Oregon’s 84-0 demolition of Portland State gave the Ducks a program-record point total and a loud answer after last week’s loss. But even in a game that never got close, Friday night also handed the coaching staff a fresh stack of problems to sort through.
The biggest ones came from health. Jeremiah McClellan was on the field for pregame warmups, then never took the field once the game began.
He was inactive, and when he was spotted afterward, he had a boot on his foot and was using crutches. Oregon didn’t need him against Portland State, but with Big Ten play opening next weekend, that absence looms a lot larger now.
Kendre Harrison created a different kind of concern. With Jamari Johnson already out for the past two weeks while dealing with an injury, Harrison showed the kind of talent that made him a 5-star recruit.
Then he left for the locker room at the start of the fourth quarter with an injury of his own. If Harrison can’t go next weekend and Johnson still isn’t back, that’s a problem Oregon can’t ignore.
There were also personnel answers taking shape on the defensive side. Carl Williams IV was sidelined with an injury, which pushed Brandon Finney Jr. inside to handle the STAR/Nickel role.
The move looked encouraging. Finney held up well in the middle, while Na'eem Offord and Ify Obidegwu continued to look the part on the outside.
If Finney can keep thriving there, it could become a major win for this secondary.
And then there was Jett Washington, who may have made the strongest case of all for more snaps. The only real freshman moment from him came when he missed his first tackle attempt.
After that, he was everywhere. On back-to-back third-quarter drives, Washington picked off Portland State with a pair of diving catches that stood out even in a game full of highlights.
Oregon’s secondary has plenty of talent, but Washington looked like the kind of player you keep finding ways to develop.
The offense had its own takeaway too: where was that creativity a week ago? Drew Mehringer may not have been comfortable opening the full playbook earlier, but Oregon’s attack looked far more inventive on Friday night.
The Ducks were not under much pressure, sure, but they still used some fun, aggressive concepts to get the ball to their playmakers. That’s the kind of stuff Oregon will want to keep showing as the competition gets real.
In Other News...
Oregon's Blowout Clarified One Position Battle Fans Need To Watch
Oregons lopsided win gave the Ducks something every contender wants in October: a chance to get out of the game early and let younger players handle real snaps without the pressure of a tight finish. It also offered a useful look at the depth chart, with Jordon Davison, Kendre Harrison, Messiah Hampton, Dylan Raiola and Nasir Wyatt all turning in encouraging work while the starters got a breather.
The bigger storyline for Oregon may be less about the score and more about how the personnel shuffle settles in the coming weeks. Simeon Prices absence raised a small red flag, and Carl Williams IV now appears to be fighting to keep hold of a starting job after injury and recent adjustments changed the look of the group. For a team with bigger goals ahead, those kinds of battles can matter long after a blowout fades from memory. [Read more 🡒]
Kendre Harrison Concern Just Clouded Oregons Next Big Stretch
Freshman tight end Kendre Harrison gave Oregon a real lift in the win over Portland State, hauling in four catches for 53 yards and a touchdown before his afternoon took a worrying turn in the fourth quarter. For a Ducks offense trying to keep building rhythm, Harrisons emergence added another layer to the passing game and hinted at how quickly he can become part of the weekly plan.
The concern now is what comes next for a position group already stretched thin, with Jamari Johnson also sidelined. If Harrisons issue lingers, Oregon could be forced to lean harder on other options at tight end just as the schedule is about to tighten up, making his status one of the quieter but more important storylines to watch. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Suddenly Has A New Injury Concern On Offense
Jeremiah McClellans day against Portland State took an unexpected turn when the Oregon wide receiver was spotted on the sideline in a walking boot and using crutches after going through warmups with the team. It added another layer of concern for an offense that had already been trying to sort out its passing game after McClellan flashed in the season opener but had a quieter outing the previous week.
Oregon is already working through an injury situation at tight end with Jamari Johnson, so McClellans status only deepens the questions on that side of the ball. The Ducks do at least get an extra day before their next game, which gives the staff and training room a little more time to assess where things stand and how much help the offense will have available. [Read more 🡒]