At Oregon, the offense can look electric on paper and still go nowhere if the front doesn’t hold up. That’s the tension hanging over A’lique Terry’s group as the Ducks try to turn all that skill-position talent into a machine that actually hums.
Terry has already stacked up three straight Joe Moore Award Finalist units as the lead man in The Law Firm, but this one may be his toughest project yet. The talent is there, but it’s young. Oregon also has to replace Emmanuel Pregnon, the 6-5, 318 guard with a 35-inch vertical leap who made the Sports Illustrated All-America team before getting picked in the third round by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The tackle play a year ago wasn’t always clean, either. There’s reason to think Crader and the new right tackle could be an upgrade, but the bigger question is how quickly the whole group settles in.
The latest Chile Duck depth chart shows the options Terry is working with:
LT Crader, Addison, Nacho, Mims
LG Iuli, Ferguson, CressAllen, Kroeker
C Poncho, Brooks, Keli, Boulton
RG Rogers, Utu, Manning, Lewey
RT Bennett III, Tofi, Stascausky, Wilson…
Dan Lanning also stirred things up at Oregon Media Day when he said he could see the program rotating six to eight offensive linemen. That comment clearly had some fans nervous, but the reality is that deeper rotations are not a flaw. Around Oregon, the people who know the line best see that as a strength.
The Ducks’ ceiling still comes down to the same basic formula: big-time talent outside, explosive potential everywhere else, and a line that can keep the whole thing from falling apart. If the blocks aren’t there and the stunts aren’t handled, the fireworks never really start.
Last season, in the biggest games, Oregon showed some cracks. Dante Moore got rattled a bit by the best opponents, and his efficiency dropped hard.
That leaves the Ducks leaning on two things: Moore’s development and the line becoming what it looks capable of becoming. Terry’s history says patience usually pays off.
Geoff Schwartz, the former Oregon right tackle who later played nine NFL seasons after setting the PAC-10 Conference record for rushing by a right tackle, isn’t worried. He pushed back on the panic over Lanning’s rotation comments and pointed out that Oregon has been a JMA finalist three years in a row.
I think Lanning mentioning they'd rotate guys was way overblown by the ppl who wanted to panic. Oregon has been a JMA finalist three years in a row. They know what they are doing...
Anyways rotating early is nothing new. We rotated in 2007 with three NFL guys on the line. You… https://t.co/b9kJCWHlTp
There’s also plenty to like in the personnel. Terry has five-stars Douglas Utu and Emmanuel Iheanacho in the mix, along with Tommy Tofi, a 6-6, 340 pounder who moved around to four different spots in the Spring Game and looked good everywhere he lined up. Tofi and Nacho spent the summer sharpening their footwork together, and both are known for being weight room monsters with squats in the 650 range.
For Oregon, that’s the story in the trenches: youth, depth, talent, and a whole lot of pressure to turn it into a finished product.
In Other News...
Dillon Gabriels Browns Role Suddenly Feels Far Less Secure
Dillon Gabriels path in Cleveland has taken another turn, and it has not made life any easier for the former Oregon quarterback. In the Browns recent game against Chicago, the quarterback picture shifted again as Deshaun Watson opened the day, Shedeur Sanders took over after halftime and Gabriel did not enter until the fourth quarter, a setup that underscored how crowded and unsettled the depth chart has become.
Gabriel, a 2025 Cleveland draft pick who had already made six starts this season before being displaced, is now fighting to reestablish any real foothold in the offense. The Browns have leaned on multiple quarterbacks in recent weeks, and even with Gabriel getting back on the field, the bigger question is whether that late appearance represented a fresh chance or just another brief stop in a season that keeps slipping further out of his control. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Players Are Already Pointing To Freshmen Fans Need To Watch
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Among the names circulating, defensive back Devin Jackson drew repeated mention from veterans as a player who has stood out early, while offensive lineman Immanuel Iheanacho also surfaced as a freshman making a strong first impression. The list did not stop there, either, with Matthew Johnson, Jeremiah McClellan, Jerry Mixon, Carl Williams IV and Gage Hurych all getting brought up as players who may deserve more attention than they have gotten so far. [Read more 🡒]
Former Ducks Are Already Making Oregons NFL Pipeline Look Real
The NFL preseason is still just getting rolling, but a few former Oregon Ducks are already finding their footing at the next level. Dillon Thieneman started at safety for the Chicago Bears and finished with one solo tackle, while Jadon Canady got into the action for the Kansas City Chiefs and logged 23 snaps with four tackles. Emmanuel Pregnon also got an early chance to show he belongs, starting at left guard for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
For Oregon, it is another reminder that the programs reach is extending well beyond Eugene. These are only first auditions, of course, and preseason snaps do not settle anything, but it is still notable to see former Ducks earning real opportunities right away. The bigger question now is which of them can turn that initial look into something more lasting once the roster battles tighten up. [Read more 🡒]