTC Elite, finished in 3 minutes, 41.41 seconds. He set the fifth-fastest time in the world (3:30.90) in Monaco, 2010.

Wheating’s gold medal is his first as both a professional and a member of the USA national team. He was crowned NCAA champion when he posted a time of 3 minutes, 47.94 seconds in the 1500 for the Ducks in 2010.

This was the first time Wheating earned a medal on an international stage. Wheating finished 8th in his 1500 heat at the 2011 World Track and Field Championships in Daegu. He placed 12th at the 2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene and failed to qualify for the IAAF World Championships in Moscow.

As a member of Team USA, Wheating advanced to the quarterfinal of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the semifinal of the 2012 London Olympics.

Wheating hadn’t raced since he qualified for the team with a 5th place finish at the June national championships in Eugene.

Such an incredible moment! Thank you Toronto! Thank you #TeamWheating supporters! This gold is for you!#TO2015 #USATF pic.twitter.com/A9u93rfSXS

— Andrew Wheating (@AndrewWheating) July 25, 2015

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Marcus Mariota signed a four-year deal worth $24.2 million, including a $15.9 million signing bonus, with the Tennessee Titans Thursday. Negotiations between the Titans and their 2015 second-round draft pick were prolonged due to Mariota’s desire to include offset language in his contract, which he was eventually awarded. By comparison, first-overall pick Jameis Winston got a four-year deal worth $25.35 million, including a $16.9 million signing bonus, in his contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which also includes offset language.

The Oregonian gave Oregon sophomore running back Royce Freeman 30/1 odds to win the Heisman Trophy in 2016. Texas Christian quarterback Trevone Boykin was given the best odds, 4.5/1; Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliot, USC quarterback Cody Kessler and all three Ohio State quarterbacks reportedly have better chances.

Five-star guard Tyler Dorsey was added to the Oregon men’s basketball roster Tuesday. Dorsey, a 6’4″ 180-pound prospect from Pasadena, California, decided not to sign a national letter of intent but is officially enrolled at University of Oregon. The No. 16 prospect in the nation will join three four-star recruits in Oregon’s impressive 2015 freshman class.

Former Oregon two-time All-American center Hroniss Grasu was featured in an ad for Yahoo! Fantasy Sports Draft Day last week. Grasu, who has never been to an NFL game before, was drafted in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.

Chicago Cubs’ first-round draft-pick Ian Happ was called up to the South Bend Cubs Wednesday. Happ made a splash with the Eugene Emeralds, the Cubs’ short-season single-A affiliate, posting a .283/.408/.491 slash line in 29 games.

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The Eugene Emeralds (17-18) trailed 1-0 to the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (18-17) and mustered just two hits heading into the bottom of the eighth. After Matt Rose’s pinch-hit single, lead-off hitter Donnie Dewees crushed a 1-0 fastball over the fence in left-center to take the lead.

“I knew it was a big at bat so I was a lot more locked in,” Dewees said.

Dewees’s first professional home run was a breakthrough for himself and his team. The Emeralds hung on to win 2-1 and snapped their four-game losing streak at PK Park Thursday night.

Dewees’s batting average had fallen from .281 to .230 over his last ten games.

“It’s been a rough start,” Dewees said. “It’s been hard but I know if I keep pushing, keep working, it’s all going to turn around and everything’s going to be all right.

“He’s a gamer,” manager Gary Van Tol said of the organization’s 2015 second-round draft pick. “He wants it bad and he puts more pressure on himself than anybody else. Those guys are kind of streaky. When he’s pressing a little bit too much, it’s an uphill battle.”

Dewees’s individual play seems to dictate the Emeralds performance. At home, Dewees is hitting .315 and the Emeralds are 12-5. Away, he’s hitting just .130 and Eugene is 5-13.

“It’s the Jekyll and Hyde show,” Van Tol said. “We’re either really high at home or really low on the road and we need to try and even things out.”

The Emeralds went 1-4 on their recent road trip to Vancouver and were outscored 34-12.

“Runs are tough to come by for whatever reason,” Van too said. “Hopefully that will kick start things for us and getting some runs won’t be as tough.”

The Hillsboro Hops (20-15) defeated the Boise Hawks (12-23) 4-1 tonight and thus eliminated Eugene from first-half playoff contention. The Emeralds can still clinch a spot in second half of the season, which begins July 26 and ends September 6.

The Emeralds will have to do so without first-round draft pick Ian Happ, who was promoted to the South Bend Cubs last week. Happ missed the Emeralds’ last three games in Vancouver as he battled the stomach flu. He was riding the bus back to Eugene with the team when he got the call up to the Cubs’ long-season Class A affiliate.

“There will be big shoes to fill,” Van Tol said. “We tried to hang onto him as long as possible. You knew each day he was getting closer and closer to getting the call up.”

Happ flew to Chicago today and will spend tomorrow at Wrigley Field as the Chicago Cubs take on the Philadelphia Phillies. He’ll will take batting practice on the field with the team if he feels up for it.

Salem Keizer’s Michael Connolly allowed just one hit and no runs in 6.2 innings but was credited with a no-decision. Eugene’s Tyler Peitzmeier pitched the game’s final two innings and picked up his second win.

The Emeralds will take on another dominant starting pitcher, San Francisco Giants’ 2015 second-round draft pick Andrew Suarez, 7:05 pm Friday at PK Park.

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Three-star safety Troy Dye out of Norco High School (Norco, California) announced his commitment to Oregon Ducks football Thursday. Dye, who turned down offers from Michigan and Oregon State, ranks 38 on Rivals.com 2016 safeties class.

Four-star cornerback Trayvon Mullen, a U.S. Army All-American from Pompano Beach, Florida, announced his official visit to Oregon Thursday. Among offers from more than 40 schools, Mullen narrowed his five official visits down to Oregon, Ohio State, Florida State, LSU and TCU.

Right-handed pitcher Stephen Nogosek was named to USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, the sixth Duck honored since 2010. Nogosek, who set the Oregon single season record with 39 appearances this season, will join Team USA for its five-game series with the Cuban National Team that starts Wednesday.

Scott Heineman, an 11th round draft pick, elected to forego his senior season with Oregon baseball to sign a minor-league contract with the Texas Rangers. Heineman becomes the fourth Duck in 2015 to go professional instead of play his senior year, preceded by Garrett Cleavinger, Josh Graham and Mitchell Tolman, who were selected ahead of him.

Four children, ages 10 to 12, were charged with second-degree arson Thursday after burning down Civic Stadium Monday. A fifth boy, who was called home 15-20 prior to the fire, told his parents, who tipped off the police.

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Five of the six Ducks selected in the 2015 MLB Draft elected to forgo their senior seasons and sign with professional teams. In total, Oregon lost its best hitter, best base stealer and three flame-throwing bullpen arms.

Fortunately for head coach George Horton, his trusty ace is returning.

Starting pitcher Cole Irvin will stay in Eugene and play his senior season, he announced July 11 via Twitter.

Can’t wait to get to Eugene and start the journey to Omaha with the squad, excited to throw on that Duck uniform again! #goducks #eug2oma

— Cole Irvin (@cole_irvin19) July 12, 2015

Irvin, Matt Krook and David Peterson are the pitchers to beat for a spot in the Ducks’ 2016 starting rotation. Horton raved about the prospect of having three left handers over 6’3” in the mix.

“That might be the most special rotation I’ve ever had, if they reach their potential,” Horton said after last season.

The Ducks have a surplus of talented starting pitchers, but pitching coach Dean Stiles stressed the three southpaws have yet to secure their starting roles.

“We’re not going to hand those positions to those guys,” Stiles said. “That’s obviously something they’ll have to earn in the fall, but certainly if it pans out they will be a pretty formidable group.”

Irvin’s draft stock has fallen since 2012, when the Toronto Blue Jays drafted him in the 29th round. Irvin was selected in the 32nd round by the Blue Jays this year but turned down the offer, presumably to boost his draft stock and help the Ducks win their first NCAA championship.

The Ducks have reason to be concerned about their starters’ durability. After standout rookie campaigns, both Irvin and Krook redshirted their sophomore seasons to undergo Tommy John surgery. In the past four years, five Oregon starting pitchers have gone under the knife for the same procedure, which normally requires at least a year to recover.

Irvin didn’t miss a start in 2015 but also didn’t make the same impression he made as a freshman. He only produced two wins compared to 12 in 2013. Irvin returned to the mound in 2015 and was limited by a stringent pitch count regimen in order to ease his way back to freshman form.

Irvin had a hard time maintaining his velocity and saw the speed of his fastball drop. His opponents’ weighted on-base average, a comprehensive stat which measures overall offensive value, increased from .275 to .303.

The Miami Marlins selected Krook out of high school in the first round of the 2013 MLB draft, but a post-draft MRI revealed a slight tear in his throwing shoulder. Miami reduced its offer by more than half and Krook chose to pitch at Oregon instead.

Krook struck out 60 batters in 45 innings and groomed a 1.79 ERA before he threw his season-ending pitch on April 5, 2014, an 0-1 slider against Washington’s Braden Bishop. Krook immediately dropped his glove and grabbed his elbow; he was subsequently pulled from the game.

Nevertheless, Stiles’ forecasts for Irvin and Krook are optimistic.

“They both have gone through the entire rehab process, and have both shown they’re working back to the pitchers they were prior to their injuries,” Stiles said.

Stiles noted that Irvin’s velocity got back to the 91-92 miles-per-hour range toward the end of the 2015 season, and Krook has shown no velocity decrease in his bullpen sessions thus far.

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Chicago Cubs 2015 first-round draft pick Ian Happ knocked his sixth hit and third double in the finale of the Eugene’ three-game home series with the Hillsboro Hops. Happ, however, was the only Emerald who could muster any offense against the top pitching staff in the Northwest League.

Hops’ starting pitcher Cody Reed, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2014 second-round pick, took a perfect game into the seventh inning and earned the 2-0 win over Eugene Friday night.

“He had it going,” manager Gary Van Tol said of Reed. “He got in that groove and you could feel that everything was working for him.”

Ian Happ broke up no-hitter with a two-out double, but clean-up hitter Eloy Jimenez struck out and left him stranded.

Jimenez missed another opportunity to score Happ with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Happ prolonged the game with his second hit and Jimenez crushed a line drive to the warning track, but the Hops left fielder tracked it down to end the game.

A 6’3″+, 240-pound left-hander shut out the Emeralds for a second straight night. Reed pumped upper-80s to low-90s fastballs down in the zone and froze the Emeralds for seven strikeouts. Last night, Hops starting pitcher Jared Miller tossed six innings, struck out eleven and improved his record to 6-0, his ERA to 0.66.

Reed was committed to play for Vanderbilt but chose to sign with Arizona out of high school. He was named Player of the Year by Alabama Sports Writers Association and Gatorade his senior year of high school, when he posted absurd numbers: 226 strikeouts and only 17 walks in 92 innings with a 0.46 ERA.

“At the end of the day, good pitching should beat good hitting,” Van Tol said. “I’m proud of our guys for battling after six.”

The Emeralds (15-14) have dropped six of their last seven games after winning five straight. Now two games behind Hillsboro (17-12) in the Northwest League South, they’ll look to regain the top spot in a five-game road series with the Vancouver Canadians beginning Saturday at 7:05 p.m.

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