Fall camp is where Oregon starts sorting out who’s ready to rise, and the Ducks have no shortage of names worth watching as Sept. 5 against Boise State at Autzen Stadium gets closer.
At the top of the list is quarterback Dante Moore, who enters the season carrying national championship expectations. Moore’s first year as Oregon’s starter produced 3.565 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, and now he comes into camp looking more seasoned and ready to lead a quarterback room that also includes former Nebraska Cornhuskers star Dylan Raiola and Brock Thomas.
The Ducks’ backfield still has plenty of punch even after Noah Whittington’s offseason departure to the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent. Jordon Davison is the name to circle there. He ran for 667 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, and his leadership could be a major part of Oregon’s rushing attack if he carries that momentum into camp.
At receiver, Iverson Hooks has a chance to become one of the more important pieces in the offense. The UAB transfer arrives in Eugene after four seasons with the Blazers, and his final year there was his best: 72 catches, 927 yards, and seven touchdowns. That kind of production made him one of the top receivers in the AAC, and now he gets his first real chance since the spring game to show what he can do in Oregon’s system.
Tight end is another spot with a fresh face ready to step in. With Kenyon Sadiq gone, Jamari Johnson takes over as the likely starter after transferring from the Louisville Cardinals.
Johnson’s first season with the Ducks included 32 receptions, 510 yards, and three touchdowns, and he finished not far behind Sadiq. Oregon will be looking for that same reliability again in 2026.
Up front, the Ducks’ offensive line remains one of the program’s defining strengths under Dan Lanning, with the group finishing as a Joe Moore Award finalist in each of the last three seasons. Among the returners, Yale transfer Michael Bennett is the addition to keep an eye on. He comes to Eugene after four seasons with the Bulldogs and could make his presence felt quickly.
On the other side of the ball, Oregon’s defensive line enters a new era with Chris Hampton taking over as defensive coordinator, and D’Antre Robinson is one of the players who could make that transition smoother. The North Carolina Tar Heels transfer has 55 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and one forced fumble across his time with the Florida Gators and the Tar Heels, with his strongest stretch coming in his season at North Carolina.
Linebacker Nasir Wyatt is another breakout candidate after a freshman year that produced 11 total tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble. He heads into 2026 with a chance to grow into a leadership role for the Ducks.
In the secondary, Brandon Finney Jr. already turned heads with his CFP Quarterfinal performance at the Orange Bowl, but Carl Williams IV is the newcomer who could end up being one of the more underrated defenders on the roster. The Baylor transfer brings 57 total tackles, two forced fumbles, one sack, and one interception from his three seasons with the Bears, and fall camp will be his first chance to push that case in Eugene.
In Other News...
Chip Kelly Is Back In Oregon Talk For A Very Different Reason
Chip Kelly is back in Oregon conversation for a reason that has nothing to do with his old playbook in Eugene and everything to do with where he is coaching now. The former Ducks head coach is the offensive coordinator at Northwestern, where he is trying to help lift a program that has spent plenty of time searching for answers on that side of the ball, and his path since leaving Oregon has taken him through UCLA, Ohio State and the Las Vegas Raiders before landing in Evanston.
The schedule is doing the rest of the work here. Northwestern is set to see Oregon on Oct. 31 at Autzen Stadium, which gives Kelly a return to Eugene, and the Wildcats also draw Ohio State on Nov. 14 at Ohio Stadium. For a coach who has already worn a lot of different hats in a short span, those two games make this season feel a little more personal than most. [Read more 🡒]
Autzen Stadium Just Got Hit With Another Disrespectful National Take
A fresh national ranking debate has Autzen Stadium in the familiar spot of being respected, but not quite respected enough. Former Michigan lineman Taylor Lewan and former Nebraska linebacker Will Compton kicked around the loudest venues in college football on their podcast, and while Oregons home field got a mention, it was not placed near the top of their list of intimidating environments.
For Ducks fans, the slight is only going to fuel the argument that Autzen belongs in the same conversation as the sports loudest places, especially with other measurements and opposing voices keeping it in that tier. Oregons 2026 home slate should only add to the noise around the discussion, with marquee visits from Nebraska and Michigan shaping up as the kind of tickets that draw big crowds and a charged atmosphere. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Refuses To Fade In Another Massive California Recruiting Battle
Danny Lang has become one of the more interesting names in another major California recruiting fight, and Oregon is still very much in the mix. The four-star cornerback from Mater Dei is rated by Rivals as the No. 10 cornerback in the country, and both the Ducks and USC have spent time building relationships with him as his recruitment has moved along.
Oregons pitch is the kind that can still matter late in the process: player development, recent team success and the chance to point to back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances. Lang already has a strong bond with the Trojans staff, but the Ducks have kept pressing as signing day approaches, hoping those same factors and the familiarity they have built can keep this one from being settled too soon. [Read more 🡒]