Throughout spring ball and fall camp, plenty of Oregon fans tried to piece together what this roster would really look like once the games counted. Now that the Ducks have one in the books - a 34-27 win over Boise State - the snap counts are starting to tell that story.
The numbers, pulled from Pro Football Focus, don’t answer everything. But after 64 offensive plays and 68 defensive plays, they do give a much clearer picture of who Oregon leaned on in Week 1 and where the biggest rotation questions still live.
At quarterback, there was no mystery. Dante Moore played all 64 offensive snaps, and Oregon never needed to look elsewhere. That didn’t just confirm the obvious at the top of the depth chart; it also meant the Ducks got a real test of Moore in a game that stayed tight enough to expose areas that still need work.
The backfield was split almost evenly between Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr., with Davison logging 36 snaps and Hill 35. Both finished with 13 touches, though they got there in different ways: Davison had 12 rushes and one catch, while Hill posted 10 carries and three receptions. With the game staying close, Oregon didn’t get much of a chance to show the rest of its running back room, leaving Da'Jaun Riggs, Brandon Smith, Simeon Price and Tradarian Ball for another day.
Receiver usage matched the feel of the game, too. Jeremiah McClellan led the group with 63 snaps, followed by Evan Stewart at 58 and Dakorien Moore at 54.
Messiah Hampton was the only other receiver to play, and he was on the field for just two snaps. Oregon was also without Iverson Hooks and Jalen Lott because of injuries, which helped explain why the Ducks kept the same three wideouts on the field so heavily.
At tight end, Jamari Johnson was the clear No. 1 option. He played 60 snaps, while Andrew Olesh got five and Markus Dixon one.
That’s about as definitive a message as Oregon could send in Week 1: Johnson is the guy, and the rest of the room is chasing him. Pregame, Kendre Harrison seemed like a possible candidate for the backup work, but Olesh got that role instead.
The offensive line brought the most interesting wrinkle. Ziyare Addison, Fox Crader and Iapani Laloulu each played every snap, but the rest of the line had some movement.
Michael Bennett III logged 49 snaps and got the start, while Douglas Utu played 35 and Trent Ferguson 30. Dave Iuli saw 15 snaps and Gernorris Wilson five.
Addison lined up on the left and Crader on the right, which was the opposite of what was expected, and the guard rotation was especially notable. Ferguson, in particular, seemed to handle his work well.
Tommy Tofi and Kawika Rogers never appeared.
Defensively, Matayo Uiagalelei was on the field for nearly everything, finishing with 67 snaps. Teitum Tuioti followed at 60, Bear Alexander had 50, and A'Mauri Washington added 41.
Matthew Johnson played 32 snaps, Aydin Breland 20, Elijah Rushing nine, D'Antre Robinson eight and Nasir Wyatt seven. The top end of the rotation looked familiar, but Wyatt’s limited workload stood out, especially since there had been some expectation he would have a larger role.
Inside linebacker brought one of the biggest surprises of the day. Devon Jackson led the group with 55 snaps, while Jerry Mixon had 39 and Dylan Williams 38.
That wasn’t the order many would have guessed going in. Mixon and Jackson were expected to be the main names, but Jackson ended up ahead, and Williams often worked alongside him.
Gavin Nix did not play on defense beyond a few special teams snaps.
The secondary mostly lined up the way Oregon likely wanted. Brandon Finney played 66 snaps at corner, Ify Obidegwu 46 and Na'eem Offord 27. The snap split between Obidegwu and Offord doesn’t fully capture how the game unfolded, since Offord was more involved in the second half when things tightened up, but the overall three-man rotation looked exactly like the one Oregon is likely to keep using.
At safety and star, Koi Perich was everywhere. He played all 68 defensive snaps, and Aaron Flowers was right behind him with 58.
Carl Williams IV logged 27 snaps, Davon Benjamin 19 and Peyton Woodyard 11. Perich looks like a constant if he stays healthy, Flowers has the job next to him, and the nickel spot appears to be the one still settling in.
Benjamin and Williams split that work, though Benjamin seemed to be out there more when the game got late and tense.
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