All systems go with 4-Star CB Verone McKinley and Oregon

PLANO, Tex. -- Had Verone McKinley not slipped on a play, he would have only allowed two catches all night to Plano’s Kaleb Macaway, his assignment to cover all game in Hebron’s season-opener last Thursday.

The recent Oregon commit got his senior season off to a decent start individually, even though his team lost a heartbreaker following a bumbled hold on what would have been a game-tying extra point attempt. Speaking of the Ducks, after the game, McKinley updated on how things have carried on with his future team as Oregon prepared to kick off its season with a 77-21 drubbing of Southern Utah on Saturday.

“Things are looking pretty good right now,” he said. “The class is looking pretty good, we’re trying to get a couple more guys, but I’m definitely enjoying Coach (Willie) Taggart, Coach (Charles) Clark and the whole staff has really made for a family environment.”

While McKinley resides close to the Dallas area, fellow Ducks commit, four-star Miles Battle lives in the community of Cypress, just northwest of Houston. He said that he’s checked in with Battle, who committed around the same time as he did, following Oregon’s Saturday Night Live event at the end of summer.

“I’ve talked to Miles, the floods in Houston affected him a little bit,” he said. “I’ve been checking with him every day. We have a group message that we’re keeping in contact with. He’s OK, there was some flooding outside his house, but I don’t think it’s too bad, he’s still at home.”

McKinley said that he has not yet made any firm plans to attend an Oregon game as of yet, but had given some thought to making a last minute trip up to see the Ducks host Nebraska this weekend. In fact, there are a couple of games this fall that he has some interest in attending, but not all of them involve Oregon.

“Honestly, I might not make it out (to Oregon) until after the season,” he said. “But LSU/Texas A&M is one that I want to get to and also Nebraska versus Rutgers, that’s also one I’m thinking about.”

Interesting that two of the games that McKinley mentioned possibly planning to go see involve Nebraska, who he said over the summer had been making a significant impression on his recruitment. Of course, the other presumed dark horse that had been in the picture for some time was Penn State, whom he did not mention. Just the same, McKinley isn’t looking to have conclusions drawn on him based on those potential visits.

“Just to make sure that I made the right decision,” he said. “I’m still 100-percent committed to Oregon, I just want to make sure.”