Oregon Ducks’ Justius Lowe 'Definitey the Smartest' in Wide Receiver Room

As the No. 2 Oregon Ducks head to West Lafayette, Indiana, to face the Purdue Boilermakers, one player to watch is sophomore wide receiver Justius Lowe. Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart called Lowe the smartest wideout in on the Ducks.

Sep 2, 2023; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Justius Lowe (14) takes a break during warm ups before a game against the Portland State Vikings at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

EUGENE- The Oregon Ducks are preparing for a Friday kickoff against the Purdue Boilermakers this week. After a thrilling win over the Ohio State Buckeyes, ranked No. 2 at the time, the Ducks head into this Purdue game with great confidence and momentum. The No. 2 Oregon Ducks are favored by 27.5 points with a 95 percent chance of winning. One Duck that is anticipated to see more field time Friday is sophomore wide receiver Justius Lowe, who proved against Ohio State that he is ready for big moments. 

“I feel like I executed,” said Lowe Tuesday after practice. “I made a couple big blocks and stuff like that and had a catch.” 

Lowe played a crucial role in Oregon’s offense after Oregon's Traeshon Holden was ejected in the first half for spitting on Ohio State defensive back Davison Igbinosun. Lowe caught a pass for nine yards in a critical part of the game as well as blocked defenders for his teammates, contributing to the Ducks' offensive success. 

Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Justius Lowe (14) against the Liberty Flames during the 2024 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

“Making sure I just take care of the opportunity that was handed to me, just executing my job and stuff like that. It's always the next man up mentality. So take care of my job,” Lowe said of his performance. 

Although Lowe is a younger player on Oregon’s roster, he proved during the Ohio State game that he is ready for any opportunity and has an undoubtably high football IQ. After the game, fellow receivers Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart had nothing but good things to say about the Oregon native Lowe. 

“We love Justius; we already knew [Justius] was gonna step up when his number was called, but we definitely felt some type of way when [Holden] went down for sure. [Lowe] is definitely the smartest receiver in our room by far,” said Stewart. 

“By far,” Johnson echoed. 

Sep 2, 2023; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Preston Alford (28) and wide receiver Justius Lowe (14) celebrate with fans before a game against the Portland State Vikings at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

When asked what makes him the smartest receiver on and off the field, Lowe responded humbly but attributed those claims to his knowledge of not only his position but everybody on the field around him. 

“I don’t want to say I'm the smartest, but I definitely just know every position, every position, for sure,” Lowe said. 

After Lowe’s performance against the Buckeyes, he is expected to get more playing time and take on a larger responsibility during Friday’s matchup against Purdue. However, this is not changing the way Lowe operates. 

“I wouldn't say there's a difference. I mean, you know practice. I'll practice every day, like everybody else, and just try to execute every play, so making sure I just keep grinding every play, just taking it one play at a time, stuff like that. And when the game comes, my time will come.” 

Lowe’s success comes after being sidelined with injuries throughout his first two seasons of college football. 

"Injuries, you know, it's part of the game. But like I said, trust the process, you know, the time is coming," said Lowe ahead of the 2024 season. 

Oregon Green Team wide receiver Justius Lowe celebrates a touchdown during the Oregon Ducks’ Spring Game Saturday, April 27. 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

During the offseason, Lowe worked relentlessly to recover and prepare for the coming season, and now it is starting to feel like all that work is paying off. His work ethic is something that stands out to Lowe’s teammates as well as wide receivers coach Junior Adams. 

"Justius Lowe is a good example that the process is working. He's getting better every day. He's working at it," Adams said. "Most importantly, he's confident. He's gotten a lot better in his fundamentals and his technique. He's working on his craft after hours, not only when we're supposed to be in the building, and he's playing with a smile on his face." 

Senior Tez Johnson, who is among the best receivers in the country, has also vouched for Lowe multiple times throughout the season, even calling him “one of the best receivers we’ve got in that room.” 

Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson (15) makes a catch for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images / Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

"He's one of those guys who keeps us pushing as a receiver room. He's a young guy, but he feels like an older guy now in that room," Johnson said. "His consistency and his route running. He's got really good hands. He can take the top off a defense so fast you won't even see it; he'll just blow right by you." 

Lowe and the Ducks will travel to West Lafayette to face the Purdue Boilermakers. The game will kick off Friday, Oct. 15, at 5:00 p.m. PT. 

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