South Eugene makes major change after roster concerns
A surprising decision has changed the 2026 football season at South Eugene High School in Oregon. After the first week of official practice, the program dropped its planned Class 5A varsity schedule because of low participation and player-safety concerns.
With Oregon’s football season now underway, South Eugene is pursuing a modified schedule that includes junior-varsity games and selected matchups against varsity opponents with more comparable roster sizes.
Low participation drives the decision
South Eugene athletic director Jim Moore said 19 players were registered, but only 13 had previous football experience. The school spent the first practice week trying to add players before ending its planned 5A schedule.
Coaches evaluated the roster before making the decision. Officials said the limited number of experienced players made a full varsity schedule difficult to conduct safely.
Safety becomes the priority
Player safety was the main reason South Eugene gave for changing its 2026 schedule. Officials were concerned about using inexperienced athletes against Class 5A varsity opponents with a small roster.
The decision followed the first week of practice. Instead of continuing the original schedule, the school began seeking competition that better matches its available players and experience level.
The 2026 schedule changes
South Eugene was scheduled to compete in OSAA’s 5A Special District 5 in 2026. Its decision to drop the planned varsity schedule removed league games, including the September 25 matchup at Roseburg.
Roseburg announced a replacement home game against Putnam on September 4. The change gives Roseburg a new opponent for the 2026 season after its South Eugene game was canceled.
South Eugene had already played down
South Eugene is classified as a 6A school for most athletics, but its football program competed in Class 5A for 2026. Oregon permits struggling football programs to play down one classification.
The move was intended to create a more suitable football setting. However, competing in 5A did not resolve South Eugene’s shortage of experienced players before the new season began.
Last season exposed roster problems
South Eugene finished the 2025 football season 0-7 with a small roster. The team also canceled a scheduled game at Thurston after multiple players suffered minor injuries.
That cancellation showed how injuries could quickly reduce the available lineup. The same roster-depth concern remained during the 2026 preseason, when participation again fell below the level needed for the planned schedule.
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A youth pipeline remains a challenge
South Eugene does not have a dedicated youth football feeder system supplying large numbers of experienced players. Athletic director Jim Moore and coach Eric Scott have discussed expanding youth opportunities in the area.
That effort could increase football experience before students reach high school. It cannot immediately solve the 2026 shortage that caused the planned 5A schedule to be canceled.
Interesting fact: Oregon’s OSAA has 301 full-member high schools and 120 associate members, representing nearly 200 communities across the state.
The coaching staff remains active
Eric Scott continues working with South Eugene football after coaching the program in 2025. OSAA’s current 2026 team information lists Scott as the junior-varsity head coach.
OSAA also lists several junior-varsity assistant coaches with the program. Their continued involvement supports South Eugene’s effort to provide football opportunities despite dropping its planned 5A varsity schedule for the 2026 fall season.
Players still have opportunities
Ending the 5A schedule does not end football activities for every South Eugene player. The school is exploring junior-varsity games and other matchups, including possible contests against lower-classification varsity teams.
The replacement schedule was still being developed on August 27. Scott said the program wanted opponents with similar roster numbers so players could continue practicing and competing this fall.
The decision affects other teams
South Eugene’s decision has required scheduled opponents to change their 2026 plans. Roseburg announced that its September 25 game against South Eugene was canceled and replaced by a September 4 home game against Putnam.
The adjustment came before Oregon’s first official football contests. OSAA lists August 28 as the first contest date for the 2026 football season.
What comes next for South Eugene
South Eugene is now focused on finding appropriate competition for its remaining players. The program will not follow its planned 5A varsity league schedule, but it continues exploring ways to play this fall.
Program leaders are also working to increase participation and youth football opportunities. Those efforts are aimed at developing a larger, more experienced player pool for future varsity seasons.
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The 2026 football season begins statewide
Oregon’s 2026 high school football calendar began practices on August 17, and OSAA lists August 28 as the first official contest date. The first postseason round is scheduled for November 6-7.
South Eugene will not follow its planned 5A Special District 5 varsity schedule. OSAA now lists a modified slate that includes junior-varsity games and selected matchups against varsity opponents.
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What do you think about South Eugene’s decision to end its 2026 varsity football season? Like this post if you’re following the story, and comment with your thoughts on the decision.
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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