Typically, a team will try to find its five best offensive linemen and get them as many snaps together as possible throughout the season. That’s not the case under Mario Cristobal.
When everyone is healthy, Oregon usually plays with up to eight offensive linemen on any given Saturday.

“I think we’ll play a lot of guys,” Cristobal said before the season. 

After a shaky performance versus Fresno State in week one, his stance didn’t waver.

“We were playing the guys that we feel can play at a high level and guys that can execute what we’re trying to get done,” he said. “At the same time, it prepares us should there be an injury — should there be some type of issue where guys have to play different types of positions.”

It goes without saying that Cristobal’s strategy worked in week two. Additionally, multiple injuries up front have left the Ducks shorthanded in key spots.
Starting center Alex Forsyth missed four consecutive games in the heart of Oregon’s season. Ryan Walk, who had been starting at right guard, slid over to take snaps in Forsyth’s absence.

Now, Walk is the one out for “another couple of weeks” after injuring his knee against Washington, per Cristobal on Monday.

“The techniques that overlap gives us confidence that they’re repping the right stuff in the right spots,” Cristobal said. “So no, we don’t have a concern with [rotating offensive linemen].”

T.J. Bass, who began the season starting at right guard, has 300 snaps at left tackle this year. He’s swapped positions with George Moore, who started at left tackle and has moved to right guard since.

Younger players have also been thrown into the mix. Sophomore Dawson Jaramillo has played at every position except center, while freshman Jackson Powers-Johnson has played at all three interior spots.

“It’s five men, one mind… But we’re not just riding with five guys,” offensive line coach Alex Mirabal said. “We’ve got to be able to create that depth.”

Of linemen with more than 16 total reps, only Forsyth and right tackle Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu have stuck to one position. Even so, the latter split reps with Jaramillo last week.

The future looks bright along the offensive line. Oregon has established itself as the premier destination for elite offensive line play in the last few years — particularly the 2019 Rose Bowl-winning unit, led by Penei Sewell.

Rotation doesn’t only divide reps; it prepares guys for the next level. Cristobal specifically mentioned Sewell’s immediate ability to play right tackle in the NFL after being drafted sixth overall as a left tackle.

“Versatility is important for the current situation [on] our football team and… for their career going forward,” Cristobal said. “They have to be able to bounce around and be versatile and play different positions.”

The Ducks are slated to lose only one player from their rotation next season: senior George Moore. They currently have four offensive linemen committed from the high school class of 2022, including five-star tackle Kelvin Banks.