Dan Lanning isn’t spending much time admiring Oregon’s preseason glow.
When asked on Aug. 19 whether he’s let himself enjoy the Ducks’ No. 2 spot in the AP preseason poll, the Oregon coach shut that down fast.
“Hell no,” Lanning said on Aug. 19 during a weekly press conference.
That attitude makes sense. Oregon is sitting near the top of the preseason conversation, with ESPN ranking the Ducks No. 4 in the country to open the year, but Lanning knows how slippery all that early praise can be. He pointed to last season’s Peach Bowl, when preseason AP No. 20 rolled past Oregon on the way to a CFP championship.
“Have you ever seen a preseason poll that was right at the end of the year?” Lanning said.
The Ducks have been in this neighborhood before, only to come up short when it mattered most. If they’re going to finally break through, the answer starts up front.
Oregon’s offensive line has been one of the program’s biggest strengths under Lanning, earning three straight Joe Moore Award finalist nods for the nation’s top offensive front. Last season, the Ducks posted the country’s best pass-blocking grade at 89.3, finished fifth in yards per carry at 5.8, and ranked 14th in rushing yards per game at 218.4. They also topped 200 rushing yards in six games.
Then came the Peach Bowl, where Oregon was held to 93 rushing yards, with 71 of those coming on a Dierre Hill Jr. run.
Now comes the retooling. The Ducks are without guard Emmanuel Pregnon and tackles Isaiah World and Alex Harkey, leaving only center Iapani "Pancho" Laloulu and Dave Iuli back as returning starters. Offensive line coach A’lique Terry will be leaning on guard Kawika Rogers, tackles Fox Crader and Gernorris Wilson, and Yale transfer Michael Bennett III, while younger pieces like Tommy Tofi and Immanuel Iheanacho could get involved early.
That group has talent and experience, but it has to settle in quickly. Big Ten defenses won’t give Oregon much room to breathe, and the line’s job is to open things up for quarterback Dante Moore.
There are other major holes to patch, too.
Former Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman finished with 96 tackles in 2025 before the Chicago Bears took him No. 25 overall. Lanning went into the transfer portal to find a replacement, landing Minnesota safety Koi Perich. The junior arrives with 128 career tackles and the distinction of leading the Big Ten with five interceptions as a freshman.
Perich is being asked to step into one of the defense’s key spots.
Oregon also has to replace its top tight end. Kenyon Sadiq, the Big Ten Tight End of the Year, put together a 560-yard, eight-touchdown season and set a school record with 51 catches before moving on to the New York Jets. Jamari Johnson is next in line after producing 510 yards and three touchdowns in 2025, but the redshirt junior has to grow into a true No. 1 option.
Since Lanning’s first season, when Oregon was upset by Oregon State, the Ducks have lost only five times over the last three years. Two of those came against Washington in 2023, one against Ohio State in 2024 and two against Indiana in 2025.
Three of those defeats came when the season was hanging in the balance. Ohio State and Indiana went on to win it all, while Washington reached the title game.
Oregon has mostly avoided the kind of random stumble that can wreck a season, but last year’s 11-1 record showed how quickly one loss can change the whole picture.
The Buckeyes are back on the schedule as the big measuring stick. Oregon travels to Columbus to face Ohio State on Nov. 7 in a game that could decide control of the conference. The Ducks also have road tests at USC and Michigan State, while Michigan and Washington come to Eugene.
So yes, a lot has to go right for Oregon to get where it wants to go. The offensive line has to come together.
Key pieces have to be replaced on both sides of the ball. The Ducks have to survive the Big Ten grind.
But Lanning isn’t putting much stock in preseason numbers anyway.
“The people that make those polls have nothing to do with the results on the field,” Lanning said. “So, let’s focus on the things that we control.”
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For programs like Oregon, it is another reminder of how much the path for top quarterbacks has changed before they ever hear their name called. The comparison to the rookie contracts of the first five quarterbacks selected in the 2026 NFL Draft is the eye-opener, since the richest of those deals tops out at $10.4 million and some college players can still out-earn certain pros without leaving campus. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Former Basketball Prospect Is Suddenly In The O-Line Mix
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Since then, Ferguson has kept climbing. He played in every game during his sophomore season and is now in the mix for a starting role, a notable rise for someone who came to the sport so late. For Oregon, its another reminder that the programs line depth can come from unexpected places, and for Ferguson, the next step is no longer about learning the position but proving he belongs at the front of it. [Read more 🡒]