Oregon Ducks had a picture-perfect season last year. No game was too tough, no opponent was too big. In a sense, Oregon was the alpha dominating the Big 10 and effortlessly producing wins left, right, and center. They did lose ultimately in the playoffs against Ohio State, but the season was a platform from which Oregon will only rise. However, what if someone asks you what made the difference for Oregon and Dan Lanning last year?

The first and foremost would undoubtedly be the offense led by the ace QB Dillon Gabriel. A player who delivered close to 4,000 yards and 37 touchdowns. But Dan Lanning’s defense is a department that performed unexpectedly, especially the D-line. Players like Derrick Harmon and Jamaree Caldwell exceeded all expectations and proved quite lethal in pass rushing, as well as their pressures against runs.

Spencer McLaughlin, in his recent episode of ‘Locked on Ducks,’ provided a scenario where Dan Lanning’s success depends on two dark horses in the next season. “Harmon was a monster last year… Harmon was 22nd. [He] had an 83.9 overall grade, 80 and a half against the run, and 86.3 as a pass rusher, which is hard to find on the interior.“

Spencer essentially stressed the importance of Derrick Harmon’s for Oregon in 2024. The defensive tackle produced 45 total tackles and 5 sacks, along with 2 forced fumbles. The MSU transfer quickly gelled in Oregon’s D-line and emerged as a leader in various aspects. Standing at 6’5″ and 310 lbs, the player was undoubtedly a tank built in the D-line who created problems for the best of the offenses. However, Harmon has moved on to the NFL draft and left a massive hole to fill.

McLaughlin provided two names who have the potential to provide on the level of Harmon. One, he said, was Jamari Caldwell, who, in his words, “was no slouch ” and “graded as the number 48 interior defensive lineman in all of college football.” Another name he provided was that of Amauri Washington, the 6-foot-3, 320-lb. DL, who produced 10 tackles last season and featured sporadically in many games. Both of the two players have the potential to do wonders. However, Washington may stand out in several aspects. 

A player of the 2023 class who joined as a 4-star, 90-rated prospect from Arizona. Washington’s ability to attack the edge of the blockers in pass-rush situations and stealthily close in on the QB despite his massive frame. His abilities make him perfect for third- and fourth-down situations in passing defense, which could well improve with time.

An open QB battle at Oregon this spring?

Dan Lanning may have come through with brimming optimism after the 2024 season. However, one area still needs to be finalized and is looking uncertain, i.e., the QB room. Don’t get us wrong. Dante Moore is still in top contention and will probably be the guy to fill in Dillon Gabriel’s shoes. But aren’t those shoes too massive to fill? A season in which he produced passes close to 4,000 yards with almost 73% pass efficiency. How could any quarterback, who is a bit of an inexperienced one, take the challenge?

Oregon’s head coach also seemed to have hinted at an open QB battle with his recent statement. “You know, for all of our quarterbacks, Austin (Novosad), Dante, you know, every guy in that room, Brock (Thomas), Luke (Moga), you know, I think being able to watch the way again, like I just said, what a professional looks like, how they operate day in and day out. You know, when they realize there’s an issue, how do you attack it? Right? One of Dillon’s best traits is, hey, something’s not going right. I need to go pop in with Coach Lanning or Coach [Will] Stein and say, ‘Hey, how can we get this right?’ Right, being proactive, not reactive.”

Well, all signs look to be pointing towards a QB battle brewing in these spring practices. Austin Novosad, as a redshirt freshman, didn’t see that many snaps, but at 6’3″ and 205 lbs, he could be a solid backup to begin with. Dante Moore, on the other hand, comes off with more experience than Novosad, as he produced 1,610 yards for a 53.5% completion rate for UCLA in 2023. However, neither player has pronounced rushing capabilities due to their frames. That may be the reason the battle can be quite intriguing to watch this spring.