Three Big Questions facing Oregon Football following Spring

We are a week removed from the spring game and now the void is starting to set in. 

The 3 months between the conclusion of spring practice and the beginning of fall camp can be an agonizing and grueling waiting out period, but with it brings the opportunity to get away from football for a bit and explore the great outdoors. Good one, Ted. Although I love scenic mountain hikes, let’s be honest, I’ll be thinking about football just like you through these summer months and here are 3 big questions facing the Oregon Ducks before fall camp kicks off.

IS THE QB BATTLE A LEGIT COMPETITION?

Ever since Dante Moore transferred into Eugene last season, there has been an expectation for him to be a game changing quarterback for Oregon. Although Dante might be the most talked about signal caller wearing the green and yellow, Austin Novosad is here to prove he can factor into the Ducks future as much as Mr. Moore. Both quarterbacks flashed their dynamic skill sets in the spring game, but is that enough to keep Austin as a legitimate threat to the former UCLA Bruin? Time will tell, but one thing I’ll have my eye on is just how far this quarterback battle goes into fall camp. Some folks may view a prolonged competition as one particular candidate failing to stand out, I see that potential scenario as the Ducks having 2 quarterbacks that could start for almost any other team in college football. 

WHERE DO WR TARGETS GO OUTSIDE OF STEWART & MOORE?

The Spring Game is just 1 of 15 opportunities for Dan Lanning and the coaching staff to evaluate the team, but if it showed us anything, it showed us the wide receiver room could be more crowded than we originally imagined. 

We know the main wide receiver targets are going to be the returning Evan Stewart and super freshman Dakorien Moore, but who will stand out as the best of the rest? Names like Jeremiah McClellan, Malik Benson, Kyler Kasper, Gary Braynt Jr., and Justius Lowe have been mentioned throughout spring as candidates to step up beside the 2 projected leaders, but Jurrion Dickey and Dillon Gresham are also making a case to be involved in that conversation. This question will be on our mind throughout summer, but we may not know the answer until late September.

JUST HOW HIGH CAN THE DEFENSE FLY? 

I’m going to put this as simply as I possibly can – I love this defense. 

Despite losing 3 defensive line starters drafted within the top 90 picks in the NFL Draft, I’m ecstatic about the depth up front for the Ducks. A’Mauri Washington played in all 14 games last season and is poised to have a breakout season, as is returning Big Ten sack leader Matayo Uiagalelei coming off the edge. The part that excites me most about this group is the measurables. The size and strength characteristics of all of these guys fits into the profile of an elite Big Ten defensive line. Tionne Gray, Terrance Green, Bear Alexander, Aydin Breland, Jericho Johnson provide a rotation that is deeper than Hells Canyon in eastern Oregon. 

You can’t talk about depth without mentioning what exists in the EDGE room as well as the secondary. Blake Purchase was one of the standouts in the spring game, and combining him with guys like Teitum Tuioti, Elijah Rushing and Ashton Porter creates a lot of options for defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi in a variety of situations. On the back end of the defense is a group that is really deep, but really young as well – the secondary. It’s becoming clear that Ify Obidegwu is trending towards locking up a starting cornerback slot, as is All-Big Ten transfer Dillon Thieneman at safety. True freshmen Na’eem Offord and Trey McNutt have drawn praise from many and we got to see first hand in the spring game how difficult it’s going to be to keep them off the field this fall. 

Dan Lanning’s comments about the spring game regarding his confidence in the linebackers following the spring game, along with spring game performances from Brayden Platt, Jerry Mixon and others creates confidence and depth in the middle of a defense lead by Bryce Boettcher and Devon Jackson. 

Now that I’m done gushing, let’s ask the question – just how good can the defense be this season? We likely won’t know the answer until late October or early November. There is so much inexperience, although extremely talented, it’s going to take some time for these players to mold into what their 2025 ceiling will truly become. The defense has the potential to be one of the best in the Big Ten or college football, but they also have the potential to go through growing pains all season. 

I can’t wait to find out the answers to all of these questions. In the meantime, let’s enjoy our summer.