When the Associated Press released its preseason poll for the 2025 college football season, Oregon’s No. 7 ranking was not a surprise. After last season’s Big Ten title win in its first year in the conference — and holding the No. 1 seed in the AP poll for four consecutive weeks — this program has proven its dominance.
At a glance, the predictions of the Ducks’ starting lineup have influenced their No. 7 ranking in the AP preseason poll. While the projected starting lineup is stacked, it’s extremely valuable that Oregon has such an extensive roster depth throughout all positions.
That foundation of depth has been reiterated again and again by the Oregon coaching staff. It’s not just a talking point, it’s the identity of a team. The Ducks have built a roster so deep and so competitive that every athlete is treated equally — because in this program, they are.
“(We) develop every single guy to think of themselves as a starter,” Oregon inside linebackers coach Brian Michalowski said. “We do a great job of having rotations at practice … a lot of guys get different experiences with each other, so they’re building that cohesiveness.”
That philosophy has become crucial, especially in the wake of unfortunate injuries to key players. Star wide receiver Evan Stewart — a leader within the room — suffered a torn patellar tendon during offseason workouts in June. With Stewart’s absence, Oregon has been evaluating throughout fall camp to name their new primary target.
Then, early in fall camp, true freshman defensive back Trey McNutt — a breakout candidate on defense — suffered a broken leg. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning has left the door open for McNutt to return this season, but a lengthy recovery process lies ahead.
In most cases, injuries like these would spark panic. But for the Ducks, they simply open the door for the next wave of talent — and provide opportunities for Oregon’s complex schemes to remain effective, no matter who’s on the field.
“Depth is really important to be a championship football team,” Michalowski said. “To make those long runs to, you know, be healthy throughout the season. That is the thing that I take a lot of pride in is treating everyone like they could be the starter.”
“God, it’s really deep. Really deep,” offensive coordinator Will Stein said of the quarterback room. Having not named a starting quarterback yet this season, Oregon has spent time developing and evaluating all offensive playmakers.
“We’ve got a mix of good younger and older players,” Oregon’s special teams coordinator Joe Lorig said. “You don’t want to be really heavy with all your seniors playing. I’m always really conscientious when I build those rosters … so that you can be building and always be good in theory rather than kind of having those dips.”
That long-term mentality is why Oregon is not only relevant this season — but positioned to stay that way.
“We’re going to put the best players on the field that help us score as many points as possible so we can win games — we have a lot of capable pieces on offense,” Ross Douglas, Oregon’s wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator said.
With a star-studded roster, a top 10 ranking and a chip on their shoulder, the Ducks are not just hoping to make noise in the Big Ten — they’re planning to dominate it from starters to the second string and beyond.
