The Oregon Ducks are about to open fall camp on Aug. 5, and the first few weeks will go a long way toward answering the biggest questions hanging over a team that’s being built for a national championship-or-bust season.
Dan Lanning enters his fifth year in charge with a roster that looks loaded and only got stronger through a top-five-ranked 2026 recruiting class plus several transfer portal additions. But even with that kind of talent, Oregon still has a few major spots that need sorting out before the Sept. 5 opener against Boise State at Autzen Stadium.
The clearest concern sits up front. Oregon lost three notable starters on the offensive line this offseason in Emmanuel Pregnon, Isaiah World, and Alex Harkey, and that leaves a lot of responsibility on the players left to hold the group together. Center Iapani “Poncho” Laloulu is the most experienced returner and figures to be one of the key names to watch once camp gets rolling.
There’s also important work to be done on the interior and in the depth chart behind him. Dave Iuli is back as a valuable depth option on the right side of the line, while Fox Crader, Gernorris Wilson, and Yale Bulldogs transfer Michael Bennett are all trying to make a move and carve out bigger roles.
Quarterback depth is another spot worth watching, even with all the attention on Dante Moore. Nebraska transfer Dylan Raiola is expected to start showing what he can do as the backup after his final season with the Cornhuskers was cut short by a broken fibula in Nebraska’s home loss last season to the USC Trojans.
Raiola comes to Eugene after two seasons at Nebraska, where he passed for 4,819 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. He’ll be part of a quarterback room that also includes Brock Thomas and Akili Smith Jr.
At receiver, the spotlight shifts to Evan Stewart, who has not played in a game since Oregon’s 49-21 home win over the Washington Huskies on Nov. 30, 2024, not counting the Ducks’ spring game. Stewart missed the entire 2025 season after tearing the patellar tendon in his right knee during a June summer workout that year.
Now he’s back in a receiver group that already has plenty of firepower, and his place in it will be one of the more interesting camp battles to follow. Jeremiah McClellan, Dakorien Moore, and UAB Blazers transfer Iverson Hooks are all in the mix, and how Stewart stacks up against that group could shape his role this season.
In his lone season with Oregon, Stewart caught 48 passes for 613 yards and five touchdowns.
In Other News...
Oregon Is Quietly In The Mix For A Rival Legacy Quarterback
Oregon has quietly joined the early mix for four-star quarterback Titus Huard, a 2028 prospect whose recruitment is already drawing national attention. Dan Lanning and his staff have made their interest known, and Huard has picked up offers from Oregon, Washington and Ohio State while making the rounds to multiple programs as his process stays wide open.
For the Ducks, the appeal goes beyond the usual quarterback chase because the Pacific Northwest rivalry is already hovering over the conversation. Huards list of suitors keeps growing, and with other major programs still involved, this is the kind of recruitment that could take shape over a long stretch before it ever gets to a decision point. [Read more 🡒]
Two Oregon Transfers Could Change Everything For Dan Lanning's Title Push
Oregons 2026 transfer haul is already giving Dan Lanning another strong roster-building argument as the Ducks try to stay in the national title hunt. The class has grown to 13 additions and is ranked No. 4 in the Big Ten by 247Sports, a sign that the Ducks are not just patching holes but targeting players who can step into meaningful roles right away.
Among the most important newcomers are safety Perich from Minnesota and wide receiver Iverson Hooks from UAB, two arrivals expected to matter far beyond depth-chart chatter. Perich brings the kind of back-end presence Oregon has leaned on in recent years, while Hooks gives the offense another intriguing option as the Ducks keep chasing the first championship in program history. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lanning Is Already Making An Early In-State Recruiting Push
With official visits wrapped up and the 2027 board starting to settle, Oregons attention is already moving to the next wave of prospects, and the Ducks are wasting little time in the 2028 cycle. One of the clearest signs of that shift is the early push for in-state tight end Presley DeLance, a player the staff has identified as a major priority while it continues to lean harder into local recruiting.
That approach fits a broader trend under Dan Lanning, with Oregon placing more emphasis on keeping top talent close to home after landing multiple in-state commitments in the 2027 class. DeLance has become an early focal point in that effort, and the Ducks have already begun building the relationship that could shape how the states next recruiting class unfolds. [Read more 🡒]