There was some speculation about who precisely would get the most playing time at various positions in the off season. With two weeks of action, we have our answers, though given the results on the field some of them haven’t been entirely satisfying.
I will list the players who saw meaningful play at each position below. There was a lot more rotation on defense in Stillwater to deal with the heat. I’ll note this where appropriate as well as any other anecdotes I think may be of interest.
Offense
Quarterback
Sr. #5 Dante
Moore
Moore has played every snap of the season on offense thus far. When it appeared he would have to come off the field for a play against Oklahoma State when he lost his helmet Jr. #8 Dylan Raiola appeared to get ready to come in. It follows the transfer has supplanted former walk-on 5th-year #12 Brock Thomas as the back up.
Running Back
So. #0 Jordon Davison, So. #6 Dierre Hill
The former freshman phenomena have split carries mostly evenly, sometimes appearing in two back sets with Davison as a lead blocker. Transfer 5th-year #22 Simeon Price has been listed as out injured the first two weeks and Jr. #21 Da’Juan Riggs got a single carry late in the game at Oklahoma State.
Tight End
Sr. #9 Jamari Johnson, So. #19 Andrew Olesh
When Johnson was a late scratch last Saturday Olesh (who only saw a handful of snaps against Boise State) became the primary tight end. We did see Fr. #18 Kendre Harrison on a small number of snaps in Stillwater. I have transfer Sr. #17 Markus Dixon on my tally sheet once for a goal line play against Oklahoma State in a formation that included 8 offensive linemen.
Wide Receiver
Jr. #3 Jeremiah McClellan, So. #1 Dakorien Moore, 5th-year #7 Evan Stewart, Fr. #15 Messiah Hampton
Hampton saw the field in Week 1 but wasn’t targeted until Week 2. Dak. Moore had a minor injury in the second half against the Broncos but played the full game against Oklahoma State. The staff appears perfectly happy to keep this a tight rotation, though it is of note 5th-year transfer #2 Iverson “Strap” Hooks has been out injured to start the season, and I did spot Fr. #83 Hudson Lewis on the field in Week 2 though he wasn’t targeted.
Offensive Line
Oh-kay, this gets a bit complicated. The staff appears to have wanted to start:
LT So. #58 Ziyare Addison, LG #55 So. Douglas Utu, C Sr. #72 Iapani Laloulu, RG 5th-year #74 Dave Iuli, RT #59 Fox Crader, 6th Man #73 Kawika Rogers
The tackles and center haven’t changed in the first two weeks. There has been significant rotation at the guard spots due to injury. Against Boise State transfer 5th-year #75 Michael Bennett, who had been playing right tackle at Yale last year, started at RG but Iuli replaced him in the 4th quarter. Utu started at LG against Boise State, but didn’t return to the game after halftime when he was replaced by Jr. #56 Trent Ferguson. Ferguson was then replaced by long time swing man Rogers late in the first quarter in Stillwater when Utu was listed as out injured.
Ferguson has also come in as an extra blocker a handful of times (which he also did last season). More commonly though we have seen Sr. #78 Gernorris Wilson (wearing #35) and Fr. #77 Tommy Tofi (wearing #80) on the field as pure blocking “tight ends.”
Defense
Defensive Tackle
#52 A’Mauri Washington, #0 D’Antre Robinson, #1 Bear Alexander, #42 Aydin Breeland, #55 Matthew Johnson
This is the position where the staff has rotated most, both because they like their depth and the nature of the position. Against 11 personnel it is most common for the defense to have a 1-tech and a 3-tech, while in run situations they may switch to a 3-0-3 look with a true nose tackle lined up over the center. Washington was injured in Week 2 and though he did continue to appear and we saw Robinson’s reps increase, and even a handful of appearances from Fr. #28 Anthony Jones.
Edge
Sr. #44 Tatum Tuioti, Sr. #10 Matayo Uiagalelei, So. #31 Nasir Wyatt, Jr. #47 Elijah Rushing
Oregon’s roster lists several players at “defensive end,” as well as outside linebacker, but as far as I can tell this is either an inside joke or some convoluted counterintelligence tactic I have yet to discern the purpose of. Tuioti plays almost exclusively out of a two point stance (even backing out as an inside linebacker at times), Rushing (who is still playing with a club on one hand) strictly works out of 3-point stance, while Uiagalelei and Wyatt do a bit of both. I also saw Fr. #41 Dutch Horisk in Week 2, but I think that was because of the heat.
Linebacker
Sr. #6 Jerry Mixon, 5th-year #9 Devon Jackson, Jr. #11 Dylan Williams
These three took every snap against Boise State but were joined in the rotation by So. #13 Gavin Nix at Oklahoma State. Late in that same game there was also a brief appearance for former walk-on #38 Will Straton.
Nickel
So. #4 Brandon Finney, Sr. #15 Carl Williams, Fr. #5 Davon Benjamin
The Baylor transfer Williams started against Boise State at the nickel defender position but had his struggles. He rotated with the freshman Benjamin the rest of the game. These two continued to rotate in the first half at Oklahoma State but Benjamin was benched at halftime. Beginning with the Cowboys second drive of the 3rd quarter Finney took over inside, only periodically being relieved by Williams when he needed to cool down. I’m very curious to see if the staff make this Finney’s new full time position or consider other options.
Safety
Jr. #21 Aaron Flowers, Jr. #12 Peyton Woodward, Jr. #3 Koi Perich
Flowers retained his starting spot at the boundary safety position and has taken the majority of snaps but Woodyard has rotated in on a regular basis. As far as I can tell Perich is the only defender who has played every single snap so far this season at field safety.
Oregon very strictly keeps the boundary/field distinction for their safeties (though not their corners). The exception is when they go into what I have started calling their “Y-set” where the field safety rotates to the middle of the field 8-10 yards from the line of scrimmage and the nickel back plays deep to the field side.
Cornerback
So. #4 Brandon Finney, Jr. #7 Ify Obidegwu, So. #2 Na’eem Offord
Finney started against Boise State at his usual cornerback position, though even then he would occasionally rotate to a deep safety position if Perich had to spin down in man coverage to the field side. Obidegwu kept last year’s spot opposite him and was rotating with Offord. When Finney took over inside Obidegwu and Offord took all the reps at outside corner. I don’t recall seeing returning So. #18 Dorian Brew or either of the two transfers so far.
