Colt Lyerla Leaves Oregon After 5-0 Start


colt

The Ducks are flying high as the nation’s No. 2 team, but their starting junior tight end just quit the team.

Rob Moseley of GoDucks.com broke the news late Sunday:

Oregon junior tight end Colt Lyerla has withdrawn from school, having informed UO coach Mark Helfrich late Sunday afternoon that he would be leaving the football program.

Lyerla, a former five-star recruit from Hillsboro, finished his UO career with 12 career starts and 34 receptions. He was suspended for the Ducks’ win Saturday at Colorado, but said Sunday his departure wasn’t related to that and was “completely my decision.”

“I love everyone at Oregon; everyone’s on good terms, I believe,” Lyerla said. “Just for my own benefit, it was time to move on.”

Lyerla said he does not plan to transfer to another school, but rather to pursue a professional career. He said he had “a really good talk” with Helfrich late Sunday, and that “we left on good terms.”

“We wish Colt nothing but the best in the future, and will support him in any way we can,” said Helfrich, who said he will decline further comment on the matter.

Lyerla, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound junior with a rare blend of size and speed, finished his UO career with 34 receptions for 565 yards and 11 touchdowns. He added 16 carries for 94 yards and two touchdowns, primarily during a stretch of the 2012 season in which the Ducks deployed him in a special rushing package.

Lyerla leaves after scoring only one touchdown this season, gaining just 26 yards on two passes while accumulating just 17 yards off three runs. He started in three of four games before this weekend’s suspension.

Still, Lyerla says he’s not leaving on bad terms:

“I wish nothing but the best for coach Helfrich and the team,” Lyerla said. “I love the University of Oregon and am so thankful for every opportunity that I had. I’m going to use everything I learned from this program and do my best to be successful in whatever happens in the future.”

Sophomore Pharaoh Brown and freshman Johnny Mundtalso will pick up where Lyerla left off, both of whom started against Colorado.

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Jake Donahue
Jake Donahue is more of a Ron Burgundy than he is a Ben Simmons. He does have a background in journalism, sports writing and marketing, though. And he owns the Donahue Media Group, a local web design and project management company, as well as a real estate marketing firm, Portland Picture. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, he grew up a Mariner fan before launching his own Little League coaching career.
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