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NCAA, College League, USA Football: CFP National Playoff First Round-Game 4-James Madison at Oregon Dec 20, 2025 Eugene, OR, USA Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning smiles during the third quarter against the James Madison Dukes at Autzen Stadium. Eugene Autzen Stadium OR USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xCraigxStrobeckx 20251220_bgd_qi6_093
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NCAA, College League, USA Football: CFP National Playoff First Round-Game 4-James Madison at Oregon Dec 20, 2025 Eugene, OR, USA Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning smiles during the third quarter against the James Madison Dukes at Autzen Stadium. Eugene Autzen Stadium OR USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xCraigxStrobeckx 20251220_bgd_qi6_093
Not all college football players are recruits or transfers; some come in as walk-ons. The walk-on route often requires players to force their way onto the team by demonstrating tenacity, grit, and persistence. Such is the case of Oregon linebacker Will Straton, who had to become a spy to make his way into the Oregon Ducks team.
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Straton’s revelations about his journey to the Ducks came out in the latest episode of “Meet the Flock,” a series released by the program to provide behind-the-scenes moments and introduce position groups to their fans. In the video, Straton told the story of how he overcame the challenges he initially faced in his college career before earning a spot on Dan Lanning’s roster.
“Whatever it takes … I was hiding under a tree and I was just taking notes to understand the defense.”
Oregon LB Will Straton broke down how he went from spying on the Ducks at practice to making the team.@Ducks_Wirehttps://t.co/p7uDFFMocU
— Logan Brown (@LoganABrown) April 8, 2026
Coming out of high school, the linebacker only had one desire: to play for the Ducks. After a senior season in which he finished with 45 tackles, four pass deflections, and an interception, Straton earned first-team all-state honors. But these were not enough to earn him a spot in Oregon’s recruiting class. Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic hindered him from gathering enough film in his junior year to impress college coaches enough to be recruited.
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As a result, his only options were to accept a preferred walk-on spot at the University of Hawaii or become an everyday student at the University of Oregon on an academic scholarship. Unsurprisingly, Straton chose the latter, as he was determined to get a tryout with the Ducks.
“There’s just so many memories of watching Oregon,” Straton said. “And when I had the opportunity to go there, I was like, man, I gotta make it on that team. No matter what it takes.”
This was where his spying began. His desperation to get into the Ducks team led him to sneakily watch the team’s practice and even go as far as taking notes.
“Back when we used to have the regular (practice) fields, there used to be trees over there,” Straton told the team during fall camp in 2025. “I was like, ‘Whatever it takes. I’m going to go watch practice. I’m gonna study.’ I was hiding under a tree—there was a little ramp—and I was just taking notes to understand the defense. I knew I was going to get a shot.”
Alongside his spying, he also randomly introduced himself to coaches at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex, a move that yielded no result. After a while, Oregon football equipment administrator Kenny Farr caught him, who also spoke about the situation in the video.
“I chased this guy outside the gates, down the street,” Farr recalled. “This guy was on his bike riding away from me. I yelled at him to stop, and I went over and talked to him. I told him, ‘That’s not the way to do it,’ and he said he just wanted to be a part of the team.
Ironically, he found his breakthrough in Hawaii—the same city he left for Oregon. He went home during the winter break and trained with Patton Sports Performance. He met A.K. Martinez, a football coach living in Honolulu, who was friends with Oregon’s former defensive coordinator Tush Lupoi.
Based on Martinez’s recommendation, Lupoi watched Straton’s limited film. And in the end, he earned a walk-on spot as a defensive back and redshirted in 2023.
While many were unaware of this spying, he revealed it to Lupoi, who shared it at the Fiesta Bowl. In fact, the notes Farr seized from Straton had been passed by coaches during a meeting, where Dan Lanning commended the spy who wrote them.
Will Straton’s Oregon Ducks career
Getting to the Ducks team was Straton’s goal at first, but in 2025, he became an active player on the program’s roster.
“It was super stressful. I mean, so much had come to that point, and I was so thrilled in the first place to even be in the building,” Straton said. “To have my own locker, to see the gear—No. 38, Straton—you’re just like, holy cr-p. I’m at Oregon.”
After redshirting in 2023, he made three appearances on special teams in 2024. The 2025 season was a breakout year for him, as he appeared in 14 games, with eight tackles, including half a sack against Oregon State. The spying was helpful after all; it was Oregon’s preparation against Oregon State that Straton was watching in 2022 when he was caught spying.
Being with the Ducks is beyond a dream come true for Straton. It’s a battle conquered, a wish granted, and a feeling he says he would not change for the world.
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