The fallout from the Oregon Ducks' stunning loss to UCLA will impact the rest of the season, but Oregon's struggles could have an effect on the Ducks' recruiting efforts as well.
One high-profile Ducks target wasn't present to watch the 17-15 Bruins upset inside Autzen Stadium. However, four-star quarterback Josiah Boyd watched an epic upset in SEC country go down. And that winning school left him with a strong impression, to the point Boyd sounds like he's seriously considering this program over the Ducks.
Kentucky Wildcats Host Josiah Boyd
Boyd took one of the massive upsets that went down in the SEC during the same weekend of Oregon taking the loss in Eugene.
The standout from Vista del Lago High in Moreno Valley, California stood and sat inside Kroger Field in Lexington to watch Kentucky shake up the college football world, beating No. 10 LSU in overtime 34-33. Boyd highlighted the experience to Steve Wiltfong of On3/Rivals.
"Watching the game live was an incredible experience," Boyd told Wiltfong. "The atmosphere was something special. Being there in person and feeling that energy made the visit even better!”
Wiltfong, meanwhile, added this telling nugget that involves former Oregon offense coordinator Will Stein, who now leads the nation's No. 15 team following taking down coach Lane Kiffin and LSU.
"No school is recruiting Boyd harder than Kentucky, led by the efforts of Stein who in addition to quickly turning the Wildcats around, has the clout of being Oregon’s former offensive coordinator and helping develop Heisman candidates under center there in addition to a lot of explosive plays," Wiltfong wrote.
Could new Oregon Quarterback Dilemma Alter Josiah Boyd's Decision?
The narrative changed fast for Oregon's 2026 quarterback room. Backup Dylan Raiola drew praise for leading the Ducks following quarterback Dante Moore's scary concussion against then No. 13 USC, guiding the 41-27 romp on Sept. 26 inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Raiola, however, got pulled immediately by coach Dan Lanning during the UCLA loss. Then backup Brock Thomas didn't help matters either, especially with a botched late fumble on the center-to-quarterback exchange.
The effect of Stein's departure seems to be weighing heavily on the Ducks. Stein joined defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi in landing their first head coaching jobs at the college level this past offseason. But the offense post Stein has fielded mixed results under 2026 offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer.
Now fans especially out in Eugene are wondering if Stein's exit explains some of the disappointing quarterback play. Moore already took one previous loss to a then-unranked foe in Oklahoma State during week 2 while Raiola and Thomas both struggled in trying to lift the Ducks past UCLA.
Perhaps quarterback recruits like Boyd himself are noticing the Stein effect. He's now working wonders with UK quarterback Kenny Minchey, with the top-10 upsets over Texas A&M and now LSU as the proof. The Ducks appear to have steep competition in Stein and the Wildcats when it comes to landing Boyd.
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.
Add us as a preferred source on Google