Oregon’s defensive depth chart took another hit Wednesday, and this one points straight toward a youth push in the secondary.
Dan Lanning confirmed that safety Aaron Flowers had surgery and will miss the rest of the season, ending any uncertainty that had lingered since the injury first surfaced. Flowers had already been sidelined after getting hurt against USC and did not play in last week’s game against UCLA.
The loss comes at a rough stretch for the Ducks, who have been dealing with multiple injuries over the past several weeks. Dante Moore’s exit from the USC game - he was taken out in an ambulance after a severe concussion - has already been one of the season’s most notable setbacks, and Flowers is now another key name gone from the lineup.
The immediate football question is who steps in next to Koi Perich. The most straightforward answer is Peyton Woodyard, the veteran safety who lined up alongside Perich against UCLA. That pairing may have produced Oregon’s best safety play of the year, but the Ducks may not be in a position to settle for the easy move.
At 3-2, Oregon is staring at a season where one more loss could shut the door on its College Football Playoff hopes. If that happens, the conversation in Eugene turns fast from this year to next year, and the staff would have every reason to start thinking bigger picture. The program’s stated aim is a national championship, and missing the Playoff would land hard.
That’s where the younger safeties enter the picture.
Trey McNutt is one of the names to watch. The sophomore former 5-star recruit was viewed as a possible early contributor before a leg injury wiped out his freshman season and pushed him down the depth chart this year.
He has been useful on special teams, but the Ducks may need to find out sooner rather than later whether he can handle a safety role. If not, Oregon risks losing him in the transfer portal this offseason.
Then there’s Jett Washington, the true freshman and another former 5-star recruit who already gave fans a glimpse of what he can do. He flashed against Portland State with a pair of diving interceptions and looks like a real piece of the defense’s future.
For now, Oregon still has to chase the Playoff, which means leaning on the veterans already in place. But if that path starts closing, the Ducks may not have much choice but to accelerate the next wave of talent in the secondary.
In Other News...
Oregon Faces A Bigger Question Than Nebraska In This Big Ten Test
After close losses to ranked opponents, Oregon and Nebraska arrive in Eugene looking for the kind of Big Ten win that can steady a season and sharpen a rsum. The Ducks are expecting quarterback Dante Moore back from a concussion, and that matters as much as anything on the schedule, because Oregon has spent the past stretch trying to figure out how much its offense can lean on him in a game with conference consequences.
Nebraska brings its own intrigue after Anthony Colandrea has thrown 13 touchdown passes this season, and the trip adds another layer to the night. It will be the Cornhuskers third straight West Coast appearance and their first night game out there, which means Oregon is dealing with more than just a matchup of teams coming off losses. The bigger question may be whether the Ducks can use this moment to settle their quarterback situation and reassert themselves before the Big Ten grind gets any tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Akili Smith Jr. Is Suddenly A Real Factor In Oregon's QB Battle
Akili Smith Jr. has gone from a name mostly tucked into the background of Oregons quarterback room to someone worth watching in a hurry. Dan Lanning confirmed the sophomore is being considered as a potential starter against Nebraska, a sign that Smiths recent progress has caught the staffs attention even after limited game action this season. With his size and arm talent, he has the kind of physical tools that can keep a quarterback race interesting well past the point when it first seems settled.
The bigger picture is that Oregon still has not closed the door on the competition. Dante Moore remains in the mix, along with Dylan Raiola and Brock Thomas, and Lanning has left the decision open as the Ducks sort through their options. For now, Smiths rise is the latest reminder that depth charts can shift quickly, especially when a coach sees enough improvement to start seriously weighing a player against the field. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lanning Sends Clear Message After Oregon's Offensive Letdown
After Oregons loss to UCLA, Dan Lanning made it clear the Ducks are not planning to let the offensive issues linger. The head coach pointed to turnovers and a lack of productive snaps as major reasons the unit never found a rhythm, and he suggested the answer will start with a different kind of distribution going forward.
Jamari Johnson is expected to be part of that adjustment, with Lanning signaling the star tight end should see more targets as Oregon looks to create steadier options in the passing game. Dakorien Moore is also in line for a bigger role, and the message from the head coach was straightforward: the Ducks need to get their playmakers more involved if they want the offense to look like itself again. [Read more 🡒]