Ducks Digest

Five Breakout Candidates for the Oregon Offense in 2021

Year two of Joe Moorhead’s offense will see a wealth of talent at every position. These players are in the best position to break out.

Dylan Reubenking

The Oregon spring game gave fans a preview of the offensive firepower from the top to the bottom of the depth chart. The Ducks return their entire starting offensive line, their two leading rushers from the last two seasons, veteran pass-catchers at receiver and tight end, and an experienced starting quarterback.

There are plenty of candidates that could potentially enjoy a breakout season in 2021, but I narrowed it down to my top five.

Devon Williams | Wide Receiver | 6'5", 205 pounds | Sophomore

Devon Williams (2) scores a touchdown against the Oregon State Beavers on a foggy night at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon.
Devon Williams (2) scores a touchdown against the Oregon State Beavers on a foggy night at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon :: © Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard via Imagn Content Services, LLC

The wide receiver unit has a chance to be one of the best in the country, especially with the return of veterans Johnny Johnson III and Jaylon Redd (currently injured). However, in 2020, it wasn’t Johnson nor Redd that led the Ducks in receiving yards.

It was sophomore Devon Williams, who paced the Ducks with 286 receiving yards and ranked second in the Pac-12 in yards per reception (19.1). He recorded 224 of those yards in a two-week stretch against UCLA and Oregon State that also saw him score two touchdowns.

In those two games, Williams showed flashes of being an elite starting wide receiver on the outside. At 6’5”, 205 pounds, Williams is a matchup nightmare for opposing defensive backs. He has elite athleticism —he can catch passes over the top of any defensive back and can jump freakishly high.

He has great hands and feet, and he showed his ability to juke would-be tacklers out of their shoes against UCLA. For quarterback Anthony Brown, who has only completed 15 passes at Oregon, Williams will be a reliable receiver and a big target for him to throw to.

Spencer Webb| Tight End | 6'6", 240 pounds | Sophomore 

Spencer Webb catches a touchdown pass against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington on October 19, 2019. The Ducks would win 35-31.
Spencer Webb catches a touchdown pass against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington on October 19, 2019. The Ducks would win 35-31 / © Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

Spencer Webb burst onto the scene in 2019 with a viral touchdown catch against Auburn in when he “mossed” the defender and bulldozed him to the turf before stepping over him à la Allen Iverson. 

Webb went on to have a solid season that year, catching 18 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns.

Webb missed almost the entire 2020 season due to a broken collarbone, but he is healthy and ready to return to the field. One improvement he's made ahead of next season is his blocking, something he said he enjoys doing more than running routes in spring football.

The 6’6”, 240-pound sophomore is already a solid route runner and a force with the ball in his hands. He has taken reps with the starters on offense in spring along with Patrick Herbert, and given his experience, he is in line to be one of the starters in the fall.

He is one of multiple tight ends with high-level athleticism, that will allow Moorhead to get even more creative with the offensive scheme and play calls.

Alex Forsyth | Center | 6'4", 305 pounds | Junior 

Alex Forsyth prepares to snap the ball against Iowa State in the 2021 Playstation Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona on January 2, 2021.
Alex Forsyth prepares to snap the ball against Iowa State in the 2021 Playstation Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona on January 2, 2021 / © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

After only playing 91 snaps through his first two seasons (redshirted in 2017), Alex Forsyth made his first career start in 2020 and also played his first career snaps at center. For someone who had never taken a snap at center prior to the season, he had a phenomenal season in which he claimed All-Pac-12 second team honors, as voted on by the conference’s coaches.

The argument can be made that Forsyth broke out last season, but I think he will have a dominant season that will open the eyes of NFL teams. He will be a strong candidate to win the Rimington Trophy — the award recognizing the top center in college football.

Forsyth looked like a seasoned pro in the middle of the offensive line. The unit has improved this spring, and the West Linn native allowed only one sack in 440 snaps during his first season as a starting center, according to Pro Football Focus.

Kris Hutson | Wide receiver | 5'11", 171 pounds | Freshman

Kris Hutson (14) fights for extra yards against Oregon State's Alex Austin (18) at Reser Stadium.  :: © Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard via Imagn Content Services, LLC

A 4-star prospect in the 2020 recruiting class, Kris Hutson is one of the most talented receivers on the roster. However, he didn’t have much production in his freshman season, recording just four catches for 37 yards.

In the Fiesta Bowl loss to Iowa State, Hutson was the primary kick returner, totaling 107 yards on five returns. He shined in Oregon’s spring game, catching three passes for 49 yards and a touchdown from Jay Butterfield. Hutson also displayed his ability to make plays after catch as one of the shiftier wideouts for the Ducks. 

There is a ton of depth at wide receiver for Oregon, but Hutson impressed the coaching staff in spring camp. With his explosive speed and route-running ability, expect Joe Moorhead to utilize Hutson as a deep threat, but he could also be effective on play-action and screen passes.

A Third-String Running Back

Cross Patton against walks out of the tunnel against Iowa State in the 2021 Playstation Fiesta Bowl on January 2, 2021.
Cross Patton against walks out of the tunnel against Iowa State in the 2021 Playstation Fiesta Bowl on January 2, 2021 / © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

CJ Verdell and Travis Dye are set to be the lead ball carriers as the only scholarship running backs for the Ducks, but who carries the ball behind them remains a question. Sean Dollars was expected to be a breakout player this season before suffering a significant leg injury prior to spring football. Trey Benson also missed the spring with injuries but is expected to return in the summer.

Read more: Training wheels coming off Travis Dye in 2021

Cross Patton and Aaron Smith will likely be third and fourth on the depth chart, and they've both turned heads in spring camp. Running backs coach Jim Mastro said that Patton “has probably had the best camp of all these guys” and that Smith has been “a pleasant surprise” in camp.

2021 running back signees Seven McGee and Byron Cardwell will enroll in the summer, adding depth to a thin running back group.

Verdell and Dye combined for 59% of the Ducks’ rush attempts in 2019 and 54% in 2020. Given the inexperience behind them, I expect that number to increase next season, and I also expect Joe Moorhead to utilize them in the passing game.

Verdell is aiming for a 2,000-yard season, and Dye was told that “it’s time to take the training wheels off” this season, so they will be a big part of the Ducks’ offense. 

Read more: CJ Verdell eying 2,000-yard season

I think Patton and Smith can be dangerous in short-yardage and goal-line situations, but they are both more than capable of breaking out for a solid campaign in 2021.

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Dylan Reubenking
DYLAN REUBENKING

Dylan Reubenking is a graduate of the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. He was a sports reporter for Duck TV Sports and a broadcaster for KWVA Sports 88.1 FM. He has dabbled in news and sports reporting, copyediting, graphic design, video production, podcasting, layout design, and more. Dylan is also the co-founder and publisher of The Transfer Portal CFB, a multimedia college football platform that launched in August 2021.

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