Ducks Digest

Oregon Ducks DT Maceal Afaese Medically Retires

Maceal Afaese signed with Oregon in the 2020 class but struggled to stay healthy in Eugene.

Max Torres

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Oregon Ducks defensive tackle Maceal Afaese has medically retired, head coach Dan Lanning confirmed on Thursday.

"Yeah he medicalled," Lanning said following Oregon's first spring practice.

Afaese's name was not included on the updated spring roster released by the Oregon Athletic Department Thursday morning. 

The 6-foot-4, 259-pound defensive lineman was entering his redshirt sophomore season with the Ducks in 2023. He missed the entire 2022 season due to injury. 

Afaese signed with Oregon as a three-star (0.8896 per 247Sports Composite) recruit from Kapoeli High School in Hawaii as a member of the 2020 class under former head coach Mario Cristobal. During his three years in Eugene he played in three games and logged 22 total snaps. 

His departure brings the Ducks to 91 total scholarships, six more than the 85 each school is allotted per NCAA rules.

Oregon's defensive line is a crowded room ahead of next season, with numerous veterans including Brandon Dorlus, Popo Aumavae, Casey Rogers and Taki Taimani returning. 

The Ducks also prioritized signing plenty of players along the defensive line in the 2023 recruiting class, with Tevita Pome'e and My'Keil Gardner among the early enrollees that are on campus for spring practice.

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Max Torres
MAX TORRES

Max Torres is the publisher and lead editor of Ducks Digest. He's covered the Oregon football and recruiting beats for four years. He's based out of Long Beach, CA and travels around Southern California and the country covering top high school football prospects.

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