Oregon may have everything lined up for a run at something special this season, but there’s one part of the roster that still invites a hard look: the offensive line.
The No. 2 Ducks have a Heisman-hopeful quarterback in Dante Moore, a veteran defense that would make opposing coordinators lose sleep, and a roster loaded with NFL-caliber talent. Even so, the latest Ducks Confidential podcast homed in on the same uneasy question: can a line with three new starters stand up when the pressure spikes?
That concern got sharper after Oregon head coach Dan Lanning was asked about the line’s work in last week’s 120-play fall scrimmage. Lanning said he needed to watch the game film, and to Aaron Fentress, that answer said plenty.
Oregon is bringing back only two starters up front and is trying to build a rotation that could include as many as eight players. The staff is also treating the early part of the schedule like a live test, using those games to sort out who belongs where before the Big Ten grind begins Sept. 26 at No. 14 USC.
There is real optimism in camp about the younger linemen, though. George Wrighster said the coaching staff is fired up about the upside in that group.
“They are very, very excited about some of the young players... these young guys are so good that they may be pressing some of these older guys for some time,” Wrighster said during the podcast.
That kind of depth is useful, and not just for now. More options means more protection against injuries, and it gives Oregon a chance to build experience for the future. But Fentress made clear he isn’t ready to treat upside like a finished product.
“My only red flag for the season, as good as these youngsters might be, is whether they’re going to be ready for the Ohio States, Texases, Indianas, what have you, in the playoffs when that lack of experience can come back to haunt you,” Fentress said.
That’s the real tension here. A young lineman can look great in camp, and he can even handle a controlled scrimmage or an early-season opponent like Oklahoma State. The question is what happens when the game gets ugly and a 275-pound NFL-bound defensive end is flying off the edge in a playoff elimination game.
Wrighster, who played tight end at Oregon and in the NFL, agreed that offensive line play is often as much mental as physical. Reading stunts, sorting out twists, and making split-second decisions are all part of the job, and those are things veterans usually handle better because they’ve seen more.
The Ducks do have some experience in the room. Senior center Iapani Laloulu and senior guard Dave Iuli are back, while redshirt sophomore tackle Fox Crader and redshirt junior tackle Gernorris Wilson have both been in the program and shown flashes. Transfer Michael Bennett III arrives from Yale with starting experience, too.
At the same time, Wrighster said true freshmen Tommy Tofi, Immanuel Iheanacho, and Koloi Keli are pushing for snaps. Tofi is listed at 360 pounds, and Iheanacho at 365, so there’s no question about their size.
They could be punishing in the run game. The bigger question is whether they’re ready to keep Dante Moore clean when the biggest downs arrive.
Fentress also pointed to sophomores Douglas Utu and Ziyare Addison as players in the mix who are challenging the veterans. And he didn’t forget what happened last year, when Oregon’s line struggled in the Ducks’ final two playoff games before three of those seniors moved on to the NFL.
There is at least one encouraging element: this group is getting real work against a defensive line that includes four probable 2027 NFL Draft picks. Whether that sharpens the young linemen or overwhelms them is part of the mystery.
The first three games should start to answer it. For Oregon, they’re more than tune-ups. They’re a chance for offensive line coach A’lique Terry and the staff to sort through the options and find a combination that can survive the season’s biggest moments.
The hope is that by the time the Ducks reach the heart of the schedule, those young linemen will already be acting like veterans. For now, though, Fentress has his concern planted firmly in place.
In Other News...
Dillon Thienemans NFL Learning Curve Suddenly Matters A Lot
Dillon Thienemans first NFL camp has become one of the more important development stories for Chicago, and not just because he entered as a rookie learning a new defensive language on the fly. The former Oregon safety has spent training camp getting up to speed with the Bears system and the faster processing demands that come with it, while also handling the usual growing pains that come with adjusting from college football to the pro game.
The timing has made the learning curve matter even more. With injuries thinning the secondary, Chicago needs Thieneman to keep trending in the right direction, and his progress has been noticeable in practice and preseason action, including an interception against the Bengals. The Bears are counting on him not just as depth, but as someone who can step into a larger role and help stabilize a safety group that has already been tested. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon's Backfield Future Just Got More Intriguing With This RB Commit
CaDarius McMiller keeps giving Oregon reasons to be excited about what comes next. The Ducks running back commit showed off his speed and athleticism during a preseason scrimmage at Tyler High School in Texas, and his track background only adds to the appeal. A 100-meter time of 10.59 seconds hints at the kind of burst that can change a backfield, especially for a program that keeps looking to reload with dynamic pieces.
For Oregon, the interesting part is not just the talent, but the timing. McMiller is expected to help shape the Ducks future in the backfield, and there is already some intrigue around whether he could enroll early and get a head start in spring practice. If that happens, it would give Oregon an even longer look at a runner who brings real speed to the table and seems built to fit the programs style. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Could Suddenly Have A Wild Roster Decision To Make
A Louisiana judges temporary injunction has cracked open a strange new lane in college football, allowing 30 former college athletes, including 16 football players now on NFL rosters, to return for one more season. For programs across the sport, the ruling has created an immediate gray area: do coaches treat it as a one-off legal wrinkle, or as a recruiting opportunity that could reshape a roster almost overnight?
Dan Lanning has already made clear where he stands, criticizing the decision as unfair to players who have earned their spots the hard way. But while Oregon is taking a principled line, other coaches such as North Carolinas Bill Belichick are weighing how to use the ruling, and some schools have already reached out to NFL players about the possibility of coming back. For the Ducks, it is another reminder that the transfer and eligibility landscape can change fast, even for teams trying to build stability from one season to the next. [Read more 🡒]