Oregon’s offensive line picture is still coming into focus, and Dan Lanning isn’t pretending otherwise.
With the Ducks less than two weeks from opening the season against Boise State, Lanning said Saturday that the staff still has work to do before settling on the five linemen who will take the field first. Even after both fall scrimmages, he said the evaluation process is ongoing.
"I don't think there are any clear decisions, especially without watching the film, on these are the first five or these are the guys who are going to be able to rotate in," Lanning explained. "We still have to watch that film and assess it. We have plenty of time to figure that out."
Oregon still has two more weeks of practice before its Sept. 5 opener, and Lanning said the Ducks will use that time to keep stacking “those continued reps” before making final calls. Some players have started to separate themselves, but the staff is still looking for more proof.
"There are some that have made it more clear with the way they compete and their consistency," Lanning said of the group. "Then there are some that are still continuing to figure out what the best version of themselves looks like out there."
This offseason, Oregon chose development over a fast portal fix on the offensive line. After adding three transfer linemen a year ago, the Ducks brought in just one this time, Yale transfer Michael Bennett. With three new starters needed, youth is expected to play a major role in how the line takes shape.
Fall camp has reflected that reality. Oregon has been focused on sorting out the best combinations and seeing which fits actually hold up. Lanning said the staff “already have a clear picture” of that part of the process, but the final answer still depends on who earns it.
"When it becomes more defined and when it's very clear, it's when they make it easy," he said. "But I wouldn't say it's at that point yet."
The defensive line provides a much different story. Oregon returns all four starters there, and the group of younger linemen behind them has also drawn attention. That unit is expected to be one of the nation’s best, and it has become the benchmark for the offense in practice.
"I think it makes it clear what the standard is," Lanning said of the O-Line's battles with the D-Line. "We're going to go against some really good D-lines this year, and we want it to be harder in practice than it is in the game. So if that's a challenge, that's a positive."
Oregon will wrap up fall camp practice this week, with media availability set for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday after practices. The Ducks will then turn their attention fully to Boise State prep the following week.
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