These Ducks Will Have Monster Second Seasons as Starters

2025 was a year of mixed expectations. As fans we expect a lot from our team and knew we had some real talent on our hands this past season, but the problem was that we had a lot of young talent. In the end, that youth was beat out by a team of veterans. In 2026, these young guns are going to have a year of experience under their belts and are primed to have some monster performances.

Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill

Let’s start with two true freshman who broke out and had an incredible opening season. Both made their debuts against Montana State in Week 1 and from there, their roles just continued to grow. Even Mr. FishDuck paused from his study at how to be betting responsibly in order to remark how impressive these freshmen were, and how valuable they became for the team.

Dierre Hill had a fantastic game at Penn State where he had 10 carries for 82 yards with a 24-yard explosive play. Hill established himself as the explosive change-of-pace runner, but wasn’t afraid to get physical when he needed to, as he did against Iowa where he muscled his way in for Oregon’s only touchdown in that game.

Meanwhile, Jordon Davison was quieter at first as a short down specialist, but he was a great blocker and a physical runner who grew as the season developed. He became a wrecking ball who could set the tone of the offense, and between his incredible vision and his ability to get his large frame into tight windows, he always found a way to get bonus yards. I detailed both running backs’ abilities in an article earlier this year.

Davison even scored two touchdowns against Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl, potentially with a broken collarbone. He is not only a tough runner, but just plain tough. It makes you wonder what the Peach Bowl may have looked like if he was healthy enough to play, because there isn’t anyone quite like him in the running back room.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Oregon had two thousand-yard rushers on the roster next season, though with the way Lanning likes to spread out carries, this does feel unlikely.

Jordon Davison gets low and small to squeeze in for a touchdown against Texas Tech.
(Photo By: Tom Corno)

Jeremiah McClellan

Jeremiah McClellan has some incredible hands. When Dakorien Moore went down, McClellan stepped up in a major way. He’s entering his redshirt sophomore year in 2026 and he should see his role expand with his experience. He isn’t the fastest receiver on the field but he doesn’t have to be, as he finds a way to get open and come down with the ball.

What McClellan really needs to be more successful is just more passes thrown his way. And with the departure of Malik Benson and Kenyon Sadiq, there will be more passes to go around.

Jerry Mixon

Jerry Mixon is going to have a huge second year starting for the Ducks. He is a junior and did play some in 2023, but not enough that anyone really took notice. In Oregon’s system, linebackers have to do everything. They are depended upon for run stopping and playing coverage. This isn’t a plug and play position for the Duck defense, and Mixon has shown he can do it all.

Last season Mixon was an absolute ball hawk at the linebacker position, recording two interceptions — one of which was a pick-six. In the run game he was often around the ball when the runner went down. With the loss of Bryce Boettcher, Mixon will be depended upon more than ever.

Jerry Mixon can be found all over the field as he is in for this tackle against the Trojans.
(Photo By: Scott Kelley)

Ify Obidegwu

Ify Obidegwu doesn’t get enough love from the Oregon fan base. He wasn’t as flashy as Brandon Finney, who had an incredible freshman season, but Obidegwu was solid for most of the season. It was his first year starting for Oregon, so there were times when he was exposed, but for most of the season he was solid.

So why don’t we know enough about him? Well, cornerbacks and long snappers have one thing in common: they don’t want attention drawn to them because more often than not, if the camera is focused on them, that means they messed up. And down the stretch of the season there is nothing on Obidegwu’s stat sheet that pops out as anything spectacular. Against Washington he recorded one tackle, against JMU he had two total tackles and one pass deflection, and against Texas Tech he didn’t record any stats. As for the final game against Indiana, he did have three tackles, but that game was a disaster for the whole team.

Obidegwu isn’t recording many stats because no one is throwing his way, which means he is doing his job. Point to another Oregon great with a similar first name in Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, who had a statistically quiet second and third year because teams refused to throw his way. Look for Obidegwu next season as he is sure to have a significant impact and potentially a monster season.

Who else belongs on this list as he enters his second year as a starter for Our Beloved Ducks?

David Marsh
Portland, Oregon
Top Photo by: Brad Repplinger 

Natalie Liebhaber, the FishDuck.com Volunteer Editor for this article, works in financial technology in SLC, Utah.

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David Marsh

David Marsh is a high school social studies teacher in Portland, Oregon. As a teacher he is known for telling puns to his students who sometimes laugh out of sympathy, and being both eccentric about history and the Ducks.

David graduated from the University of Oregon in 2012 with Majors in: Medieval Studies, Religious Studies, and Geography. David began following Ducks Football after being in a car accident in 2012; finding football something new and exciting to learn about during this difficult time in his life. Now, he cannot see life without Oregon football.