DSC Inside Read: Looking Ahead to 2025 Media Day

 

I know the common thing this time of year is the countdown — how many days until football returns. For Oregon, that number is 44. The Ducks open the season on August 30th. But the real buildup begins this week with Big Ten Media Days.

Oregon takes center stage on Wednesday, and from there, the hype machine starts humming. Next Monday is Oregon’s own media day, and fall camp kicks off two days later, on July 30th. For reporters, that’s when the season truly begins — when the stories start to unfold, the questions start to form, and the new names start to emerge. It’s also when we start digging through interviews for those little nuggets we’ll hang onto all season long.

In the lead-up to practice, everyone who covers this team will be crafting their own vision of what defines success in 2025 — how Oregon gets there, what the strengths are, where the cracks might form. I’m no different.

For the past few seasons on The Inside Read, I’ve used a three-two-one format once the season got rolling. But this year, I’m shaking things up a bit. This week, I’m kicking things off with five keys to Oregon’s 2025 season — delivered in my own style, shaped by four decades of watching this program evolve.

OL DEPTH AND HEALTH ARE INTERTWINED

What we saw on the offensive line last season was a lack of depth, exacerbated by injuries that limited key contributors. Dave Iuli missed a significant portion of the early season. Matthew Bedford essentially missed the entire year, and Marcus Harper was sidelined for several games down the stretch.

While the Ducks proved they had the physicality to compete in the Big Ten, the late-season health of the offensive line became a real concern. That vulnerability was fully exposed in the Rose Bowl, when Ohio State overwhelmed Oregon's front, racking up double-digit sacks and controlling the line of scrimmage.

This season, Oregon appears to have a strong starting five, likely consisting of Poncho Laloulu at center, Emmanuel Pregnon and Bedford at guard, and Isiaha World and Alex Harkey at tackle. But to survive the grind of a Big Ten schedule and stay healthy into the postseason, the Ducks will need to rotate early and get meaningful reps for their second unit.

If Oregon can develop three or four backups who can contribute without a significant drop in performance, it will go a long way in preserving the health of the starting group. More importantly, it will allow the Ducks to respond effectively to adversity up front without sacrificing offensive rhythm or production.

WHAT WILL THE OFFENSE LOOK LIKE IN 2025?

Most offensive coordinators believe in their system and are unlikely to make wholesale changes to their scheme or philosophy. But the 2025 season presents a new challenge for Will Stein — it will be his first at Oregon without a proven veteran quarterback under center.

With Bo Nix in 2023 and Dillon Gabriel in 2024, Stein’s offense operated like a well-oiled machine. Both quarterbacks were among the most efficient in NCAA history, allowing the scheme to thrive through precise execution and veteran decision-making. But 2025 is different. This will be the season that begins to shape the long-term trajectory of Stein’s career — not just as a play caller, but as a program builder.

Either Dante Moore or Austin Novosad will start the opener against Montana State. Whichever quarterback wins the job will bring significantly less experience than Stein's previous starters, requiring patience from both fans and coaches. Moore, who started five games and appeared in nine as a true freshman at UCLA, has reportedly shown major growth since transferring. Novosad, meanwhile, is said to be the most careful with the football in practices and scrimmages — a trait that could earn early trust.

Still, expectations have shifted. Oregon enters 2025 as the defending Big Ten champion, coming off a Rose Bowl appearance and back-to-back seasons with Heisman-caliber quarterback play. That’s a high bar — and breaking in a new starter under those circumstances can be precarious.

One adjustment to watch: does Oregon lean more heavily on the run game early in the season to ease the pressure on its new signal caller? The addition of Makhi Hughes — widely considered the top running back in the transfer portal — gives the Ducks a potential workhorse to help control tempo and field position.

If Stein chooses to rely more on the ground game early, it will be a telling sign of his adaptability. That decision could reveal whether he’s rigidly tied to a system or capable of molding his approach to the strengths and needs of his current personnel.

THE YOUNG RECEIVERS WILL HAVE TO GROW UP QUICKLY

The injury to Evan Stewart significantly alters expectations for Oregon’s wide receiver room this season. While true freshman Dakorien Moore was already expected to be an immediate impact player, Stewart’s presence was supposed to provide balance — a veteran threat that could draw coverage and create more space for Moore to operate.

With Stewart sidelined, Oregon will now rely on experienced players like Gary Bryant Jr. and Justius Lowe to help fill the void. Both have flashed potential, but neither has carried a major offensive load in this system. The bigger question is which younger receiver — Dillon Gresham, Jeremiah McClellan, or Jurrion Dickey — will take a meaningful step forward and contribute this fall. Additionally, all eyes will be on Kyler Kasper, who missed much of last season due to injury. His return to full health could be pivotal for depth and vertical threat potential.

Florida State transfer Malik Benson is another wildcard. Despite limited success in his previous two stops, the hope is that Oregon's system — and the opportunity that now exists — allows him to finally thrive. After several seasons of elite receiver play from the likes of Troy Franklin, Tez Johnson, and Stewart, this year’s group features more new faces than established producers. That makes leadership all the more critical.

Compounding the uncertainty is a tight end room still taking shape. Tight end recruiting misses in recent cycles have left Oregon with limited proven depth. Kenyon Sadiq is the only player with meaningful experience in the system, and while he has all the physical tools to become a dominant mismatch weapon, the next step in his development will be crucial. Jamari Johnson brings a unique skill set — a bigger-bodied tight end who can block and still stretch the field — but he's still relatively raw.

Roger Saleapaga looked promising early last season, but a mid-year knee injury slowed his progress and may limit his early-season impact. That leaves the Ducks hoping that Sadiq and Johnson can shoulder the load — and possibly looking to the depth chart for unexpected help if injuries or inconsistency arise.

On paper, it may seem like a plug-and-play situation, especially given Oregon’s recent offensive success. But Stewart’s injury and the lack of depth at tight end could force the staff to adjust its personnel packages and rethink its offensive balance. This fall camp will be about more than identifying talent — it will be about establishing trust, timing, and leadership in two of the offense’s most uncertain position groups.

OREGON’S FRONT FOUR HAS TO DELIVER EARLY

There’s no denying the talent on Oregon’s defensive line. Bear Alexander was a five-star recruit for a reason. A’Mauri Washington and Terrance Green looked like future stars in limited roles last season, flashing the kind of upside that could anchor the front seven for years to come.

Behind them is one of the deepest young groups Oregon has fielded in recent memory. Tionne Gray, Aydin Breland, Jericho Johnson, and Xadavien Sims all showed promise during spring practices. From a pure talent standpoint, few programs in the country can match what Oregon has assembled in the trenches.

But talent alone won’t be enough if Oregon wants to rely on its defense more consistently in 2025. There must be improvement in key areas — specifically, yards per carry allowed and sack percentage. In 2024, the Ducks finished outside the top 50 nationally in run defense and ranked just 27th in sack percentage. And in the Rose Bowl, against a truly elite offensive line, they were completely neutralized: zero sacks, just three tackles for loss.

Some of that performance can be attributed to Ohio State’s offensive strategy. The Buckeyes got the ball out quickly, using their dynamic trio of wide receivers to stress Oregon’s secondary and limit the pass rush. But even with that context, those numbers have to improve. Elite defenses find ways to affect the quarterback regardless of the scheme they’re facing.

That’s the challenge for Oregon’s defensive front this fall — taking all that potential and turning it into disruptive, consistent play. With so many players transitioning into full-time roles for the first time, the coaching staff will need to find the right rotation, maximize each player’s skill set, and create a defensive line that can hold up not just against average teams, but against the best teams on the schedule — when it matters most.

OREGON’S MOST IMPROVED UNIT? LOOK TO THE SECONDARY

Adding Jabbar Muhammad to the defensive backfield last season brought a level of consistency and maturity that marginally improved the unit over its 2023 counterpart. But heading into 2025, Oregon’s defensive backfield looks nothing like the group from a year ago — it’s been completely overhauled, and the difference is striking.

The additions of All-Big Ten safety Dillon Thienemann and veteran cornerback Theran Johnson via the transfer portal bring experience and football IQ to the backend. Peyton Woodyard — while on the roster last season — is now healthy and poised to make his first real impact in the rotation. The Ducks also landed one of the top freshman DB classes in the country, highlighted by five-star corner Na’Eem Offord, dynamic safety Trey McNutt, and elite cover men Dorian Brew and Brandon Finney.

This influx of talent joins a group that already includes a fully recovered Jahlil Florence, as well as returning contributors Ify Obidegwu, Dakoda Fields, Daylen Austin, and the incredibly versatile Kingston Lopa, who can play safety, nickel, or even hybrid linebacker in certain packages. Altogether, this might be the most talented defensive backfield in the history of Oregon football.

Of course, talent on paper doesn’t guarantee results. Like any position group with young contributors, there will likely be some early growing pains — especially in communication, tackling, and eye discipline. But this coaching staff now has the personnel to run more complex coverage packages, mix up man and zone concepts, and match up physically against the Big Ten’s deep receiver groups.

The key to unlocking this unit’s potential will be how quickly the younger players acclimate to the speed of the college game, and how well the veterans bring cohesion and stability. If it clicks, this group won’t just be good — it could become a defining strength of Oregon’s defense and a game-changing force in the College Football Playoff conversation.

After watching Oregon football for more than 40 years, I can say with confidence: this is the deepest, most naturally gifted defensive backfield I’ve ever seen in green and yellow. Now, they just have to prove it on Saturdays.