Dan Lanning’s Oregon Athlete Gets Targeted By USC Fans; Forced to Take Social Media Action

Oregon established their dominance early for the 2025 season. In a blowout victory against Montana State, the Ducks scored 59 points and allowed just 13 like it was a light scrimmage. Dan Lanning’s crew didn’t commit a turnover, didn’t give up a negative-yardage play, and looked like a Big Ten champ defending its turf. But while they were flawless on the field, one of their newest stars had to play defense somewhere else entirely: Social media. 

Oregon’s prized transfer DT Bear Alexander just pulled the plug on fan replies to his posts. On September 2, he uploaded a photo series on X with the caption, “Accepted every win as I did defeat!” But unlike his usual routine, this time the reply button was locked with no chance for trolls to flood the comments. It’s a rare move for a player who’s never shied away from sharing his voice online. But that’s no co-incidence. His posts have been crawling with USC fans who haven’t forgiven him for leaving LA. 

When Bear Alexander bolted from USC, he ripped open a wound Trojan fans refused to let heal. And if you think they’ve cooled down since, his social media tells a different story. Take August 21. The former 5-star drops a harmless collage in No.1 Oregon jersey with nothing more than an hourglass emoji. That’s it. No shade, no subtext. But to USC fans still salty about his exit, they had plenty to roast him with. A viral jab summed up the bitterness. “#1 for the number of seasons he spends at each school he’s attended,” one person wrote. 

Another piled on with, “To be disappointed by him!?! lol what’s the over/under on games before he quits on you guys too. Asking for a friend!” Another sarcastic comment read “Best of luck making it past game 3,” mocking his short stay in L.A. Then came the more personal hit. “Wearing #1 after quitting bc a Wyoming transfer was better than you is CRAZY WORK,” they wrote. Others went for the history lesson as they advised their fellow fans. “You’re better than most USC fans, myself included,” one commenter wrote. “He did USC dirty last year, first in the off-season and then when he decided to quit on the team after only 4 games.” 

It was a reminder that in the transfer portal era, fan loyalty cuts both ways. USC fans cheered him when he racked up 48 tackles in 2023. But the moment he redshirted in 2024 and hit the portal again, he became the villain of their story. Now, even in Oregon green, he can’t post without hearing echoes from L.A. And to be fair, Bear Alexander’s career has been a carousel. 

Bear Alexander’s college football journey

Bear Alexander was a monster recruit out of Florida. No. 9 player nationally, second-best defensive tackle, and a natural fit for Kirby Smart’s Georgia machine. His freshman year with the Bulldogs included 12 games, nine tackles, and a sack in the national title game rout of TCU. But April 2023 brought the portal. Off to USC, where he logged 48 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, and 1.5 sacks as a Trojan. Then came 2024 redshirting after just a few games, before bolting again in December. That’s how he ended up in Eugene, wearing green and yellow. No wonder USC fans still take it personally. 

The big question is why would an elite defensive tackle, already seasoned at two powerhouse programs, make Eugene his third stop? The answer’s layered. Last season’s one-score loss to Michigan exposed USC’s defensive issues, and Lincoln Riley admitted Bear Alexander was still finding his role. “The guy’s out here working hard, he’s improving,” he said. “It should be hard to play D-line at USC, like it ought to be kind of hard.” At Oregon, it’s different. Dan Lanning’s defense is young, hungry, and looking for a tone-setter in the trenches. The 22-year-old’s upside is massive and he recorded two tackles in his first game. 

Bear Alexander will get his shot against none other than USC on November 22 in Autzen Stadium. By then, he won’t be able to mute the noise. And honestly, that’s when players like him get remembered, not for their X settings, but for what they do when the lights are brightest.