The first stretch of the college football offseason is now behind us as the Oregon Ducks lace them up and get back out on the practice field this Thursday, kicking off the 2025 spring season.
Following a historic season in 2024, in which Oregon won the Big Ten Conference in its first season as a new league member, a sour taste was left in the mouths of Duck fans everywhere after a blowout loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl.
But a new day is here, and a new season officially begins this week. It will be an eventful spring in Eugene, with numerous storylines to pay attention to. The Ducks are expected to send upwards of a dozen players to the NFL this year, so there are a lot of spots to fill on the starting lineup in 2025, including at the ever-important quarterback position.
Though practice will be closed to media members, at least at the beginning, we can talk to coaches and coordinators over the next several weeks and get a feeling for who is standing out and where the strong points are on the roster.
The quarterback battle won’t be the only thing worth watching. Here are the 10 storylines we are most interested in following for the Ducks over the next month.
Dante Moore and the Quarterback Competition
Two years ago, Bo Nix successfully led the Ducks and finished the year as a Heisman Trophy candidate. A year ago, Dillon Gabriel did the same thing, going to New York City for the Heisman ceremony at the end of the year. With a new QB set to take over in Eugene this season, it’s safe to say that expectations are high.
So it’s no surprise that the most interesting storyline over the next month will revolve around the QB competition and how it plays out between Dante Moore and Austin Novosad. At this point, Moore is the favorite to win the starting roll, generating buzz as a potential Heisman candidate in 2025, but don’t be quick to discount Novosad and what he can do under center as well.
While we won’t be able to see the battle play out at the beginning due to closed practices, it will be interesting to hear what coaches and coordinators have to say about how things play out at this position.
Dakorien Moore Watch
Having the production from a true freshman wide receiver this prominent on the list may seem a bit far-fetched, but if we’re being completely honest, I can’t think of many things that fans will want to read more about than Dakorien Moore this spring. The 5-star WR was ranked No. 1 at his position coming out of high school and is among the highest-ranked recruits to ever sign with the Ducks. Much like with Jurrion Dickey a few years ago, fans will be craving content concerning Moore and how he is developing in the offense.
We aren’t saying that he will earn a starting spot right away, but based on what we’ve heard from winter workouts thus far, he could easily be in the mix right away. We’ll see what the coaches have to say about him this spring.
How does the Offensive Line Rotation Look?
There will be a lot of changes on the offensive line this year for Oregon, and much like a year ago, it will be interesting to see early on where people are slotting in. The Ducks brought in three transfer portal linemen this year, all of whom will likely earn starting spots, but where exactly is yet to be decided. I have projected that we see Isaiah World at left tackle, Emmanuel Pregnon at left guard, and Alex Harkey rotating in at right tackle.
More than the transfers, we need to see which players can earn the other starting spots around them. Iapani Laloulu will more than likely be the starting center once again, but can guys like Dave Iuli or Gernorris Wilson grab starting spots as well?
Makhi Hughes and the RB Running Back Competition
With Jordan James off to the NFL, the Ducks bring back guys like Noah Whittington, Jayden Limar, and Da’Jaun Riggs at the RB spot. I don’t project any of them to be the starter, though, as Oregon went out and got Makhi Hughes from Tulane in the transfer portal. As a versatile back and a downhill runner, Hughes seems to have the ability and skillset to be a dynamic player and potential star in Eugene.
I’m curious to see how things play out around him, though. We can expect to see Whittington in a prominent role again, but where do Limar and Riggs stand in the rotation? The spring game will likely offer us the best look at this, as each player gets a number of looks out of the backfield.
Dillon Thieneman Watch
One of the biggest splashes that Oregon made in the transfer portal this year was landing former Purdue safety Dillon Thieneman. As the top-ranked safety available, Thieneman now comes to Eugene and looks to take over the back-end of the secondary and be an elite defender. Last week on the Bleav in Oregon Podcast, Ducks Rising’s Travis Rooke-Ley said that staff members at Oregon have told him Thieneman might be the single best player on the Ducks’ roster this season and will more than likely be a one-year player in Eugene before going to the NFL Draft in 2026.
That’s a lot of hype. Let’s see what it’s all about.
The Wide Receiver Pecking Order
We already talked about Dakorien Moore, but the way in which the pieces fall around him will be interesting to watch play out. Evan Stewart’s return was huge for the Ducks, and guys like Kyler Kasper, Justius Lowe, and Gary Bryant Jr. will also look to take on more prominent roles in the offense. We’ve heard good things about redshirt freshman Jeremiah McClellan, so can he crack the starting lineup? Is this the year we finally see Jurrion Dickey break out and reach his ceiling? There is a lot of talent in the WR room for Oregon, but not a lot of proven production. Early on, we need to see where that will come from.
Jahlil Florence Impact and Health
One of Oregon’s top cornerbacks in 2023 was Jahlil Florence, but he missed the 2024 season with an injury. He started to get back to practice at the end of the year ahead of the Rose Bowl, but it will be essential to see how limited he is this spring. Should he be good to go health-wise, his impact will be next to watch. Should he be 100%, there’s no reason to believe he can’t be a starter for Oregon again.
Kenyon Sadiq Season
Terrance Ferguson will sorely be missed in Eugene, but the chance that his departure will afford Kenyon Sadiq has many fans excited. Last year, in a limited role, we saw that Sadiq can be explosive with the ball in his hands, so getting him more touches and more targets will be a huge piece of the offense in 2025. Getting a glimpse of what that looks like this spring will be fun.
True Freshmen DB Impact
The Ducks brought in one of the best groups of true freshmen defensive backs in the nation this year, singing 5-stars like Na’eem Offord and Trey McNutt, as well as high-end 4-stars Dorian Brew and Brandon Finney. It’s been rare that we see true freshmen get meaningful playing time during the Dan Lanning era in Eugene, but could this group be different? It’s far too early to tell, but I am interested to see what coaches have to say about their development as early enrollees this spring.
Bear Alexander Watch
One of the most prominent transfer portal players that Oregon added this offseason is defensive lineman Bear Alexander. As a former Georgia Bulldog and USC Trojan, Alexander is a high upside player who has not yet been able to reach his ceiling, often thought of as someone who struggled to buy into a team and put in the work to be great. Will that change in Eugene under Lanning and his staff? If the answer is yes, then Alexander could end up being an incredible addition to the Ducks this year on the defensive line.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Top Oregon Ducks storylines to follow during spring football season
