Ducks Digest

Oregon Ducks Land Transfer Defensive Lineman Bear Alexander: Ducks' Class Jumps To No. 3

USC Trojans transfer portal defensive tackle Bear Alexander is transferring to play for the Oregon Ducks and coach Dan Lanning. Formerly with the Georgia Bulldogs, Alexander recently visited the Penn State Nittany Lions and was also considering the SMU Mustangs.

Bri Amaranthus

Oregon Ducks Land Transfer Defensive Lineman Bear Alexander
Oregon Ducks Land Transfer Defensive Lineman Bear Alexander / Bear Alexander Twitter/x
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USC Trojans transfer portal defensive lineman Bear Alexander is going to be an Oregon Duck and play for coach Dan Lanning.

After paying a visit to coach James Franklin and the Penn State Nittany Lions in Happy Valley on Dec. 15, Alexander made his way to Eugene to visit coach Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks on Dec. 19.

Alexander is one of the most coveted defensive lineman available in the transfer portal. He was a former top-100 recruit and four-star player in the class of 2022. Alexander has two seasons of eligbility left.

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Alexander is Oregon's sixth player to transfer into the program. The Ducks' 2025 transfer class currently ranks No. 3 on On3.

"It’s time to claim what’s rightfully yours. Had a few setbacks but never set back!!!" Alexander wrote on Twitter/X.

The 6-3, 315-pound junior entered the portal from coach Lincoln Riley's program in Southern California after just three games this season to preserve his redshirt eligibility this season. His collegiate career started with coach Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs (2022) before transferring to USC (2023-24). Alexander has played 61 games with stats of 36 solo tackles, four pass deflections, and 3.5 sacks.

During his freshman season at Georgia, Alexander totaled nine tackles and two sacks. After transferring to the Trojans, Alexander improved to 47 total tackles and 1.5 sacks in his sophomore season, starting all 13 games in 2023. In 2024, Alexander has recorded just four tackles and was in a backup role for USC.

In high school, Alexander was also on the move, attending four different schools in four years: Terrell in Texas, Denton Ryan in Texas, Fort Worth Brewer in Texas, and IMG Academy in Florida. Oregon will be his seventh school in seven years.

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks on during the third quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium.
Nov 16, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks on during the third quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Tony Jones, a father figure to Alexander, has been the front face of Alexander's transfer situation.

"We made clear what our goals are. . . That goal is to be a full-time starter and leader on the defense like we came there to be... If Bear not being a starter and playing 35 or 40 snaps a game isn't in the best interest of the team... We need to do something different."

- Tony Jones via ESPN

With the Ducks, defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi and defensive line coach Tony Tuioti will hope to get the most out of Alexander.

Alexander visited while Oregon is preparing for the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff.

Oregon is the No. 1 seed in the CFP and will play in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 at 2p.m. PT. The Ducks will play the winner of Ohio State and Tennessee in the first round.

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Bri Amaranthus
BRI AMARANTHUS

Bri Amaranthus is an Emmy-winning sports reporter with over 12 years of experience in television, radio, podcasting, and digital sports journalism. She has been with Sports Illustrated for four years, providing breaking news, exclusive interviews, and analysis on the NFL, college sports, and the NBA. Prior to joining SI, Bri hosted NBC Sports Northwest's prime-time television show, where she also served as the Oregon beat reporter and created content covering both the NBA and college sports. Throughout her career, Bri has achieved significant milestones, including covering major events like the NBA Finals, NFL playoffs, College Football Playoff, NCAA Basketball Tournament, NFL Draft, and the NFL Combine. She earned a D1 scholarship to play softball at the University of San Diego and won two state softball titles in high school in Oregon. In addition to her Emmy win for NBC's All-Star Coach special, she has received multiple Emmy nominations, highlighting her dedication and talent in sports journalism.

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