Five minutes into the fourth quarter, the No. 3 Buckeyes trailed 28-21, appearing poised for a comeback. Oregon needed distance, and fast, to keep the explosive Ohio State offense at bay.
Anthony Brown and the Oregon offense marched up the field in the face of the packed Horseshoe crowd looking for a dagger. Brown took the snap at the Ohio State 14 yard line, scrambling left under duress before finding wide open freshman tight end Moliki Matavao for what would ultimately be the game-winning touchdown.
It was his first reception of his college career –– and what a moment to do it.
The Ducks’ young and talented tight end group was a centerpiece of the team’s offense in 2021. With Matavao, Terrance Ferguson, DJ Johnson and Spencer Webb all returning and a new positional coach in the fold, the tight end position will be equally utilized and potentially more successful in 2022.
Matavao’s touchdown against Ohio State was his only one of the season, but his role on the team spread far beyond scoring. The Henderson, Nevada, native caught nine passes, appearing in all 14 games of his freshman season. His 6-foot-6, 265 pound frame made him an elite blocker.
He’ll be well-suited for offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham’s in-line tight end formation, which disguises the tight end as a blocker along the line, while opening them up as an open receiver.
The former 4-star found a role as part of a tight end tandem with fellow freshman Terrance Ferguson.
Ferguson, a former top-10 tight end out of high school, gave the Ducks’ another receiver last season. He carries a slighter build than Matavao, at 6-foot-5, 230 pounds. His athleticism and route running ability stood out for the Ducks in key moments. He finished the season as the Ducks’ No. 1 pass-catching tight end with 17 receptions and two touchdowns, averaging 8.3 yards per touch.
Ferguson could thrive in Dillingham’s new-look offense in pass-catching formations like the in-line rollout or the split-end, both of which were commonplace during Dillingham’s time at Florida State.
As Matavao and Ferguson approach their sophomore seasons in Eugene, they’re joined by two more returning tight ends in Spencer Webb and DJ Johnson.
Webb will challenge Ferguson for reps in the passing game next season. He was second in catches among tight ends in 2021 with 13 receptions for 87 yards and one touchdowns. He carries almost the exact same build as Ferguson, measuring in at an athletic 6-foot-6, 235 pounds. While Ferguson garnered more reps last season, it’ll be up to the offseason to see how the two compare in 2022.
Johnson played only one game in 2021 due to injury but has shown significant flashes through his time in Eugene.
As a sophomore in 2020, Johnson was a switchblade, playing on both sides of the ball. While tallying 10 receptions for 113 yards and three touchdowns, he utilized his size at defensive end.
His stocky build makes him a physical blocker, with surprisingly good catching prowess for his size. After a season spent mostly away from game action, expect Johnson to be back with a vengeance in 2022.
With Oregon’s hiring of tight ends coach Drew Mehringer, the position is in great hands.
Mehringer is widely regarded as one of the nation’s leading recruiters. In 2019 at Texas, he was ranked as the Big-12’s top recruiter and the No. 3 recruiter in the nation. He’s had stints as a offensive coordinator, a passing game coordinator and a wide receivers coach throughout his decade-long career, coaching several NFL draft picks throughout the span.
As spring football gets underway in Eugene, the skilled and well-rounded tight end group will be a position to watch as it seizes an opportunity under new management.
