Howard not looking back
Theo Howard took an unofficial visit to Oregon earlier this offseason, spent some time there and really got a feel for the place.
It was all he needed to make his commitment.
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The four-star receiver from Westlake Village (Calif.) Westlake committed to the Ducks in mid-March and said everything he could ever want was found in Eugene.
That's why he made the pledge so early and is not looking back.
"When I went up there it just felt like home," Howard said. "I really enjoyed all the people up there - the coaches, the players - and it just felt like I I fit in the best there.
"The coaches have great schemes and they know how to use their players and adjust the offense to all the players' skill sets. They spread the ball around a lot so it's definitely going to be fun when I get up there."
For Howard, Oregon was the complete package. He loved the coaches, the campus, obviously the facilities played a factor. The environment was great and the four-star receiver could thrive in the spread offense where he can catch a lot of passes and make a lot of plays.
"Just the feel of it, the area, the coaches, it made me feel like home and I was comfortable with it," Howard said.
Many other programs had been coming after Howard, rated as the No. 19 wide receiver and the No. 106 prospect in the 2016 class by Rivals.com.
UCLA was very much in the mix and Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, USC, Washington and others had offered but Howard found the right fit at Oregon.
He's having no second thoughts.
"Shutting it down," Howard said. "I'm very happy. It's a big stress reliever."
In his junior season, Howard finished with 52 receptions for 869 yards and seven touchdowns.