As the Ducks return 10 of 11 starters from a year ago, the offensive chemistry could be scary in the squad’s second year under coordinator Joe Moorhead.
Here’s what he’s working with ahead of the new season.
Quarterback
Since Tyler Shough’s departure to Texas Tech, one of the biggest questions has been his replacement.
Still, all signs point to Anthony Brown as the starting quarterback on Sep. 4.
Both through practices and his limited snaps last year, Brown has shown the ability to hurt defenses in multiple ways. He throws more for accuracy and touch than strength; but, with everything that he lacks in power, he makes up for in his pocket mobility and athleticism.
Brown is the most prepared to take over. His five years of collegiate experience significantly outweighs his competition and also makes him a natural leader for the rest of the offense.
“[Brown] has thrown for nearly 6000 yards and 60 touchdowns and been in tons of different offenses,” Moorhead said. “He’s a smart kid, very mature. And I think he always takes the opportunity to spread his wisdom to the young guys and they’re very receptive too.”
Three players are vying for Brown’s backup position. Two of them, Jay Butterfield and Robby Ashford, already have a year under Oregon’s system. The third, Ty Thompson, is a five-star freshman who’s quickly become a fan favorite in Eugene.
Brown’s lack of down-the-field shots leaves the door ajar for one of the program’s younger quarterbacks to perhaps sneak in as a starter.
Offensive line
Oregon’s offensive line had one start combined heading into 2020. Now, with an abbreviated season and offseason camp under its belt, the line is building strength and camaraderie by the day.
At the left tackle position, fifth-year senior George Moore will look to build upon an impressive 2020 campaign in which he didn’t allow a sack in 192 pass-blocking snaps. The highly recruited Kingsley Suamataia will back up and push for the starting job as well.
At left guard, AP Pac-12 All-Conference first team TJ Bass will likely start again. Freshman Marcus Harper and Logan Sagapolu could see time here as well after notable summer camps.
Alex Forsyth is coming off a career year where he earned Pac-12 All-Conference second team after filing in as a platoon player for most of 2019. He will start at center, with freshman Jonathan Denis likely set to back him up.
Eugene native Ryan Walk will hold down the right guard spot. Last year, Walk finished first-team Pac-12 while not surrendering a single sack. Sagapolu should receive exposure here as well.
Finally, Steven Jones will hold down the right tackle position after a break-out 2020 season where he started every game.
“There’s a lot of pride in the way that they [the offensive line] work,” head coach Mario Cristobal said. “They made it clear that they gotta push each other to be good. And, for that reason, we expect a lot out of them.”
Skill positions
In the backfield, the CJ Verdell and Travis Dye duo is set to return for their fourth season.
Verdell has shown glimpses of NFL potential multiple times as a Duck, but the question surrounding Verdell isn’t one of effectiveness, rather availability as the three-year starter has suffered numerous injuries in his Oregon career.
Dye’s explosive skill set complements Verdell’s running abilities well. He was arguably the team’s offensive MVP last season, scoring five touchdowns on 6.9 yards per carry and a resounding 26.6 yards per reception.
With Cyrus Habibi-Likio transferring, the third running back spot is vacant. This is a prime opportunity for Trey Benson, Seven McGee and Byron Caldwell. Sean Dollars is expected to return from a leg injury during the season, and when he does, Oregon’s backfield could be lethal.
Johnny Johnson lll, Mycah Pittman and Jaylon Redd are expected to be the team’s starting wide receivers. Johnson III, the fifth year senior, will roll into the year as a member of the Biletnikoff Award watch list, which recognizes the nation’s best receivers.
Pittman had an opportunistic true freshman season in the green and yellow, but an injury plagued 2020. He still had his fair share of big plays, but this year, the expectations are much higher.
Redd is coming off yet another season of providing versatility and speed for the Ducks. He’ll line up both in the backfield and as a receiver but wherever he is, he’s a matchup nightmare for any defender.
Devon Williams, Kris Hutson and Josh Delgado will add variety in size and skillset.
An intriguing storyline at the receiver position has been the emergence of two true freshmen: Dont’e Thornton and Troy Franklin. Both have made it difficult on the veterans to retain their starting roles all throughout camp.
Despite there being no clear frontrunner for the tight end, it’s arguably Oregon’s deepest position. DJ Johnson took the position by storm last year after being converted from the defensive line, but an injury has kept him out for a bulk of training camp.
With the recent knee injury to Patrick Herbert, Spencer Webb could be the next man up. Webb has made big plays as a Duck, but he hasn’t seen much first-team time in games.
Not too far behind the three veterans are a pair of four-star freshmen: Terrance Ferguson and Moliki Matavao. Both have already made significant progress in the weight room and on the field since arriving in Eugene.
“It really benefited both of those guys to come early, go through spring ball and spend the entire summer here,” tight ends coach Bobby Williams said. “They’re gonna push for some playing time.”
With only a few weeks of practice and a shortened schedule last year, Moorhead didn’t have much time to implement a full offense. Now, with a full year to prepare and the re-emergence of spring and summer camps, the training wheels are ready to come off.
