HIGHFLYING DUCKS
GAMEDAY
GAMEDAY, the Daily Emerald’s football edition, is published by Emerald Media Group, Inc., the independent nonprofit news company at the University of Oregon founded in 1900.
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(On The Cover) Brandon Johnson celebrates the strong start for the Oregon defense against the Wolverines. The No. 1 ranked Oregon Ducks took on the Michigan Wolverines on Nov. 2, 2024, at the iconic 'Big House" in Ann Arbor, Mich. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)
(Right) The Oregon defensive backs pray together during warmups. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)
WEEK 11 TEAM ROSTERS:
OREGON MARYLAND
OREGON OFFENSE
PLAYER
DILLON GABRIEL
DANTE MOORE
JORDAN JAMES
NOAH WHITTINGTON
TEZ JOHNSON
TRAESHON HOLDEN
EVAN STEWART
KENYON SADIQ
JAYDEN LIMAR
TERRANCE FERGUSON
JOSH CONERLY JR.
MARCUS HARPER II
IAPANI LALOULU
MATTHEW BEDFORD
NISHAD STROTHER
AJANI CORNELIUS
OREGON DEFENSE
PLAYER
JORDAN BURCH
JAMAREE CALDWELL
DERRICK HARMON
KEYON WARE-HUDSON
MATAYO UIAGALELEI
TEITUM TUIOTI
JESTIN JACOBS
BRYCE BOETTCHER
JEFFREY BASSA
DEVON JACKSON
NIKKO REED
TYSHEEM JOHNSON
KOBE SAVAGE
JABBAR MUHAMMAD
BRANDON JOHNSON
DONTAE MANNING
OREGON SPECIAL TEAMS
MARYLAND OFFENSE
RICARDO COOPER JR.
JAIDEN FAIR
MAXWELL BROWN
PRESTON HOWARD
LERON HUSBANDS
ALIOU BAH
LOGAN BENNETT ISAAC BUNYUN
TEREZ DAVIS
MARYLAND DEFENSE
PLAYER
SAMUEL ADU
TOMMY AKINGBESOTE
AKINDELE DARE
AARON FOLIVI
DILLAN FONTUS
QUASHON FULLER
LAVON JOHNSON
JOSHUA SIMMONS
NEEO AVERY
DONNELL BROWN
KEION FLOWERS
KEYSHAWN FLOWERS
DYLAN GOODEN
JONATHAN AKINS
KARON BALL
TAYLOR BEST
OREGON VS. MARYLAND PREVIEW
The Ducks rank No. 1 for the third week in a row
BY LILY CRANE Sports Reporter
No. 1 Oregon (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) passed each test thrown at it throughout the season — trap games, top-3 matchups and now hostile road environments.
For the Ducks to keep their position as the highest ranked team in the nation, they’ll need to take care of business against the No. 15 team in the 18-team Big Ten. Oregon is asked to do so with the injury bug hitting its roster.
Only a No. 1 caliber team can have a 21-point road win in a stadium as storied as 'The Big House' and still leave fans feeling that they underperformed.
The Ducks won 38-17 last Saturday in front of 110,576 fans in Michigan but left much to be desired. For example, a muffed punt in the first quarter set up the Wolverines in a dangerous position, ultimately leading to a game-tying touchdown.
Oregon responded to its early fumble by controlling the matchup the rest of the way.
Michigan outscored Oregon 7-3 in the third, despite the
Week 11 with a 9-0 record for only the third time in program history. Their opponent, however, has not had the same kind of success this season.
Maryland (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten) enters the matchup off a bye week. Conference play has been rocky for the Terrapins, as their defense has conceded 27 points or more in every Big Ten game. They’ve dropped both of their road Big Ten matchups, allowing 90 points and scoring 51 across the two games.
In a season of firsts, Oregon will face the Terrapins for the first time ever as Maryland makes the 2,823-mile trek from College Park, Maryland to Autzen Stadium.
Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. has 13 touchdowns on 2,314 passing yards this season on 68.4 percent completion. Opposing defenses have sacked Edwards 13 times and forced six picks — something to look out for with the Ducks’ defense totaling 23 sacks and seven interceptions. Perhaps most notable heading into the Maryland matchup are the Oregon injuries. Leading receiver Tez Johnson and offensive lineman Marcus Harper II both exited the Michigan game with injuries.
while Harper has been a big part of an offensive line that’s only allowed three sacks in the last seven games.
Traeshon Holden stepped up in Johnson’s absence against the Wolverines, and recorded a career-high 149 yards on six receptions. Justius Lowe is another receiver that may face a larger role if Johnson misses time. Lowe has tallied eight receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown in his last two appearances.
Even though Oregon lost a couple of players against Michigan, it returned defensive end Jordan Burch and tight end Terrance Ferguson. Burch missed the previous three games with an injury he suffered during practice in early October and Ferguson missed the previous two after an appendectomy.
The Ducks have not lost at home since Nov. 12, 2022 against Washington. They have the opportunity to make it two full undefeated seasons at home with just two more games remaining in Eugene.
Oregon will look to continue its home winning streak and maintain its perfect record with kickoff against the Terrapins set for 4 p.m. on Saturday in Autzen Stadium.
WHAT MAKES THE
EMERALD SPORTS REPORTERS
GIVE THEIR TAKE ON OREGON’S BIGGEST STRENGTHS
BY THE DAILY EMERALD SPORTS DESK
Everything is going right for No. 1 Oregon (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) amidst its perfect debut season in the Big Ten. The Ducks’ 38-17 win over Michigan was their latest in what’s become a string of dominating wins in one of the country’s premier football conferences.
It’s hard to point at just one reason why this year’s Oregon team is having so much success, so we’ve compiled our best takes to break down some of the key components of Dan Lanning’s program’s achievements.
Defense – Jack Lazarus, Sports Associate Editor
The Ducks haven’t flown off the statsheet defensively, but this Oregon defense gets it done. In the three games since the instant classic against Ohio State, Oregon has only let up a combined 26 points, which can be attributed to the incredible team effort to force 3-and-outs. The Ducks have only forced 11 turnovers, but currently hold the eighth-lowest passer rating caused by a defense (107.8).
In those three games after Ohio State, the Ducks have gone stagnant once they take the lead, which is due to the trust in the defense. Each time an opposing team appears to have a chance to come back in the contest, it is shut down by the menacing Oregon defense.
Dillon Gabriel’s efficiency – Brady Ruth, Sports Editor
Obviously, the Ducks wouldn’t be where they are without their Heisman candidate quarterback.
The transition from Bo Nix was made easier when Lanning brought in a quarterback with a similar style of play. Gabriel’s season has been an indirect replica of Nix’s 2024 season. In nine games, Gabriel’s thrown for 2,665 yards and rushed for 120. The Ducks are averaging 35.33 pointsper-game and Gabriel looks to be in complete control of one of the country’s most lethal offenses.
Even his turnovers, as ugly as some have been, haven’t cost Oregon yet and Gabriel was unblemished against Ohio State and Michigan — the Ducks’ biggest wins of the season.
Running Back room – Lily Crane, Sports Reporter
There were questions heading into the season about whether or not the productivity from the running back core would be the same with Bucky Irving going to the next level. Instead, Jordan James stepped into his bigger role, recording nine touchdowns for 917 yards in nine games.
The junior has reached 100 or more yards on the ground in five matchups, including a career-high of 166 yards against Michigan State. Noah Whittington has impressed too, adding four touchdowns for 306 yards on 72 carries. The junior duo adds a whole other layer of depth to a Ducks’ offense with so many receiving weapons, ultimately leaving opposing defenses in shambles.
Offensive Line play – Beck Parsons, Sports Reporter
After allowing seven sacks in its first two games, Oregon’s offensive line rapidly solidified into the dominant unit Ducks fans have become accustomed to under Dan Lanning. Led by an elite tackle duo in Ajani Cornelius and Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon’s offensive line has allowed just three sacks in its last seven games, including a four-game stretch (Oregon State - Ohio State) in which Gabriel was never sacked.
The Ducks’ offensive front has also opened plenty of running lanes for Jordan James on the ground, who’s running at an impressive rate of 5.8 yards-per-carry.
Coaching — Joe Krasnowski, Sports Reporter
2024 has offered little revelation to the fact that Lanning can coach — a career record of 31-5 and perennial top recruiting classes do that just fine. However, this season has truly seen him realize his full transformation as a leader and team manager — especially as fellow Big Ten teams have struggled across the country.
The Ducks haven’t come out flat on the road, with the win over the Michigan Wolverines being the Ducks’ second of three regular season cross-country trips. Being in a position where you are beating opponents by an average of over 19 points per game helps him make the right calls too.
Wide Receiver depth – Owen Murray, Sports Reporter
For the Ducks, who have the No. 11 offense by yards per game in the nation, it’s been the wide receiver corps that is holding down their offensive production.
Troy Franklin heads to the NFL after a record-breaking year? Tez Johnson (649 yds, 8 TD) steps up. Traeshon Holden (462, 3) is ejected from Oregon’s game against Ohio State? Justius Lowe (144, 1) is right there. Oregon looks in the transfer portal? Evan Stewart (462, 4) signs on. Seven different receivers had catches last weekend in Ann Arbor Michigan.
There’s a reason that the Ducks keep getting top-rated commitments. Dan Lanning and the staff in Eugene keep proving that the Willamette Valley is the spot for receivers to thrive.
Thriving through adversity – Max Koebel, Sports Reporter
Oregon currently sits at 9-0, and it has been no easy road. The Ducks opened the season with two home games against lesser opponents and beat them both by a combined difference of 13 points. With many new pieces on the roster this year, it took a minute to adjust. When they traveled to Corvallis, the Ducks seemed to turn a lightswitch. They dominated their next three games, leading up to Ohio State, their biggest test of the year. Both teams battled head-to-head for four quarters and the Ducks narrowly won in front of Autzen’s largest crowd ever. Every week, there’s an upset narrative against Oregon, and every week it’s wrong.
DUCKS' SO GOOD?
WEEK 10 BIG TEN RECAP
Oregon stays No. 1, top-5 battle in Happy Valley and more
BY OWEN MURRAY Sports Reporter
Week 10 in the Big Ten featured a top-5 matchup, two undefeated teams defending their status and the always-welcome ranked-versus-unranked upset. The Ducks are still No. 1. How did the picture shift around them?
No.
4 Ohio State takes down No. 3 Penn State in Happy Valley in 20-13 victory
Ryan Day and the Buckeyes (7-1, 4-1 B1G) rolled into State College looking for a first top-25 win of the season. Despite a slower offensive day — Will Howard put up just 182 yards through the air while Quinshon Judkins found 95 on the ground — the Ohio State defense stood strong to deny the Pennsylvania Nittany Lions four straight times on the goal line with 5:13 left.
Penn State (7-1, 4-1 B1G) suffered its first loss of the season against its second ranked opponent. Regular starting quarterback Drew Allar shared snaps with backup Beau Pribula, but couldn’t punch it in when it counted.
Ohio State travels to Purdue next week, while the Nittany Lions host Washington.
No.
13 Indiana hangs 40 on Michigan State in 47-10 beatdown
The undefeated (9-0, 6-0 B1G) Indiana Hoosiers welcomed previously injured quarterback Kurtis Rourke back in style with a roaring comeback win in East Lansing. The Spartans (4-5, 2-4 B1G) put up the game’s first 10 points and held the away group scoreless in the first quarter but gave up six touchdowns, including four from Rourke (19/29, 263 yds). Hoosiers cornerback Amare Ferrell picked off Oregon State transfer Aidan Chiles twice to seal the Spartans’ fate.
Michigan State is on bye before traveling to face Illi-
nois, while Indiana will look to remain undefeated against Michigan next weekend.
UCLA grabs 27-20 away win against Nebraska
The Bruins (3-5, 2-4 B1G) held on for victory amidst a furious Cornhusker comeback attempt in Lincoln. UCLA led 27-7 with 8:21 left in the third quarter, but the Huskers put up 13-straight points to nearly sneak victory. Star freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola left with an injury, though, and backup Heinrich Haarberg threw an interception with 29 seconds left to end the game amidst refereeing controversy.
UCLA faces Iowa at home next Friday, while Nebraska will sit idle.
Iowa eviscerates Wisconsin 42-10 in Kinnick Stadium
Iowa (6-3, 4-2 B1G) scored 28-straight points in the second and third quarters in a stellar offensive performance against the Badgers. The ground game dominated the day: Kaleb Johnson put up 135 yards and three touchdowns amongst 329 team rushing yards. Hawkeye quarterback Brendan Sullivan was just 7-10 for 93 yards and a touchdown.
The Hawkeyes face UCLA next Friday, while the Badgers (5-4, 3-3 B1G) are idle.
Washington sneaks past USC in 26-21 home win
The Huskies (5-4, 3-3 B1G) made a goal-line stand to deny Miller Moss and the Trojans (4-5, 2-5 B1G) a last-second touchdown in a battle of Big Ten newcomers. Washington put up just six points after the halftime interval, but first-half domination was enough to earn Jedd
Fisch victory in Seattle.
Washington travels to face Penn State next, while USC is idle.
Minnesota
upsets No. 24 Illinois 25-17 in Fighting
Illini’s second-straight loss
One week removed from a blowout loss in Eugene, the Fighting Illini (6-3, 3-3 B1G) dropped a second-straight conference matchup, this time to unranked Minnesota.
The Golden Gophers (6-3, 4-2 B1G) held their opponents scoreless in the final nine minutes and added nine points of their own in order to surge ahead.
Running back Darius Taylor had 131 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, and the Golden Gophers defense forced a fumble from quarterback Luke Altmyer with 29 seconds remaining to seal the victory.
Minnesota advanced to 6th overall in-conference, while the Illini lost their top-25 status following the defeat. The Golden Gophers travel to Rutgers next weekend, while the Illini will take their bye week.
Northwestern
sneaks past Purdue 26-20 in overtime
The Wildcats (4-4, 2-4 B1G) prevailed in a battle of Big Ten basement dwellers. Running back Joseph Himon II had just six carries, but picked up 78 yards (including a 51-yard touchdown run) and grabbed the winning score in overtime. Purdue (1-7, 0-5 B1G) has not won since its opener and gave up 424 yards of offense on Saturday, where it ranks 129th in the nation. The Boilermakers never led in the game.
Purdue hosts Ohio State next week, while the Wildcats are off ahead of a matchup with the Buckeyes at Wrigley Field on Nov. 16.
MOMENTOUS DRIVES AT MICHIGAN
How the Ducks took full control of the Wolverines on one
fateful possession
DUCKS IN THE 2025 NFL MOCK DRAFT
Where are some of the most highly-scouted Ducks landing in mock drafts?
BY JACK LAZARUS Sports Associate Editor
It’s no secret that a lot of the success of this No. 1 Oregon squad can be attributed to the team’s experience. There are 26 seniors or redshirt-seniors playing for the Ducks this season. Of those 26 seniors, 21 of them have been featured on the field in meaningful moments, so the impact of the experience shows.
Unfortunately, now that it is the second half of the football season, many of these athletes will begin to look at the next level. The NFL draft process is well underway, as scouts have been spotted at each of Oregon’s opening nine games this season.
Where will all of the departing Ducks end up?
Derrick Harmon
BY BRADY RUTH Sports Editor
As “Let’s go Ducks!” chants rained down in 'The Big House', the reigning national champions suffered their fourth defeat of their title-defending season.
Despite a brief moment in the fourth quarter in which Michigan looked like they might spark a comeback, the Ducks had full control of the Wolverines in their ninth win of the season.
There are momentum swings and defining moments in any football game. One drive late in the first half felt as though it put Oregon’s victory on ice.
The previous Michigan drive left head coach Sherrone Moore with a difficult decision. Does he trust his struggling offense to attempt a 4th-down conversion from the Oregon 42-yard line, or does he bring out the punt team and try to pin the Ducks deep in their own territory? He opted for the latter, much to the embarrassment of 'The Big House' crowd.
But, it worked. Oregon started its next drive from its own 6-yard line, clinging to a 14-7 lead with nine minutes to play in the first half.
It was a crucial moment. A scoring drive could give Oregon a two-score lead and remove some of the crowd’s energy.
It ended up being one of Oregon’s best and most timely drives of the season. Dillon Gabriel led a 10-play, 94-yard touchdown drive that took 4:37 off the clock.
The drive was a masterclass from Gabriel, who was 5/6 for 68 yards. Aside from the one incompletion, Oregon gained yardage on each play.
The Ducks gained four 1st downs on the drive, twice converting on crucial 3rddown situations.
Gabriel hit Justius Lowe twice for 20 yards, Patrick Herbert for five and Evan Stewart for five before hitting Traeshon Holden in stride along the sideline on 3rdand-1 for a gain of 38, setting the Ducks up on the doorstep for Noah Whittingon to punch in his second touchdown of the day.
Oregon took a 21-7 and, more importantly, all of the game’s momentum. With
Michigan on its heels, the Ducks scored once more before the half, effectively removing 'The Big House' noise.
“We talked about eliminating the crowd in this game,” Lanning said. “The warriors are the ones that fight the battle and they're the ones that control the atmosphere, not the spectators.”
With a 28-10 halftime lead, the Ducks were able to be a little experimental and unconventional in the third quarter, a period that’s plagued Oregon in 2024. The Ducks have struggled to have any sense of dominance in the third quarter this season, and Lanning is well aware of it.
"Yeah, there's a trend, right?” Lanning said about third-quarter struggles. “There's something we're certainly aware of and attacking. You know, again, they came out and got a 3-and-out on the very first drive in the third quarter. So, it's something we want to look at and improve."
However, the cushioned lead allowed the Ducks to experiment with unique formations and varying personnel. Given the Tez Johnson injury, Gabriel’s weapons became a revolving door in the second half. So, the Ducks had to improvise.
“Those [formations] were all part of our initial plan,” Lanning said. “We talked about trying to enhance our ability to be better in the third quarter and having some pieces who could help us out there. But it was ultimately stuff we didn’t get to in the first half that we felt was available to us in the second half.”
Gabriel commented after the game saying that he’s worked with just about every combination of offensive personnel that one could draw up. His confidence remains steady no matter who’s on the field. When seeing the kind of momentum-creating drives he’s able to orchestrate, it’s understandable why.
(ABOVE) Coming off an appendectomy, Terrence Ferguson (3) picks up right where he left off as Dillon Gabriels go-to man.
The No. 1 ranked Oregon Ducks took on the Michigan Wolverines on Nov. 2, 2024, at the iconic 'Big House' in Ann Arbor, Mich.
(Jonathan Suni/Emerald)
Harmon transferred in this season from Michigan State and didn’t carry outstanding expectations with him. However, the senior defensive tackle proved his worth and then some in his concluding season in Eugene. Harmon registered 16 solo tackles, 3.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in the season’s nine games so far. This has caused him to receive heavy consideration to be selected in the top two rounds of the draft, and has been ranked as a first rounder as recently as last week.
According to NFL Mock Draft Database, which is a website that collects data from the latest mock drafts around the country, Harmon is Oregon’s highest-rated player entering the 2025 draft.
Evan Stewart
Although he doesn’t necessarily need to enter the draft after this season, the Ducks’ second highest-ranked prospect Stewart has put on a show throughout his first few months in Eugene. Stewart hauled in 31 catches for 462 yards and four touchdowns in the first nine games. His speed off the line of scrimmage and incredible catch radius — demonstrated multiple times this past weekend in Michigan — will be valuable in this year’s draft. Stewart appeared in 33.9% of first rounds and averaged 55th throughout all the drafts compiled.
Given that information, there is a high chance Stewart enters his name in the 2025 draft.
Josh Conerly Jr.
Oregon’s true junior tackle follows a similar story as Stewart, as Conerly doesn’t necessarily need to enter the draft in 2025. Especially since all the discussion around the 2026 draft slates him as a definite early first round pick.
Relative to the others mentioned here, Conerly hasn’t been mentioned in as many mock drafts, which is mainly due to his uncertain status as it regards declaring. His highest projection was the 15th pick, but that came preseason.
As a five-star recruit coming out of high school, Conerly always garnered eyes from the top level in the sport, so his decision can definitely go either way this coming offseason.
Jordan Burch
Burch entered this season coming off an injury and also picked up a knock before the Ohio State game which kept him out until this most recent week. Burch’s most recent mock draft appearance was for a fourth-round selection in the upcoming 2025 draft.
Burch added 22 total tackles, 5 sacks, three pass deflections and a fumble recovery to his impressive resume so far this season. The senior edge rusher has been projected as a third or fourth round pick by most websites that do mock drafts.
As his injury sustained last season kept him from declaring this past offseason, another injury would surely derail a promising professional career for Burch. Barring that catastrophe, Burch will be seen on Sundays next year, and will likely be drafted on the second day.
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PRO DUCKS: NFL MID-SEASON
How have Oregon’s former stars fared this year?
BY BECK PARSONS Sports Reporter
Week 9 marked the halfway point of the 2024 NFL regular season, which has seen former Oregon stars make an impact on both sides of the ball. Here are just a few of the many Pro Ducks making plays at the highest level.
Justin
Herbert, Quarterback
Los Angeles Chargers
Herbert had his best game of the season in a 27-10 road win over the Cleveland Browns. The former sixth-overall pick recorded 18 completions on 27 passing attempts for 282 yards and two touchdowns.
Herbert’s production, which started relatively slow as the team synced new head coach Jim Harbaugh, has begun to increase in recent weeks. Sunday’s win saw Herbert’s season high in yards per attempt (10.4) and passer rating (125.8). His Chargers are 5-3 and currently sit second in the AFC West standings, one spot above another former Oregon passer.
Bo Nix, Quarterback
Denver Broncos
Though Nix’s Broncos (5-4, 3rd in AFC West) struggled in a difficult 41-10 loss to the surging Baltimore Ravens this week, Nix’s rookie year has largely been a good one. Nix is already the winningest rookie quarterback in Broncos history and brought home October’s AFC Offensive Rookie of the Month. He’s one of only two quarterbacks to have caught a touchdown pass this year and the first rookie
to do so since David Blough in 2016.
Of this year’s rookie quarterbacks, Nix is tied with reigning Heisman Trophy-winner Jayden Daniels for first in total touchdowns (13) and rushing touchdowns (4). Among the same group, Nix ranks second in passing yards (1,530), rushing yards (295) and QBR (53.9).
Bucky Irving, Running Back
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
When the Buccaneers drafted Irving with the 125th pick of this year’s draft, many expected him to be used as a complement to incumbent starter Rachaad White, but Irving has excelled through eight games in Tampa Bay.
Irving leads the team in rushes (76), rushing yards (395) and rushing touchdowns (3). As a result of Irving’s immediate results, the Buccaneers rank eighth in total rushing yards and tenth in rushing yards per game. For reference, they finished last in both categories a season ago.
Penei Sewell, Offensive Tackle
Detroit Lions
Halfway through his fourth NFL season, Sewell is widely considered one of the league’s best offensive tackles. His immense size and proportional physicality have made him a load-bearing pillar of Detroit’s potent offense, which earned him a four-year, $112 million dollar contract extension this offseason.
Through eight games this season, Sewell has allowed only one sack and ranks third among all tackles in both PFF Offense (88.0) and Run Blocking (89.3) grades.
DeForest Buckner, Defensive Tackle, Indianapolis Colts
Buckner recorded 1.5 sacks in the Colts’ season opener before suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 2. The nineyear veteran missed five games before returning in Week 8, where he recorded another sack.
Buckner then showed out on Sunday night against the Minnesota Vikings, recording another sack and six total tackles. Performances like these across an entire season would likely earn Buckner Pro Bowl consideration.
Deommodore Lenoir, Cornerback
San Francisco 49ers
Lenoir, whose PFF Pass Coverage grade ranks 10th among cornerbacks with 400+ snaps, is also making waves in the Bay as a tackler. He’s second to only all-world linebacker Fred Warner in total tackles (44) and solo tackles (30).
Niners fans will hope that San Francisco’s Week 9 bye doesn’t disrupt Lenoir’s growing turnover streak. The fourth-year pro had an interception in Week 7 and followed up that performance by forcing a fumble and intercepting another pass in Week 8.
(ABOVE) Oregon QB Bo Nix (10) walks off the field after the game. The University of Oregon Ducks Football team defeated Oregon State University 31-7 in a home match at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Nov. 24, 2023.
(Eric Becker/Emerald)