Going into every season, fan bases across the country believe that this can be the season their team makes a run or hoists the national championship trophy. The reality is, there are only a handful of teams that check every box that it takes to win a national championship. The Oregon Ducks are one of those teams. Oregon comes into the year with big championship aspirations, and it’s no accident. This team has everything from coaching, roster, experience, and a great culture.
Dating back to the Mike Bellotti and Chip Kelly era, Oregon has always had talent. The high-flying Ducks combined with Chip Kelly’s offense was revolutionary and changed college football forever. They had an identity of unmatched speed and tempo that had teams scrambling to figure out how to stop them. At times, it was almost laughable how fast Oregon would score simply because other teams weren’t able to set up their defense and match Oregon’s speed.
With that being said, every one of those Oregon teams had flaws on the roster. I’m not sure you can point out a single flaw with this Oregon roster. In fact, I’m not sure if those Chip Kelly teams would have fared well at the line of scrimmage vs. this Oregon team.
The Ducks return 4th-year redshirt junior Dante Moore. Had Moore entered the draft after last season, most NFL scouts and executives would view him as an early first-round selection. According to CBS Moore would have been picked 2nd behind Fernando Mendoza in last years draft. Moore is going to be throwing the ball to arguably the best Oregon receiver room in the team’s history. Standout freshman Dakorien Moore is back for his sophomore year, and senior Evan Stewart returns from injury.
Oregon has always had offensive firepower but what makes this group special is the defense. Not Georgia, not Alabama, it’s Oregon that has the best case for the top defensive line group in the country. Oregon returns its entire defensive line from a year ago. This group features A’Mauri Washington, Bear Alexander, Matayo Uiagalelei, and Teitum Tuioti.
You could make a strong case that everyone of these guys would be playing in the NFL today, had they not all decided to return to pursue a championship. Oh by the way, the secondary might be a top three unit as well, with sophomore Brandon Finney Jr, and Minnesota transfer Koi Perich. This roster is experienced and the amount of talent is scary. According to 247Sports Oregon has the 2nd best roster in college football and the best roster in team history.
Yes, Oregon replaces two coordinators, but the man behind it all is not going anywhere. Dan Lanning with his experience at Georgia has built an SEC type roster and culture that is capable of competing with anyone. What makes Lanning’s transformation with Oregon so impressive is that he was able to integrate what he learned from Kirby Smart and Nick Saban without evaporating Oregon’s identity.
Oregon was always fast and explosive, but now they are also physically imposing and can match any team in the country at the line of scrimmage. It started with Mario Cristobal bringing in high caliber offensive and defensive lineman through recruiting and the transfer portal. Lanning has capitalized on that and has turned Oregon into a physical and explosive juggernaut. His transformation is similar to what Urban Meyer did with Ohio State.
Lanning has an astonishing record of 49-8 since he landed in Eugene. In fact, over the last three years the Ducks have only lost to the national champion or the national champion runner up. Two years ago they won the Big Ten and last year they reached the college football semi final. His teams have taken a step forward every year. This is the best roster Lanning has ever had and now is the time they breakthrough and win the whole thing.
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
