Just when things were looking up, trouble hit hard for Oregon. After a tough loss to Indiana and missing the playoffs, Dan Lanning’s team hoped for a fresh start in 2026. But bad luck struck as their longest-committed defensive lineman got injured in a car accident and will miss spring.
Dan Lanning’s team faces a major setback as freshman defensive lineman Tony Cumberland will miss the rest of the spring football season because of a car accident. Oregon’s defensive line coach, Tony Tuioti, confirmed that Cumberland was a passenger in the accident and will be unable to play for the remainder of spring practice.
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“Just real short with Tony,” Tuioti said. “He was a passenger in a car accident. Obviously, we’re thinking about him. He’s recovering right now. He’ll be out for the rest of the spring, so we’re just keeping them in mind, praying for him and his family for his speedy recovery.”
Cumberland committed to Dan Lanning’s program in September 2023, right after Oregon’s blowout win over Colorado. At the time, he was just a high school sophomore playing in Arizona. The early pledge makes his connection to the 2026 class uniquely deep, which is why his spring absence hits so hard.
He is also a highly rated player, ranked No. 60 in the country and the No. 5 defensive lineman. Now, what makes the timing of the injury even worse is that he was one of five new freshmen joining the defensive line.
This position was already short on experience after Tionne Gray, Terrance Green, and Jericho Johnson, all rotational players who saw real game time, left through the portal before spring even began. Initially, Dan Lanning hoped Cumberland could play early and contribute to the team as a freshman. Standing 6-foot-5-inches tall and weighing around 285 pounds, the DL’s frame makes him powerful and well-suited to play on the defensive line. But after this setback, it is now unclear when he will recover and return to the field.
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Among the other four freshmen who joined the defensive line this spring, players like Elijah Cobb and the rest of the young group will now get more reps and a bigger chance to prove themselves early.
This isn’t the first time Cumberland has faced a health setback because, back in 2023, while playing at Desert Mountain in Arizona, he suffered a concussion, which led to him missing some time on the field. Even after that, he still played 8 games and gave a strong performance, recording 30 tackles, with 8.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks.
Then he continued the same momentum last year and finished his high school career with a very strong performance at Willamette. He made 102 tackles, including 26 tackles for loss, and recorded 14 sacks in 11 games. He also added 2 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 forced fumble. On offense, he even scored 5 touchdowns, running for 4 and catching 1.
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One of his best qualities is how hard he plays. He is very aggressive, uses his hands to get past other players, and never gives up during a play. Scouts also said that his “motor never shuts off,” which means he always gives full effort and keeps trying on every single play. But for now, Dan Lanning and team will not be able to enhance those skills.
Spring practice will now be a real test for Dan Lanning’s defensive line group, and how young players respond to this situation will say a lot about the room’s depth going into the 2026 season. But even with the recent setback, Lanning has some good news, too, especially in the RB room.
Dan Lanning gets major news on RB
Da’Jaun “Dink” Riggs missed the second half of last season because of injuries, but he is now getting better and is close to returning to the team. When he was a freshman, he showed good talent that reminded his teammates of former player Bucky Irving. He still has a lot of potential, and the team believes he can play an important role in the team.
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Running backs coach Ra’Shaad Samples praised Riggs for working hard during his recovery. He also said Riggs has improved mentally by learning the game better and staying focused even when he was not playing.
“For Dink, the mental process has been really important, like his growth mentally,” Samples said. “And I think he’s taken a step in growing mentally. Obviously, he had an injury. He has had a couple of injuries since he’s been here. Just talking to that guy, how can you help yourself when you’re not on the field, and guys are physically able to get better, you’ve got to be in the backfield room,”
Riggs worked very hard during his recovery to get better physically. He gained weight, became stronger, and understood the team’s offense more clearly. Before his injury in 2025, he made good use of the chances he got. He ran the ball 28 times for 168 yards and scored one touchdown, with an average of 5.1 yards per carry.
He also played well against Oregon State and Rutgers, where he gained 66 yards on just 10 carries. These performances show that he is a strong player when he is fully healthy. With this major momentum, it will be interesting to see how Dan Lanning’s team performs in the 2026 season.
