Offensive Line

One area in which the Ducks will be deep and experienced this season is on the offensive line. The senior-laden group is anchored by senior Max Unger, a three-year starter who had a strong season at center in his junior season. Other seniors on the line with game experience include Jon Teague, Fenuki Tupou, Jacob Hucko, Mark Lewis and Jeff Kendall.

Quarterback

The most glaring unknown quantity on the roster will take the snaps from behind the line at quarterback, football’s marquee position.
The Ducks have a genuine controversy brewing at the helm of the offense between sophomores Justin Roper, who led the team to a Sun Bowl victory in his first start, and Nate Costa, Dennis Dixon’s heir apparent before a knee injury in practice ended his season.
Costa will be unable to participate in full-contact drills this spring as he continues rehabilitation on the injured knee, but will practice otherwise. Roper and sophomore Cody Kempt will likely receive the bulk of full-speed reps, with transfer Cade Cooper and freshmen Darron Thomas and Chris Harper vying for time.
The other skill positions on the offense have veterans at the top of the depth chart, with young, unproven talent backing them up.

Running Back

At running back, senior Jeremiah Johnson, another of last season’s knee injury victims, heads up the unit in his first crack at being the Ducks’ featured back. Johnson carried the ball 54 times for 344 yards, (6.4 yards per carry) and five touchdowns in six games before being injured.
The Ducks will also add JC transfer LaGarrette Blount, a runner in the mold of Reuben Droughns who will look to complement Johnson’s shiftiness with bruising power.
Junior Andre Crenshaw will be another option. Crenshaw saw ample carries in the wake of Johnson’s injury, and made the most of them, averaging 5.1 yards a carry as he carried the ball 82 times for 415 yards and four touchdowns.

Receiver

The receiving corps will feature the final go-around for senior Jaison Williams, who stands to make an impact on the Oregon all-time record books this year with another solid statistical season. Williams led the Ducks in receiving last season with 55 catches for 844 yards and eight touchdowns. Terrence Scott is back for his senior campaign and, despite rumors to the contrary, the oft-troubled Derrick Jones will remain with the program for his junior season.
Last season’s freshman standout, Jeffrey Maehl, looks to stick with the offense after catching nine passes for 118 yards and a score last season when depth problems in the receiving corps forced his switch from defensive back. The top-tier of the depth chart is rounded out by sophomore Aaron Pflugrad, who caught 17 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown last season.
Tight end should be a productive position for the offense this season, as junior Ed Dickson looks to have a breakout year after catching 43 passes for 453 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore. He is backed up by senior Ryan Keeling, a local product from Thurston High School.

Defensive Back

The strength of the defense this year will be in the secondary, where the Ducks improved immensely when three-year starter, and last years leading tackler, Patrick Chung decided to pull out of the NFL draft process and return for his senior season. Chung had 117 tackles, 7.5 for a loss, and two interceptions last season. Chung is joined in the defensive backfield by junior cornerbacks Walter Thurmond III and Jairus Byrd. Byrd led the Ducks in interceptions last year with seven, followed by Thurmond, who picked off five passes and returned one for a touchdown while notching 103 tackles.Linebacker
The linebackers will be led by senior Jerome Boyd, who led the linebackers last season with 79 tackles, 11 for a loss but he will sit out of spring practice with a foot injury. John Bacon managed 42 tackles and an interception before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He will be limited to non-contact drills during the spring.
Injuries at linebacker provided some of the young talent at the position to get some experience last year, and junior Kevin Garrett and sophomore Casey Matthews saw significant snaps. Garrett responded by recording 21 tackles, 5.5 for a loss, and Matthews notched 18 tackles, four for a loss.Defensive Line
The defensive line returns senior Nick Reed at defensive end. Reed emerged last season as a star on the line, recording 60 tackles, including 22.5 for a loss and 12 sacks. Will Tukuafu returns at end for his junior season, and sophomores Brandon Bair, Tonio Celotto and Kenny Rowe round out the position.
On the interior line, seniors Cole Linehan and Ra’shon Harris highlight the group in terms of experience, and senior Michael Speed and junior Simi Toeaina will look to contribute.
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