The Oregon Ducks are in the middle of their bye week, but the conversation around the roster is already turning toward what comes next. With No. 23 UCLA on deck for an Oct. 10 matchup at Autzen Stadium, coach Dan Lanning is preparing his team for a Bruins group he says reminds him of 2025 national championship-winning Indiana.
At the same time, a few Ducks are sitting at a crossroads. Their current roles are small, and unless that changes, bigger questions could start hanging over their futures.
Sophomore tight end Andrew Olesh is one of them. He has 32 yards and a touchdown on three catches, but his workload is expected to shrink even more with senior star Jamari Johnson back in the mix.
Olesh filled in for Johnson in Oregon’s 39-31 loss to Oklahoma State, and that night exposed some growing pains. The Ducks managed just 3 yards per rush against the Cowboys, and senior quarterback Dante Moore was sacked four times.
Olesh also had a quiet outing against USC and did not record a stat after posting 23 yards and a touchdown on two receptions in Oregon’s 84-0 rout of Portland State.
Freshman running back Brandon Smith entered the year with plenty of buzz, but the backfield has been dominated by sophomores Dierre Hill Jr. and Jordon Davison. That has left Smith with very limited chances outside of the Portland State game, when he broke loose for 85 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. The talent is obvious, but with Hill and Davison already established and still carrying plenty of eligibility, Smith may have a hard time carving out a larger piece of the offense this season and beyond.
Then there’s junior defensive back Aaron Scott Jr., whose name has barely surfaced in Oregon’s rotation. A former Ohio State player who appeared in 12 games for the Buckeyes during the 2025 season, Scott has only one tackle for the Ducks, and that came against Portland State. He arrived with the résumé of a major recruit, having been ranked the No. 1 player in his home state of Ohio in the class of 2024, but he has yet to break through behind sophomores Na'eem Offord and junior Ify Obidegwu, both of whom got multiple good looks against USC last week.
For Oregon, the next stretch will help clarify where these players fit. For now, the bye week has only sharpened the spotlight on who needs more snaps, and who may start wondering what their future looks like if they keep waiting.
In Other News...
Oregon Freshman Turned A Scary USC Moment Into A Statement Win
At the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Oregon freshman receiver Messiah Hampton found himself at the center of a tense moment after USC linebacker Desman Stephens II hit quarterback Dante Moore in the head. Hampton reacted angrily and went straight at Stephens before teammates, referees and coach Dan Lanning stepped in to separate the sides, underscoring just how heated the game had become in a hurry.
Moore stayed on the field briefly before leaving in an ambulance, turning what had already been a physical contest into a far more serious sideline scene for the Ducks to absorb. Even with that scare hanging over the night, Oregon found a way to keep playing and rallied for the win behind backup quarterback Dylan Raiola, turning a frightening moment into one the Ducks could carry as proof of their resilience. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Suddenly Faces A Bigger Dante Moore Question Than Just His Injury
Dan Lannings latest update on Dante Moore at least offered some relief after the scare that forced the Oregon quarterback to be stretchered off the field on a targeting play. The coach said Moore is healthy and still being evaluated, but no timetable for a return has been announced, leaving the Ducks with more uncertainty than they would like at the most important position on the field.
Dylan Raiola has already shown Oregon it can survive a sudden change behind center, stepping in and helping lead the Ducks to a victory over USC after Moore went down. Even so, the bigger question now is not just when Moore can get back, but how Oregon manages the quarterback room if this situation stretches on longer than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lanning Sees One Defensive Problem Oregon Must Fix Fast
Dan Lanning liked enough of what Oregon showed in its win over USC to feel encouraged, but the tape still left him with a clear area to clean up. The Ducks did a good job limiting third-down conversions, yet the defense gave up too many explosive plays, especially through the air, which made the game feel far more open than Oregon would have preferred.
The secondary had moments to build on, but the safeties were also exposed in coverage as USC hit on multiple long receptions. With the bye week now arriving, Oregon has a little extra time to tighten those issues before turning its attention to UCLA, and the next stretch will show how quickly the Ducks can turn that concern into a fix. [Read more 🡒]