Why did Koi Perich decide to transfer to Oregon Ducks football?

When looking at where he wanted his next home to be after starring all over the field for his hometown Minnesota Golden Gophers , safety Koi Perich had a few boxes to check when looking through his options. The first was to join a team that perennially contends at the highest level, which ultimately was the biggest reason that Perich chose to transfer to Oregon football over the offseason and fill a crucial need at safety with the departure of Dillon Thieneman. " Oregon has been to College Football Playoff every year, so they are obviously a winning program," Perich said.

"Dillon, he's going to be a first-round pick. Just hoping to do what he did. Just do it in my version.

" One of the other boxes Perich needed his next program to check was one that would put him outside of his comfort zone. Perich grew up in Esko, Minnesota, a small town near Duluth, and was a standout for the Gophers just a few hours away from home for two seasons before entering the transfer portal and committing to Oregon. The chance to live farther from home, get pushed by a new coaching staff and develop in a new environment was enticing to the junior defensive back.

"Coming from a super small town, you just got to work hard just to even get your name out there," Perich said. "Just coming in each and every day with the mindset that you need to get better and just keep on working. " The junior safety said he'd do anything new defensive coordinator Chris Hampton and head coach Dan Lanning wanted him to when asked about his versatility.