Perhaps the biggest question the Oregon Ducks will need to answer in the first game of the season is along the offensive line. While the Ducks have plenty of talent and should succeed both in pass protection and the run game this season, there are a lot of moving parts.
Oregon lost three starters on the offensive line in the offseason, including both tackles, and only added one lineman out of the transfer portal. That means the Ducks are relying heavily on returners Iapani Laloulu and Dave Iuli on the interior, as well as the development of former blue-chip recruits who have waited their turn, like Fox Crader and Ziyare Addison.
As the Ducks prepare for Week 1 against Boise State, there isn't a set group of five up front. Instead, the Ducks feel
comfortable with plenty of different options and combinations protecting Dante Moore. That includes a pair of freshmen in Tommy Tofi and Immanuel Iheanacho.
Depth is a strength, even if all of that depth hasn't seen a ton of game action. Dan Lanning has been pleased with the offensive line in fall camp, and when Saturday arrives, there should be plenty of rotating among the big guys on the line of scrimmage.
“If you look at every position on our team throughout the years, you've seen changes throughout the season" Lanning said. "Do we have some guys we feel comfortable going into the game with? Yes. Are there still guys playing above the line ball at multiple spots? Yes. So, will you see one group? No. I think you'll probably see some different guys in the lineup throughout, and that’s because they’ve earned that and they’ve worked through that."
Yale transfer Michael Bennett III figures to be part of the rotation at right tackle, where Tofi, Iheanacho and senior Gernorris Wilson are also expected to get an opportunity. Kawika Rogers and Douglas Utu could also get an opportunity at either guard spot.
The Ducks have scrimmaged twice in fall camp and felt good about the performance up front. However, Boise State's pass rush has some experienced bodies, especially on the edge. The heat will be turned up on Saturday in front of a rowdy crowd at Autzen Stadium, so there is more to prove for the Ducks up front.
Fortunately, this is a position the Ducks have been in recently. While the offensive line isn't completely set going into the season, the best of the bunch tend to rise in game action and reveal themselves to Lanning and offensive line coach A'lique Terry.
"It’s a little different in practice," Lanning said. "What’s it like in a game? Who is performing the best?’ If you go back to previous years, we’ve started with offensive lines that we thought were the best going in, and they changed over time. That’ll be the same with every position on our team. We have some guys who are prepped and ready, and we feel like we’re going to put them in the best position to be successful.”
Oregon will get a chance to quell some of the concerns about the offensive line this week by dominating the line of scrimmage, regardless of which five hit the field together. Lanning and Terry believe the unit is prepped for the moment, and it's a big moment to show that Terry's development of young tackles like Crader and Addison is paying off.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Dan Lanning expects multiple OL combinations in Oregon opener
