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USA Today
2 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Checking in with the Oregon Ducks safety room ahead of the 2025 season
We are less than 50 days away from the start of the 2025 college football season, and fewer than two weeks stand between us and the beginning of the Oregon Ducks' fall camp getting off the ground in Eugene. While coaches and players wrap up their final couple of offseason weeks, we're ready to jump back into things and take a deep dive into what's set to take place at Autzen Stadium this year. The Ducks are coming off of an incredible season that saw a 12-0 regular season, a Big Ten Championship, and the No. 1 seed in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. The offseason brought significant roster turnover as Oregon sent a program record 10 players into the 2025 NFL draft; however, those players have been replaced by a young yet incredibly talented group of players ready to uphold the standard in Eugene. Will they be able to complete the job? Expectations are high, but it won't be an easy task. Over the next few weeks, many questions will be asked, and a significant number of them will be answered. Once we get a look at things during fall camp, we will be able to predict more accurately how things shape up. However, we already have our depth chart projections for offense and defense from spring. As we continue our preview of the 2025 season, leading up to the kick-off vs. Montana State on August 30, let's take a deep dive, position by position. Previous Position Previews Now let's take a closer look at the cornerbacks as we prepare for fall camp. Overall Oregon Ducks Safety Check-In As is the case with a majority of positions on the roster, the Oregon Ducks have a lot of production to replace at the safety spot. With both Kobe Savage and Tysheem Johnson graduating, the Ducks will have a pair of new starter in 2025. Fortunately, they landed one of the best transfer portal players in the nation with Purdue's Dillon Thieneman, a player who is considered to be one of the top safeties in the nation, and a likely first-round pick in next year's NFL draft. Alongside Thieneman are several young, former blue-chip players who will look to step into a bigger role this year and ascend in the depth chart. Overall, the safety room might be among the strongest on the roster this season. Departing Oregon Ducks Safeties Career Stats: 54 games, 262 tackles, 16 TFLs, 2 sacks, 6 INTs Analysis: After transferring from Ole Miss and playing two seasons with the Ducks, Tysheem Johnson's time in college is up. Johnson made positive impacts for both the 2023 and 2024 Oregon teams, playing more snaps than almost any defensive player, but he did always have more success stopping the run than as a ball-hawking safety. Career Stats: 36 games, 179 tackles, 10 TFLS, 6 INTs, 1 FF, 1 FR Analysis: Kobe Savage played just one season for the Ducks, coming to Eugene as a grad transfer from Kansas State, and although he wasn't a superstar on the Ducks defense, he was a consistent contributor all season long. It's tough to lose both of your top safeties in one year, and the Ducks will fill these holes in different ways. Career Stats: 17 games, 7 tackles Analysis: The last departing Ducks safety is Tyler Turner, who entered the transfer portal this winter and committed to Baylor. Turner played two seasons at Oregon, redshirting in his first, leaving him three years of eligibility to transfer to Baylor. Returning Oregon Ducks Safeties Career Stats: 14 games, 9 tackles Analysis: Although he technically transferred to Oregon from Alabama last spring, Peyton Woodyard's career hadn't started yet, giving him four years (now three) in Eugene. Woodyard is one of Oregon's fastest developing young players, and with the newly open spots atop the secondary, expect Woodyard to become a major contributor this fall. Career Stats: 2 games, 1 tackle Analysis: Although Woodyard is probably a step ahead of him, Aaron Flowers is another one of Oregon's fastest rising young stars. After showing out in the Ducks' 2024 Spring Game, many expected Flowers to play a bigger role as a freshman last season, but he ended up redshirting. He may not be the starter, but I expect we'll see much more of Flowers this season. Career Stats: 6 games, 1 tackle Analysis: Oregon's final safety returner is Kingston Lopa, who, like Woodyard and Flowers, was a 4-star freshman in 2024. Lopa played more than Flowers, seeing action in six games, but he never saw a high snap count. The Ducks called on him in the Big Ten Championship game to cover Penn State's Tyler Warren, one of the best tight ends in the nation. That confidence will surely be transferred into this coming season. Incoming Oregon Ducks Safeties Career Stats: 24 games, 210 tackles, 7 TFLs, 1 sack, 6 INTs, 2 FFs Analysis: Dillon Thieneman was among Oregon's most important pickups in the portal after the way the Ducks lost to Jeremiah Smith and Ohio State, giving up deep ball after deep ball. Thieneman's ability against the run and especially the pass is unmatched, and he will be a legitimate star on this Oregon defense. 247Sports Recruiting Profile: 4-star recruit, No. 4 safety, No. 73 overall Analysis: Speaking of legitimate stars, Oregon's sole safety recruit Trey McNutt has stardom in his future. Although 247Sports doesn't rank him as a 5-star, On3Sports does, and they have him as the No. 2 safety in his class. McNutt won't start this fall, but it may not take long for him to become one of Oregon's top safeties or one of the Big Ten's top safeties. Predicting Oregon Ducks Starting Safeties Boundary Safety: Dillon Thieneman Field Safety: Kingston Lopa Oregon Ducks Safety Outlook The safety position seems to be in great hands both now and in the future for the Ducks. With Thieneman leading the way this year, Oregon has a bright future ahead, led by a core of Lopa, Woodyard, Flowers, and McNutt. On top of that, the Ducks have a commitment from 5-star safety Jett Washington, the top-ranked safety in the 2026 class. Much like the cornerback spot, this could be one of the strong points for Oregon's roster going into the future. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Checking in with the Oregon Ducks CB room ahead of the 2025 season
We are less than 50 days away from the start of the 2025 college football season, and fewer than two weeks stand between us and the beginning of the Oregon Ducks' fall camp getting off the ground in Eugene. While coaches and players wrap up their final couple of offseason weeks, we're ready to jump back into things and take a deep dive into what's set to take place at Autzen Stadium this year. The Ducks are coming off of an incredible season that saw a 12-0 regular season, a Big Ten Championship, and the No. 1 seed in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. The offseason brought significant roster turnover as Oregon sent a program record 10 players into the 2025 NFL draft; however, those players have been replaced by a young yet incredibly talented group of players ready to uphold the standard in Eugene. Will they be able to complete the job? Expectations are high, but it won't be an easy task. Over the next few weeks, many questions will be asked, and a significant number of them will be answered. Once we get a look at things during fall camp, we will be able to predict more accurately how things shape up. However, we already have our depth chart projections for offense and defense from spring. As we continue our preview of the 2025 season, leading up to the kick-off vs. Montana State on August 30, let's take a deep dive, position by position. Previous Position Previews Now let's take a closer look at the cornerbacks as we prepare for fall camp. Overall Oregon Ducks Cornerback Check-In There are a lot of positions in Eugene that are seeing an overhaul this offseason, but that rings true no more than at the cornerback spot, where the Ducks are replacing every starter from last season. While there is a lot of youth and unproven production, this may be one of the most talented groups on the roster for Oregon, with numerous blue-chip prospects ready to make a name for themselves. So, how will they stand apart this season? That's something we need to see play out over the next couple of months, but expectations are high for this group to be among the best in the Big Ten. Departing Oregon Ducks Cornerbacks Career Stats: 60 games, 159 tackles, 8 TFLs, 4 INTs, 40 PBUs, 1 FF, 1 FR Analysis: Oregon is losing its top cornerback, Jabbar Muhammad, this offseason. Muhammad played for the Ducks for one season after playing at Washington and Oklahoma State. Muhammad played a solid year for the Ducks, although his size was sometimes problematic. Career Stats: 54 games, 80 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 INTs, 14 PBUs Analysis: Dontae Manning is the next member of the Ducks' secondary on his way out the door. Five years ago, Manning came to Oregon as one of the Ducks' highest-rated recruits ever, and while he never rose to be one of the top CBs in college football, he crafted a solid career. Career Stats: 49 games, 115 tackles, 9 TFLs, 2 sacks, 5 INTs, 22 PBUs, Analysis: Nikko Reed is another significant loss in the Ducks' secondary, as he is out of eligibility after the 2024 season. Like Muhammad, Reed was also a transfer, beginning his career with the Colorado Buffaloes. Career Stats: 45 games, 82 tackles, 1 sack, 6 INTs, 28 PBUs Analysis: The only departing Ducks corner never to see much of the field is Kam Alexander. After the 2023 season, Alexander transferred to Oregon from UTSA, but as a Duck, he only ever played 71 snaps. Returning Oregon Ducks Cornerbacks Career Stats: 19 games, 35 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 sack, 2 INTs, 1 PBU, 1 FF Analysis: In 2023, Jahlil Florence was the CB2 opposite Khyree Jackson, and for most of the season, he was fantastic. Florence was kept off the field by injury this season, but did take warmups for the Rose Bowl. This season, expect Florence to be back to full strength and ready to assist the Oregon defense again. Career Stats: 4 games, 3 tackles, 1 INT Analysis: Another exciting Ducks returner is Sione Laulea. A year ago, Laulea was the number one junior college player available. While he didn't play much this past season, Laulea made some great plays, such as his INT against Illinois. At 6 feet 4 inches, Laulea is a tall, slim defender, and this year, Laulea may have a greater chance to crack the starting lineup. Career Stats: None Analysis: Ify Obidegwu was one of the top-ranked players in Oregon's class of 2024, but he didn't enroll early, which makes it very hard to see the field much as a freshman. Now that Obidegwu has played a year in the Oregon system, he'll be fully acclimated and ready to compete with the rest of the Ducks' CB room this spring. Career Stats: None Analysis: Unlike Obidegwu, Dakoda Fields has been on Oregon's campus for over a year now, giving him all the experience he needs to elevate himself within the program. Of the Ducks CBs in the class of 2024, Fields was ranked just behind Obidegwu, but neither has a shortage of talent. I can see one or both playing big-time snaps for the Ducks this season. Incoming Oregon Ducks Cornerbacks Career Stats: 37 games, 103 tackles, 6 TFLs, 3 INTs, 1 Pick Six, 18 PBUs Analysis: Oregon's sole cornerback transfer is Northwestern's Theran Johnson, who played four years for the Wildcats. In 2024, Johnson played the best season of his career by far, finishing with 53 tackles, 4 TFLs, 2 INTs, a pick-six, and 10 PBUs. The small size of the Ducks' secondary became a problem in the Rose Bowl, and at 6 feet tall, Johnson will bring more size to the room. Career Stats: 115 tackles, 2 INT, 17 PBUs Jadon Canady was a late addition to Oregon's roster, but he comes in as another veteran player in the secondary wiht some great experience moving all over the field, whether it's outside on an island or inside in the nickel. 247Sports Recruiting Profile: 5-star, No. 3 CB, No. 13 Overall Recruit Analysis: Oregon's biggest fireworks — or cigar-worthy moment — on early national signing day in 2024 was 5-star CB Na'eem Offord's flip from Ohio State to Oregon. Dan Lanning has brought 5-star players to Oregon since the start, but Offord is one of his most talented recruits ever. Cornerbacks rarely start — or even play — as freshmen, but Offord might be that good. 247Sports Recruiting Profile: 4-star, No. 6 CB, No. 40 Overall Recruit Analysis: Originally rated as a 5-star, Brandon Finney fell a few spots in the latest 247Sports rankings update. He is an incredibly talented player, though, and will be a great addition to Oregon's CB room in the years to come. 247Sports Recruiting Profile: 4-star, No. 9 CB, No. 64 Overall Recruit Analysis: Oregon's final freshman CB commit is Dorian Brew, another player Oregon beat Ohio State to get. Brew is the only player of the three to have already enrolled at Oregon, which is a major asset for his development. On day one, Brew can start to learn and install the Ducks' defensive scheme so that he isn't learning on the fly next fall. Predicting Oregon Ducks Starting Cornerbacks Field Cornerback: Jahlil Florence Boundary Cornerback: Theran Johnson Overall Oregon Ducks Cornerback Outlook There are some questions about where the production is going to come from for Oregon's secondary this season, but going forward, that likely won't be the case. The Ducks have recruited at such an incredibly high level at this position that the foreseeable future should feature limitless talent in the secondary. That could all start this year, but we've got to see who steps up and takes the reins in 2025. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Ranking the 25 best Oregon Ducks since 2000: No. 3 — Justin Herbert
Over the last 25 years, the Oregon Ducks have been one of the single best teams in all of college football, sitting near the top of the sport for the better part of a quarter-century. Since 2000, Oregon has compiled an overall record of 239-83 (.742), with just two losing seasons during that span. They've been to 24 bowl games, won three Rose Bowls, been to a pair of College Football Playoffs, and appeared in two National Championships. They've seen a Heisman Trophy winner in Marcus Mariota and had 99 players selected in the NFL Draft. It's safe to say that when looking at the nation's best in this millennium, Oregon belongs in the conversation. But who are the players who helped get Nike University into that conversation? That's a different question entirely. To celebrate the quarter-century mark, we're going to dive into that question over the next month as we approach the start of the 2025 season. The Ducks have had hundreds of memorable and beloved players over the years, many of whom will live on forever in some way. But who is the best of the best? That answer, of course, is subjective. When reviewing the numbers and conducting our research, we took several factors into account: career statistics, overall impact and success, legacy, fan adoration, and NFL success. Boiling 25 years of Oregon football down to 25 players is no easy task, and not one that we took lightly. Dozens of players were left on the cutting room floor who deserve a spot in the top 25, and at some point, subtracting names off the list started to feel like pulling teeth. But in the end, we were left with 25 players, whom we will honor over the next few weeks. If you want to catch up, let's take a look at how we've gotten to where we're at in the rankings: No. 25 — Bucky Irving No. 24 — TJ Ward No. 23 — Tez Johnson No. 22 — Troy Dye No. 21 — Samie Parker No. 20 — Patrick Chung No. 19 — Kayvon Thibodeaux No. 18 — Troy Franklin No. 17 — Nick Reed No. 16 — Jairus Byrd No. 15 — Jeff Maehl No. 14 — Walter Thurmond III No. 13 — Bo Nix No. 12 — Penei Sewell No. 11 — DeForest Buckner No. 10 — Joey Harrington No. 9 — Dennis Dixon No. 8 — Jonathan Stewart No. 7 — De'Anthony Thomas No. 6 — Kenjon Barner No. 5 — Haloti Ngata No. 4 — Royce Freeman Today, let's continue with No. 3 — the Hometown Hero, Justin Herbert Player Overview A carousel of elite quarterbacks has passed through Eugene over the past couple of decades, but few have had as significant an impact as Justin Herbert. He didn't post the most incredible statistics from season to season, but the totality of his collegiate career is what made him so special to the Ducks. In 2016, Herbert became the first true freshman to start for Oregon in nearly 30 years, taking over as one of the lone bright spots on one of the worst Ducks teams of the century. He would help improve the team's record in each of his four years on his way to establishing himself as an Oregon legend, winning a Rose Bowl before going to the NFL and becoming one of the best passers in the league. Justin Herbert's Career Stats 44 Games - 10,541, 95 TD, 23 INT Justin Herbert's Single Best Season 2019 – 14 Games, 3,471 yards, 32 TD, 6 INT All the obstacles Herbert faced through his first three years culminated in a masterpiece of a senior season. Not only did he have the best statistical season of his career, but he also led the Ducks to a 12-2 record and a thrilling one-point victory in the Rose Bowl over the Wisconsin Badgers. Herbert's arm talent and efficiency in the passing game during this season cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players in Oregon history. Justin Herbert's Historical Records Justin Herbert NFL Draft Herbert's senior season solidified his status as one of the top quarterbacks in the class, being picked No. 6 overall in the 2020 draft by the Los Angeles Chargers. Justin Herbert's NFL Success His career began at a feverish pace, becoming one of the fastest quarterbacks in NFL history to reach 100 passing touchdowns and 10,000 yards. His stats have deflated in the past couple years due to a change in offensive philosophy, but Herbert is still widely viewed as one of the most talented passers of this era. He hasn't been able to find his footing in the playoffs just yet, but at just 27 years old, the Chargers star has ample time to improve his already impressive legacy. Justin Herbert's Lasting Legacy There are some quarterbacks in Oregon's history with better individual seasons than Herbert, but very few have chiseled out the complete body of work that he has. The hometown hero started in each of his four years with the Ducks and left Eugene as arguably the most accomplished quarterback to play there. Being near the top of multiple all-time Oregon statistical categories and two bowl game wins makes Herbert one of the most essential Ducks in program history, and his connection to the town, growing up in Eugene and going to Sheldon High School, makes his case as one of the greats even stronger. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Oregon QB Dante Moore claims Kenyon Sadiq is best TE in the nation
Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq has flown under the national radar in his first two seasons in Eugene, with much of that having to do with the players ahead of him on the depth chart. Those players included the dynamic Terrance Ferguson (the 46th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft) and Patrick Herbert, a trusted veteran blocker. In his two seasons, Sadiq has flashed the ability that made him a four-star TE in the 2023 class — but hasn't quite made a name for himself. Those inside the Oregon program, however, are aware of Sadiq's talent. Ducks quarterback Donte Moore, speaking at Oregon's 2025 media day, made a bold claim about his teammate. "He's the best tight end in the country," Moore said. Sadiq's talent was flashed in last years Big Ten title game, as he reeled in two touchdowns. Those were the second and third touchdown receptions of his career, along with 29 career catches and 332 receiving yards. Moore's statement didn't stray too far from the consensus at media day, as several other teammates raved about the combination of Sadiq's size (six-foot-three, 245 pounds) and speed. Now as the primary pass-catcher at the tight end position for the Ducks heading into 2025, Sadiq looks to be in store for a breakout campaign. If that is to happen, it'd be a surprise to the nation — but not his teammates. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning previews 2025 season at Media Day
If you woke up on Monday morning and felt a shift in the Eugene air, you weren't alone. College football has been ramping up over the past couple of weeks, but on Monday afternoon, the Oregon Ducks officially kicked things off with their 2025 Media Day. Dan Lanning and a long list of players took the stage to answer questions about their progress this offseason, what they're looking to improve on this upcoming month, and what expectations should be in 2025. After a historic 2024 season that saw the Ducks go undefeated in the regular season and win the Big Ten in their first year as conference members, high expectations are entering the new year, but many unanswered questions remain. Dan Lanning got the ball rolling with his introductory press conference. He talked about the youth of the team, the opportunity to defend Oregon's Big Ten Championship, and where things will go over the next few weeks. Here are some of the top quotes from his interview on Monday at the Club Level at Autzen Stadium. Opening Statement Lanning: Good afternoon ... fall camp, Season 4. A lot of things to be excited about for this team. You know, I spoke a lot on media day just this past week, but certainly thrilled to be back at work. It's fun to see the guys in the building, excited to see about, you know, what questions we're able to answer this fall camp, and are guys ready to work? That being said, we can open it up for questions. Big picture Question: What are some of your big-picture thoughts going into this one? And maybe kind of expectations for this group? DL: There's an excitement, just because it's a new group. You want to see what they embrace, what they want to attack. I think everyone's day one is always elite. There's always, you know, there might be some mistakes, but they're mistakes that are made at full speed. I know that's going to happen with us. You know, more than anything, is ready to attack and figure out what, you know, what we're really great at, what we got to improve that. That's the That's the fun part for me, is, what problems do we get to solve. Big Ten Year 2 Q: With the being your second year in the Big Ten, you're still having to face a lot of new opponents that this program hasn't really seen in a long time or in the regular season. Just what do you like about the way that your staff approach the preparation for those new opponents, and what are you hoping to kind of bring into again this season, going to a lot of new places and hosting some new opponents? DL: Yeah, you talk about what to expect in year two. And like you said, there's gonna be several teams that we didn't play this past year. We got a unbelievable advanced scouting group, Tyler Dean and his staff. They do a ton for us, as far as just hopping ahead to be able to evaluate what do these teams look like, who they added, who they lost, what coaching turnover do they have? We do a kind of summer scouting report on each one of those teams to give us a little bit of a feel for what are they gonna look like. What do we need to be prepared for when we get to those points in the season and kind of the way our of the way our bye weeks have fallen this next year. It's a little bit different than last year, where they're so spread out. It's almost like you have individual seasons there where you kind of prepare for what's new with each opponent. But some new venues that we're gonna be traveling to, whether it's traveling to Rutgers or Iowa or Penn State, some Northwestern those will all be new for us. So those will be new experiences that I'm excited for our guys to be able to handle it in time. Secondary Q: The secondary is a group that a lot of fans are excited about this year, a couple of veteran guys, Dillon (Thieneman) and Jadon (Canady), that are coming over, but a lot of young guys are going to probably be called on to step up this year. What do you kind of need to see from some of these young guys to ultimately be confident and put them out there? DL: Yeah, we feel like there's a level of play, right? That you're either above the line or really below the line. As many guys we can find that can do that, we want to find roles for them, right? And that it's going to look different week one, then it'll look week six, right? There were guys that were involved for us at the end of the season, Kingston Lopa, a great example. It's got to learn throughout the year that was able to have a big role for us in the Big Ten Championship this past championship this past season. So it'll change over time, but ultimately, this group looks a lot like you want it to look as far as size, speed, athleticism, it's our job now to get them caught up to where they can execute at a high level. Young players on tape Q: Lots of roster turnover this year, and a lot of younger players are less experienced players stepping into larger roles. What are the advantages of having those players on the field who might not have as much on tape for other programs in the conference to see? DL: Yeah, and I don't know the exact numbers, but you know, comparative to roster turnover, like our first year, I think was over 50 players, I think our second year is over 40. So there's turnover, but in a different way, like we sent a lot of guys on in the NFL, a lot of opportunities. That doesn't mean the guys behind them aren't going to be those same, you know, quality players. You know, every year we've had more get the opportunity to go play at the league. So I think you're gonna see some faces that are certainly capable of that, but it starts at what they do in Oregon. So that's part of what we got to figure out, right? There's some turnover, there's some new learning. You know, maybe you peel back a little bit less on the install, but you're also afforded so much time in the summer, in the spring, to really get a jump on what you want to be able to accomplish and what you want to be able to learn. So our guys, you know, we have a big volume we have a lot of stuff on offense, a lot of stuff on defense, special teams, that we're going to be able to incorporate this year, and it's about what they can handle and getting them ready for those moments. Team confidence Q: We recently talked about the confidence, and a lot of guys are gonna be playing for their first opportunity for the public to kind of see them. Where's that confidence come from? Where do you feel like this team's still gonna be where they were last year? DL: That's what we have to figure out. But, you know, you look at competitive sports, you look at guys that have a lot of success, a lot of it comes on with, you know, competition anxiety, right? And then lack of confidence. That's where people fail. So our goal within fall camp is, how can we create the same anxiety you have on game day? How can we make practice look as much as possible like a game, and how can we build confidence in what guys do well? And that's part of our job as coaches. It's about having belief in players that the next play is the most important play. And our guys, you know, when they when they get their fuel from internally, intrinsically, rather than externally, I think that's when they perform their best. So that's really the goal this fall. Team goals Q: Coach, you talked a lot about, obviously, the goals. I'm just wondering you over here. How much are the goals of this program? Do your leadership stay the same? And how do you maybe add new goals to kind of change the flavor and keep things kind of progressing and moving along each year that you're a head coach here within this program? DL: I think everything in football is about learning different ways to say the same thing over and over again, right, to make sure that it's interesting, exciting for your team. Ultimately, winning football is winning football that's been really consistent. What's the new run scheme in the league that we haven't seen? That's what's different, right? So you have to be great at stopping the run and great at running the ball, right? We know that. So that's the goal. That stays the same, right? We want to be able to be a team that can rush consistently for over five yards per carry. We want to be a team on defense that can hold people under 3.3 yards per rush, right? So that stays the same. What's going to change is, how do you do you do it? So I think the goals, you know, they're consistently the same. There's some of those goals that we've hit in the past and some that we hadn't, but that that tells you quickly, okay, this is an area that we want to attack. This is something we got to do better this season. So ultimately, a lot of it's the same. The process of getting there might be a little bit different, but the process in itself is also the same. The look of a successful season Q: Your first year round, you win the Big Ten. How do you top that? And what's a successful season in your eyes? DL: This year being the you know, I get asked that question every year. For me, it's always the same, you know, what's the best version of us? You know, if we're playing our best football, if we're being the best that we can possibly be, then that's something I'm excited about. The results kind of take care of themselves. What's our goal? We have high standards. We came here to win championships. Obviously, we got an opportunity to taste that last year with the Big Ten Championship. You know, we want to win them all, not just some of them, right? But that's also not football. That's not very common. It's hard to do so. Biggest goal is to be uncommon, right? To do things that other people can't do. And we have to figure out who we are to get there. Early Adjustments Q: Obviously, the first couple games last year, you guys were winning, but you may not have looked the way you wanted to, and then you were able to make those early adjustments to go on to have the perfect season was a turnaround like that. Do for you as a coach going forward, as you continue to coach these teams. DL: You always want to start fast, right? I think also, you look at the end of the season, you realize all of a sudden, man, Boise State was a pretty good team, right? There are teams playing the College Football Playoff. You know, Idaho is a good team at their level. Certainly, we want to be able to play to our standard, not base it off of somebody else, but you learn a lot of things about your team, and most seasons, you are going to experience some form of adversity. It's about how your team handles that thought. Our guys handled it really well early in season. We're able to kind of get in sequence in the year. That's always going to happen. We had a new quarterback last year, but we're going to have that again, right? So there's going to be some growing pains as we grow as a team. The key is you hope you can grow through wins and not through losses. Meeting Dabo Q: We mentioned last week reaching out to Dabo Swinney and interacting with him for I think the first time, how much of that was set up, and how much of that was kind of picking his brain regarding messaging versus practice and process. DL: Like every year I kind of challenge myself to find some people to touch base with, and he was kind enough to touch base back, you know. So there's a lot of people who've done the game at a really high level that I want to go pick their brain. We really talked about all things. All things program, right? Not necessarily messaging, but all things organizationally, why he thought he was able to, you know, have some of the success that he's had over the years, and what separated some of his team. So really appreciate his insight. Receivers Q: Losing Evan (Stewart) obviously hurts, because not only is he a talented player, but he's a guy with experience starting, experience starting experience in this offense, but what excites you about the opportunity that it gives to other guys in that receiver room? DL: Well, it never excites you to see a player get injured, right? That never excites you. But I do think we'd be lying if we said there wasn't an opportunity now for other guys to be able to step up and create a role for themselves. So I'm excited to see how that all plays out. I feel I have a lot of confidence in that room. I have a lot of confidence in Coach Douglas, Coach Douglas, Coach Stein, and what they do with our offense, but part of that figuring it out through fall camp. Linebackers Q: With Jeffrey (Bassa) heading into the NFL now sounds like we'll probably see at least one new guy emerge as a contributor at linebacker, whether we're talking about Jerry (Mixon), Brayden (Platt), Kamar (Mothudi), Dylan (Williams), what have you seen from those guys and their development and taking that next step? DL: Well, guys just work really hard this summer. You know, I think our guys have put in a lot of work as far as production over the summer workouts. I think we've seen as much as from from a measurable standpoint, as we've ever seen since we've been here. Coach Love and his staff did a great job. There's going to be some linebackers to get an opportunity to have a goal, and I've been in places where you're playing Five linebackers, right? I've been in places where you're playing two so a lot of that's going to be based on what they're able to do this fall, you know, within fall camp and then throughout the season, right? You want guys to continue to grow. Season's theme Q: What's the central theme going into this season? DL: I kind of said the other day, double down, right? And that can be misconstrued with the difference of growth, because growth is really important. But you look at our team over time, you say, Man, this process has worked. Right? We've gotten better every single year. We want more games. We've played competitive football at a really high level. So the process works. How can we do the process better? Anybody else? The pieces that will change within that process is, you know about us as coaches and us as players, figuring out what we do best and what's going to be really tough on our opponents. Community service Q: You talked about the service your your players have had on the community. How many hours you put I'm just wondering, how does you know, making players better people have an impact on the field, and why is that important to you? Feel like to have that within them? DL: What you know, the only thing that I probably get graded on in my job here is, if we win or lose, right? But personally, how do I grade myself? Are these guys walking out the door better humans, right? Are they? Are they going to be great fathers, great husband someday, people that you want your community, people that business owners want to hire and create their own businesses, I think service has got to be at the heart of what every one of us is about, right? And some people say it right. Some people it's about having a camera in their face when they're doing something. But for us, it's a little bit more than that, and our guys embrace that. You know, I challenged news mom when he first joined our program and player personnel that I want to have a group that does more community service than, you know, they've ever done here at Oregon, than it's done around the nation. Like that's really important to me and Carl, that entire staff has done a really good job of finding opportunities for our guys to be able to give back, and every one of our players realize that they're unbelievably blessed, you know, to be a part of what we do, and part of that's also preparing them for their future, their opportunity to give back. Opportunity to give back. When you have blessings you gotta bless back. Keeping players Q: You mentioned earlier that the guys that have left the program, those guys left because they went pro, or they just simply ran out of eligibility. Roster retention is a big thing right now, and your program didn't see a lot of players to eligibility leave with their choosing. Why is that going to be a big factor for this team moving forward? How critical is roster retention? DL: Yeah, retention is huge, and I think that's something we've done really well since I've been here, thinking about going into year four. Now, I don't think we've lost a starter to the transfer portal. I think that speaks to a lot of things. The players enjoy being here. They feel like they're getting developed. They feel a real connection on our team. I think that's super important, because ultimately, the players that are on your roster are going to make more of an impact than the players that are joining your roster. And we have some great players that have joined our roster, I think will make a big impact. But you know, the foundation starts with the people that are here and how they grow and what they become. Kenyon Sadiq Q: Talk a bit about Kenyan Sadiq and what your expectations are for him going forward, as well as the impact he's had so far. DL: Kenyon is one of the most dynamic players in college football, and he's just grown and gotten better every single year that he's been here. What I love that I'm starting to see show up in Kenyon that I haven't seen as much of before, is the leadership traits that are starting to develop. And I think things that I used to say about Terrance Ferguson, Pat Herbert, right? Guys that have been here before. Now I'm starting to say those same things about Kenyan, the way he takes the field, the way he works in practice drills, the effort to film. You know what? All those pieces are really adding up. But Kenyon's always been an unbelievable player. I think this will be a great season for him to have coming out party. Bear Alexander Q: There seems to be a real divide in terms of perception and reality. With Bear, nationally speaking, about the transfers going back to his high school era, about work ethic, some would say he quit on SC last season. Yet all of his former SC teammates raved about talk about how smart he is and how hard he works. Lincoln (Riley) raved about, if a guy quit on a team that wouldn't be the case, they wouldn't necessarily, former teammates, coaches wouldn't respect it when you see it every day, when your relationship goes back in as many years as you do, what is it that the nation isn't seeing from this young man that earns that respect, even if it hasn't worked out in a couple of spots? DL: Well, Bear's worked his tail off. He's He's since he's been here, and I think he understands the perception that's out there. And like you said, perception isn't always reality. He puts in more time when it comes to film study, when it comes to extra work, than almost anybody in our program. And I think that speaks to his commitment. I also think he realized, Hey, this is an opportunity for me to really set the stage for what am I going to be defined as moving forward. And he realized, everybody wants individual success, but I think Bear's one of those guys that realize that comes through to you. That comes through team success. He's a guy that understands what the standard looks like, and there was some in between there for him. But, you know, I think he felt really comfortable coming here, knowing that what it was like in Georgia, and how can he recreate some of that experience coming to a place like Oregon, the relationship there certainly mattered. I'm excited to see what Bear does. He's worked his tail off since he's been here. He's been, you know, a pleasure to coach. He's going to have some up and down moments, like every player in our program will when they get here. But so far, I'm really pleased with what I've seen from Bear. I'm excited to see what he's able to do out there on the field for us this year. Lanning on offense Q: Dan, we know you're a defensive guy, obviously, but as a head coach, you have to have some sort of role in the offense as well. How do you kind of like to attack that and leave your mark on the offensive side of the ball? DL: What's important to me is we have an identity, right? Regardless of who our offensive coordinator has been, Will's done an unbelievable job. Now, going into year three, the offensive staff, like you talk about continuity, we have a lot of that right now, across the board, with our staff, what I learned from Coach Saban was just the attention to detail of where's your time spent and how you use it, you know, and whether it's a meeting with offensive staff on a Monday night or a Tuesday night for third down red area or Wednesday night to go over game like we have that kind of laid out to where I know I can be a part of it. And I want to see their creativity. I want to see an offensive staff and our offensive game plan be something that changes over time, that's difficult to defend, but they know what I feel really strong about, and they know where I'm like, "Hey, go be creative". Let's see we can come up with and some of the best offensive coaches have ever been around, whether it's visiting with Andrew Reed or seeing some of the things that we've done in places I've been in the past. I think you have to look for ways to step outside the box, but don't lose the central framework of it's about players. It's about matchups. It's about executing at a really high level. And those are the things that we've been able to do here the last few years. Chemistry with new quarterbacks Q: Coach with some new faces at key positions, especially coming in at quarterback. We talked a little bit about Kenyon Sadiq being a key target, talking about the chemistry that your skill players are building with their new quarterbacks, and what you hope to see, how you hope to see that grow throughout fall camp? DL: Yeah, it happens through fall camp, right? So that's, I mean, there's been some of that this summer. These guys have had some throwing sessions this summer. They've had some stuff this spring, but this is where you really have to get into a rhythm. And early on, we've always done it, you know, I love seeing different people out there with different groups. So we can mix the groups up and figure out who's gonna who's gonna excel, who's who's a difference maker, and that 11 guys that are on the field, who's a guy that makes people around them better. And then there's that piece of finding rhythm, once you start to identify those people. So we'll work with several guys out there on the field, several guys throwing to different people throughout fall camp, and then we'll settle into a group and to feel like gives us the best chance. Receivers' room then to now Q: Dan, if you could reflect back to your first season compared to this one, specifically at the receiver position, you've over both a lot of position groups, and this roster is now 100 percent guys that either you signed or brought in Portal, but in that year, there were experienced guys, maybe didn't have a ton of production, a lot of young guys to now have a similar like situation. Can you speak to the similarities that there may or may not be, and how much Junior did to help more that room and bring it to where it is, and what Ross can do to put his stamp on it now, and what he's already doing on the recruiting road going forward? DL: There's been some great wideouts played Oregon. I don't think that's something that Oregon's ever necessarily been known for. And you look over the last few years, as some of the guys have been performing for us, whether it's going back, like Troy Franklin or what Tez has done more recently, like we've been able to have some real success with our wide outs. And I even think back to that, you know, the beginning years of early guys like Chase Coda that made such an impact just because the way he carried himself, what kind of leader he was, and then obviously, Junior did a great job with talent acquisition and developing relationships in that room. You know, big fan of June, excited to see what he does with the Cowboys. But Ross has a new challenge, and he's certainly up to that challenge. You look at, you know, how he coaches, the details that he puts in the experience he's had, whether it's with the Patriots or Syracuse, or even his experience of being on the defensive side of the ball or, you know, earlier in his career, I think all those things are going to really pay dividends for our guys this season. And, you know, we have some of that same thing again. We have some young guys, and then we have some guys that have a lot of experience, or at least a lot of time in that room, whether it's Gary Bryant or Justius Lowe have been in there for a long time. Know what it looks like. And then some young guys are going to be coming up and have an opportunity to make an impact. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
