Just days before their Peach Bowl showdown, the Oregon Ducks’ roster took another critical blow. Dan Lanning and Co. could have used all players on deck. Instead, they got hit with a gut punch, thanks to the running back Jayden Limar, who jumped into the portal, sending Duck Nation straight into panic mode.

“After many difficult conversations with my family and a great deal of prayer, I have decided to enter the transfer portal,” wrote Limar on the IG post on January 6. “I am choosing to take this next step to continue developing as a football player and, more importantly, as a man.”

Standing 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds, Lanning’s star running back came to Oregon as a highly touted four-star recruit and the No. 18 running back in the 2023 cycle, according to 247Sports. He made an immediate impact, suiting up for 11 games as a true freshman and crossing the 100-yard mark with a touchdown. 

Moreover, Limar followed that up by appearing in all 14 games as a sophomore before earning a larger workload in his junior year. However, his 2025 season was marred by injury. After missing six games with a foot injury, Lanning’s running back returned for the postseason.

He recorded one rush for 10 yards and two catches for minus-six yards against the James Madison Dukes. Limar then added three carries for three yards and a 27-yard grab versus the Texas Tech Red Raiders. With this, Lanning’s running back room is in disarray due to the impact Limar brings to the program. 

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Oregon saw Makhi Hughes, Jay Harris, and now Limar all hit the transfer portal. Hughes quickly found a new home with the Houston Cougars after redshirting in four games. Limar made his exit official Tuesday night, and Harris, a redshirt junior and former DII All-American, still hasn’t found a landing spot.

With him out the door, Oregon gets hit with a full-blown running back crunch. As per The Oregonian’s Aaron Fentress, true freshman Jordon Davison has a broken clavicle. So, he is likely done for the CFP.

This isn’t just about numbers on a depth chart. Losing Limar stings because Lanning is parting ways with a proven playmaker and a respected locker room leader. He offered leadership in big-time moments and anchored Oregon through high-stakes games.

“I think he played 15 snaps on special teams, 24 snaps on offense,” Lanning praised Limar in an interview in September. “One of his best plays of the day was a block that he had on an inside run play. We’re running down on kickoff, dynamic piece of our PBR (punt block return) team and our KOR (kickoff return) unit.”

Limar’s exit is just the latest blow, with Lanning now forced to mend the damage from 12 other departures.

Mass exodus hits Dan Lanning’s Oregon

Cornerback Jahlil Florence was early with his exit plans and hit the portal back in November. He later committed to the Missouri Tigers. Lanning lost other defensive backs like Dakoda Fields, Solomon Davis, and Sione Laulea, among others. The Ducks’ wide receiver room also took a hit.

They lost receivers Justius Lowe and Kyler Kasper, followed by offensive lineman Lipe Moala, and quarterback Austin Novosad. Unfortunately, Lanning cannot find enough clarity from his current roster as well. 

The uncertainty extends beyond the transfer portal to key players on the current roster, like quarterback Dante Moore, who is weighing his NFL Draft decision.

For instance, ESPN analyst Matt Miller encourages Moore to make the jump to the NFL. On the flip side, NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay thinks that it’s better to go back to Eugene than to end up with the New York Jets. 

Even with all the confusion, transfer portal heartbreaks were not enough for Lanning to handle. Analyst Josh Pate sprinkled some extra panic for the Ducks. 

“Last year when Penn State went up against Notre Dame,” said the ESPN analyst. Nobody gave James Franklin credit for winning those two playoff games. You can bank on this. If Dan Lanning loses this game, no one’s remembering the two playoff wins.”

All eyes are on Dan Lanning as Oregon will have to prove it can survive without the key playmakers who once went to war alongside him.