There’s always one position in the spotlight.
Last year, it was all about the quarterbacks. The Pac-12 was full of them: a movie-like combination of Heisman candidates, playoff engineers — or perhaps the architects of a team’s downfall. The QB. The signal caller. The man. There was no one, no position, that could hold a candle to their influence.
But it’s a new year, and this time, there’s a new position on the football throne.
Offense is in demand more than ever. Those quarterbacks who rose so far above the rest have departed for professional pastures. Oregon’s move to the Big Ten has dropped the Ducks in the middle of a wideout powerhouse — a year removed from Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze and Troy Franklin, it’ll be on the new crew to push the Ducks into a successful first year.
Make no mistake: This conference is built in the trenches and along the line of scrimmage, but it’s defined out wide. It demands points, necessitates explosive plays and presents the stage for the receivers to shine.
Yes, Franklin — purveyor of arguably the best single season by a receiver in Oregon history — is gone. Admittedly, so is the quarterback who got him there.
Oregon doesn’t care.
It retained veteran receiver Tez Johnson, who will eat up targets after a 1,182-yard, 10-touchdown year. It went to the portal and got the best wideout available in former Texas A&M standout Evan Stewart. Nearly every single receiver who made Oregon either No. 1 or No. 2 nationally in total offense, scoring offense, passing offense, first downs and yards per play (per USA Today) is back. Everyone in Oregon (and a growing number nationwide) is flaunting this as the best wide receiver core in the country.
“Our receiver room is definitely loaded,” fourth-year wideout Traeshon Holden told GoDucks. “All that matters is going out there [and] competing everyday. I’m going to come out there and be the same every day — give it all I got. Our whole room is a family.”
A family they are: Transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel took the offensive group to California in the spring to work through the playbook, Holden said, and their connection was obvious.
“It’s important because it’s continuity,” Gabriel told GoDucks. “You’ve got to be able to create connection off the field to be able to have it on the field. There’s [also] a lot of veterans in this offensive unit, and they knew the time is not on our hands and we’ve got to make the most of it.”
First in line was Stewart, the A&M transfer.
“Evan [comes] to work every day,” Holden said. “He’s still learning the plays, but he’s definitely a ball player. I love watching him work. We’re going to be real good — that’s all I’ve got to say.”
And Stewart is the headliner, but behind himself and Johnson are a bevy of pure athletes waiting to make their big play. Holden is joined in the room by Gary Bryant Jr., former 5-star recruit Jurrion Dickey, Ohio State flip Jeremiah McClellan and more.
“Talent’s not going to be our limitation,” Gabriel said. “To us, it’s always ‘How can you be one-up in the mental game?’ [It’s] knowing your job cold, whether it’s on the fly [or] pre-snap communication, I think that’s something that you can never be too good at.”
On Saturday, it’ll be a rare opportunity to see most (if not all) of Gabriel’s options in one day. As Oregon pits two teams against each other in a scrimmage, keep an eye on who’s getting targets out of that secondary group. It’s anyone’s game — and one that the Ducks are looking to win early and grab an advantage in their new conference.
There’s four true freshmen on the spring roster as well — that’s McClellan (11), Dillon Gresham (80), Ryan Pellum (81) and Jack Ressler (84). They’re competing against the upperclassmen for a slot on the fall roster, and the spring game is one more chance for them to strut their stuff.
They’re here, like every receiver in the conference, to make big plays. It’s what this year is going to be about, and it’ll get to that point in conference play. For now, though, relax and watch the preview of this year’s best picture: Rise of the Receiver.
