Megan.Husslein
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Behind Enemy Lines: Oregon joins the Big Ten with a big-name quarterback transfer leading the way
Megan.Husslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images
This is going to be a good one.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s opponents. From looking at the Big Ten Conference to individual opponents to specific players, we will bring it all to you. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Behind Enemy Lines” articles here.
If any year is going to be Oregon’s year, it’s going to be this one. With the transfer of quarterback Dillon Gabriel to replace Bo Nix and a very talented team led by Dan Lanning, there is a lot of hype surrounding the Ducks. Let’s take a look at Ohio State’s opponent at the halfway point of the season.
The 2024 season will be Oregon’s first year in the Big Ten, and they are not going to have an easy transition. Some of the Ducks’ opponents include Oregon State, UCLA, Ohio State, TTUN, Maryland, Wisconsin, and Washington. Yikes!
However, they are poised to make a nice run this year. Especially with the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams, they are almost guaranteed to make the field.
So, what does this Oregon team have to offer? Well, they had one of the top offenses in the nation last season, and even with the losses of Nix and some of their top weapons to the pros, the returners, and incoming transfers shouldn’t have any trouble maintaining their status as one of the best.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25532618/1910216769.jpg "Vrbo Fiesta Bowl - Liberty v Oregon")
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Last season at Oklahoma, Gabriel passed for 3,660 yards and 30 touchdowns. As one of the top QBs in the country in 2023, he is looking to match that again this year. His backup will be the highly-touted recruit, former UCLA Bruin Dante Moore. So, the Ducks are definitely set at the quarterback position.
Gabriel will have plenty of protection, too, as tackles Josh Conerly and Ajani Cornelius are both future NFL Draft picks. Guard Matthew Bedford from Indiana is also a very solid player.
While the Ducks’ starting running back, Bucky Irving, went pro, they still have plenty of depth. Jordan James scored 11 times and averaged over seven yards per run, and Noah Whittingham also averaged seven yards per carry, so this duo should be pretty successful.
Their receiving core is also impressive. Texas A&M transfer Evan Stewart had over 500 yards on 38 receptions last year and is expected to take a step up this upcoming season. Additionally, Tez Johnson caught 10 touchdown passes and came close to getting 1,200 yards, while All-Pac-12 tight end Terrance Ferguson caught 42 passes and six TDs.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25532642/1902996441.jpg "Vrbo Fiesta Bowl - Liberty v Oregon")
Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images
As for the defense, it is also filled with talent thanks to the transfer portal. Last year, the Ducks were the best in the Pac-12 in scoring defense and allowed just 318 yards per game. The secondary is expected to be very good, led by senior cornerback transfer Jabbar Muhammad who has 28 broken-up passes, four picks, and 117 tackles over the last three seasons. He started out at Oklahoma State, was a star at Washington last year, and now he should be an All-Big Ten performer at Oregon.
Oregon’s biggest weakness last year was pass defense, but with a secondary filled with talented transfers including Muhammad, Brandon Johnson, who made 128 tackles with 11 broken-up passes over three years, and Kobe Savage, who made 115 tackles with six picks at Kansas State over two years, there should be improvement this year.
Overall, this team is going to be very good. There are definitely going to be some tough matchups for the Ducks, the toughest being Ohio State. However, a showdown in Eugene is not going to be an easy one for the Buckeyes. Expect a very good game, but I believe the Buckeyes’ offense will overpower the Duck’s defense.
Continue reading...
Megan.Husslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images
This is going to be a good one.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s opponents. From looking at the Big Ten Conference to individual opponents to specific players, we will bring it all to you. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Behind Enemy Lines” articles here.
If any year is going to be Oregon’s year, it’s going to be this one. With the transfer of quarterback Dillon Gabriel to replace Bo Nix and a very talented team led by Dan Lanning, there is a lot of hype surrounding the Ducks. Let’s take a look at Ohio State’s opponent at the halfway point of the season.
The 2024 season will be Oregon’s first year in the Big Ten, and they are not going to have an easy transition. Some of the Ducks’ opponents include Oregon State, UCLA, Ohio State, TTUN, Maryland, Wisconsin, and Washington. Yikes!
However, they are poised to make a nice run this year. Especially with the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams, they are almost guaranteed to make the field.
So, what does this Oregon team have to offer? Well, they had one of the top offenses in the nation last season, and even with the losses of Nix and some of their top weapons to the pros, the returners, and incoming transfers shouldn’t have any trouble maintaining their status as one of the best.
Last season at Oklahoma, Gabriel passed for 3,660 yards and 30 touchdowns. As one of the top QBs in the country in 2023, he is looking to match that again this year. His backup will be the highly-touted recruit, former UCLA Bruin Dante Moore. So, the Ducks are definitely set at the quarterback position.
Gabriel will have plenty of protection, too, as tackles Josh Conerly and Ajani Cornelius are both future NFL Draft picks. Guard Matthew Bedford from Indiana is also a very solid player.
While the Ducks’ starting running back, Bucky Irving, went pro, they still have plenty of depth. Jordan James scored 11 times and averaged over seven yards per run, and Noah Whittingham also averaged seven yards per carry, so this duo should be pretty successful.
Their receiving core is also impressive. Texas A&M transfer Evan Stewart had over 500 yards on 38 receptions last year and is expected to take a step up this upcoming season. Additionally, Tez Johnson caught 10 touchdown passes and came close to getting 1,200 yards, while All-Pac-12 tight end Terrance Ferguson caught 42 passes and six TDs.
As for the defense, it is also filled with talent thanks to the transfer portal. Last year, the Ducks were the best in the Pac-12 in scoring defense and allowed just 318 yards per game. The secondary is expected to be very good, led by senior cornerback transfer Jabbar Muhammad who has 28 broken-up passes, four picks, and 117 tackles over the last three seasons. He started out at Oklahoma State, was a star at Washington last year, and now he should be an All-Big Ten performer at Oregon.
Oregon’s biggest weakness last year was pass defense, but with a secondary filled with talented transfers including Muhammad, Brandon Johnson, who made 128 tackles with 11 broken-up passes over three years, and Kobe Savage, who made 115 tackles with six picks at Kansas State over two years, there should be improvement this year.
Overall, this team is going to be very good. There are definitely going to be some tough matchups for the Ducks, the toughest being Ohio State. However, a showdown in Eugene is not going to be an easy one for the Buckeyes. Expect a very good game, but I believe the Buckeyes’ offense will overpower the Duck’s defense.
Continue reading...