Offensive Line — Carson York, Nick Cody, Hroniss Grasu, Ryan Clanton, Jake Fisher
Even Carson York himself has professed to be surprised at how quickly he recovered from a devastating knee injury suffered in the Rose Bowl, and if all goes according to plan, there’s reason to expect him to start opening weekend. His presence will be needed, too, after the departures of senior stalwarts Mark Asper and Darrion Weems.
With York posted at left guard, sophomore Hroniss Grasu and senior Nick Cody will also return at center and right tackle, respectively. The most pressing question is who will take over at the all-important left tackle position in Weems’ wake, but sophomore Jake Fisher should be ready after seeing some playing time as a freshman. At 6-foot-6, 279 pounds, he certainly has the size to excel on the blind side.
Finally, senior Ryan Clanton should step in for Asper at right guard, and though he’s never been a full-time starter at Oregon, he did appear in 11 games last season at both tackle and guard. In all, though some patchwork certainly needs to be done by offensive line coach Steve Greatwood, this group shouldn’t miss a beat in 2012.