Woah! Dan Lanning’s Oregon Ducks rose to the spotlight. No, not one for any good reason but rather for a controversy. Already things are pretty hot in the Oregon hood after their blowout loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl. While they thought that’s enough for this season, something more awaited.

It has been only a few days since the Ducks let go of their wide receiver Ryan Pellum, who committed to the transfer portal. And now, it’s the same Pellum who is trending. The 19-year-old has been arrested in Springfield. 

How Ryan Pellum’s bright future turned dark

Things can’t possibly be as bad as they are for former Oregon WR Pellum. After his freshman year with the Ducks, he was all set to step into a new chapter in college football. But maybe the universe had some other plans. On Wednesday, January 8, Pellum was arrested in Springfield, Oregon. But what are the charges raised against him?

As per the reports, there have been charges of as-ault with the use of a firearm. However, the incident has been two weeks old. Last year on Christmas Day, he allegedly pistol-whipped a person in Long Beach, California. As mentioned in the report, the WR “allegedly caused an injury to the victim’s head that required stitches” and “then allegedly fired two rounds in an unknown direction.”

Ryan Tristan Chance Taylor, aka Ryan Pellum, is a Long Beach resident. Not many know he is the nephew of former longtime Oregon assistant coach Don Pellum, who played in the 1980s. He did live up to his uncle’s legacy. After all, the two-sport star was a four-star recruit with offers from every blue-blood program imaginable—LSU, Georgia, Michigan, you name it. Sadly, his reputation in college football could not save him from the arrest. 

On Wednesday, the young chap was arrested in the neighboring town of Eugene, Springfield, even though his initial warrant was written up in his hometown of Long Beach. As KEZI reported, Pellum’s bail was posted by an unknown individual on January 9, Thursday. Now this might be opening up Oregon’s dark past with arrests. 

Oregon Ducks and the history of off-field controversies

Pellum is not the only Ducks star to get into trouble off the court. Back in 2019, the former Oregon player, Colt Lyerla, was sentenced to more than two years imprisonment. He was held for attacking and strangling his girlfriend. Not just this, it was followed by a long downward spiral fueled by dr- -g abuse and petty crime. At just 26 years old, Lyerla was taken into custody by the Lane County authorities.

Well, this was not the first time that he got into trouble. He had left the Ducks on October 6, 2013. And just a few days later, on October 23, he was booked for c- – – – – e possession. Later on, after a year, he pleaded guilty even though the legal issues derailed his attempt to find himself a place in the NFL. 

The Ryan Pellum case has also reopened the dark past of the Ducks that is related to their former linebacker Kiko Alonso. Back in May 2011, the then Oregon HC Chip Kelly suspended the player following his arrest on burglary and trespassing charges. But Dan Lanning’s team hasn’t quite caught up to the Georgia Bulldogs when it comes to player arrests.