No, I am not trying to put a “whammy-curse” on Our Beloved Ducks with the title above, but as a season ticker holder for 38 years–my feelings about this team compared to prior ones are sincere. I had to take some time from my fun with online pokies to reflect on which aspect of this team impressed me the most compared to other years. Is it the experience, the depth or the talent compared to the past great teams?
Some would say it is absurd that Mr. FishDuck would be writing this considering how I wrote an article in October of last year telling fans to forget about next year. I emphasized how the vast majority of the 2023 team (21 by my count) would be leaving, and how 2024 would be a rebuilding year…thus you should enjoy the 2023 season as much as possible. That article did not age well!
The Case for TALENT…
Coach Dan Lanning blew us all away with portal transfer recruiting that can only be described as breathless for the intense Oregon fans such as you and I. The amount of talent brought in on both sides of the LOS was beyond anyone’s dreams, and quarterback is one example. This staff not only brought in a former 5-Star player in Dante Moore, but the most experienced QB in the nation and a leading Heisman trophy candidate in Dillon Gabriel. I will not list them all at every position group, but between last year’s portal additions and this year’s portal class–the talent available for 2024 is amazing.
Oregon has had some very strong position groups with extreme talent before, but this team has this uber-talent in more position groups than I can recall. For example on offense we have had a great offensive tackle before, but two of them as we have in 2024? Ditto at receiver as we have four portal transfers between the 2023 class, and this last one signed that have stacked talent similar to the 2014 WR group a decade ago. Whew!
The Case for DEPTH…
The question is not which position groups have quality depth, but which ones could use a little more? This is a far-cry from what the Greybeard age fans can remember of teams in Eugene for decades. I like to use the example of the defensive backs, as there are so many that could start and frankly I am astounded at the recruiting work done to retain such experienced players such as Nikko Reed and Dontae Manning. It is doubtful that either will start for the Ducks, yet both could have transferred and started at over half the teams in D-1 football. How did Lanning and his staff retain them?
No. 72 Iapani Laloulu, (Poncho) takes aim for his next block. (Photo by Tom Corno)
Not complaining, but thunderstruck at how those were automatic transfers in the past. Sure we have NIL, but starting and playing a ton is what players are looking for. This kind of internal recruiting has occurred at other position groups that many fans would overlook, but I have been impressed with and salute the Lanning staff. This is what championship teams are made of!
The Biggest Case? Experience…
How many times have we seen an experienced player make a play over a more talented opponent? Experience is crucial in your players, and is the major element in determining an upcoming great season, in my humble view. You need at least 12 returning starters from last year to form the basis of a good team, and I recall a year where we had 15 of 22 starters returning. I got very excited about the upside, and it turned out to be true, as experience in seeing things in game speed before–and experience at key moments are what creates big seasons.
Looking at the projected 2024 starters–I see 19 of the 22 starters who were starters at either Oregon or were stars at their former school before portal-transferring into Eugene!
Offense:
Quarterback: Dillon Gabriel
Running Back: Jordan James
Receivers: Traeshon Holden, Tez Johnson, Evan Stewart
Tight End: Terrance Ferguson
Offensive Tackles: Josh Conerly Jr., Ajani Cornelius
Offensive Guards: Marcus Harper, Matthew Bedford
Center: Iapani Laloulu (Poncho)
Looking above at the offense, the only projected starters for the 2024 season who did not start last year somewhere were the heavily experienced Jordan James at running back and Poncho at center. Yet both played so much that they were prepared to be ready to start in this upcoming campaign.
No. 44 Teitum Tuioti knows how to rush the quarterback. (Photo by Craig Strobeck)
Defense:
Safeties: Kobe Savage, Tysheem Johnson
Corners: Jabbar Muhammad, Kam Alexander (I am not certain Jahlil Florence is fully headed from injury)
Linebackers: Jeffery Bassa, Jestin Jacobs
Strongside Defensive End: Jordan Burch
Defensive Tackles: Jamaree Caldwell, Derrick Harmon
Edge Rusher: Teitum Tuioti is my projected starter, but it could be Matayo Uiagalelei
As we know on the defensive side,–Teitum Tuioti played a ton last year, as did Matayo Uiagalelei and both are ready to start.
See where I got an incredible 19 of 22 projected 2024 starters who started last year at Oregon or was a star at another school? This amount of experience at every position to start the season is something I have never witnessed at Oregon before, and the case for Oregon having no weaknesses has merit, and makes me shake my head. It is just unheard of, especially for the Ducks that we Greybeards remember.
Truly, a team assembled such as this is the stuff of potential championships, and will keep us buzzing because…
“Oh, how we love to ponder about Our Beloved Ducks!”
Charles Fischer (Mr. FishDuck)
Eugene, Oregon
Top Photo by Eric Evans of Oregon Athletics
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Charles Fischer has been an intense fan of the Ducks, a season ticket holder at Autzen Stadium for 35 years and has written reports on football boards for over 23 years. Known as “FishDuck” on those boards, he is acknowledged for providing intense detail in his scrimmage reports and in his Xs and Os play analyses. He and his wife Lois, have a daughter Christine, reside in Eugene Oregon, where he was a Financial Advisor for 36 years and now focuses full-time on Charitable Planned Giving Workshops for churches and non-profit organizations.
He does not profess to be a coach or analyst, but simply a “hack” that enjoys sharing what he has learned and invites others to correct or add to this body of Oregon Football! See More…