Can The Oregon Ducks Offensive Line Push Team To College Football Playoff?

The Oregon Ducks offensive line anchors one of the most prolific offenses in all of college football. If the Ducks make the College Football Playoff, the improvement of the offensive line will be the main reason.

Nov 18, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Oregon Ducks offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr. (76) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The offensive line is arguably the most important position in any football team. Especially at the collegiate level, good offensive line play is usually the separator between good and championship-caliber teams. 

The Oregon Ducks find themselves in an intriguing position this season. While the program is not nearly at an impasse, there’s certainly pressure on the Ducks to win a National Championship. It may seem like skipping steps when they’ve yet to even win a conference championship under third-year coach Dan Lanning, but with the wealth of talent, there’s no other reasonable expectation. 

The men up front, or “the big uglies” as legendary football broadcaster Keith Jackson used to famously say, tend to get the short end of the stick when it comes to media and fan attention. It’s primarily a thankless job. Offensive linemen are the unsung heroes of the team to the masses, but in reality, are usually the heart and soul of the team.

The coaching staff, personnel department, and players alike fully
understand just how critical offensive line play is to not only success offensively but to the team as a whole. You can have the most talented quarterback and skill groups, but without the big uglies up front, it’s all for not. 

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, and assistant coach A’Lique Terry walk the field during practice with the Oregon Ducks Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Ducks are now 23-5 in the last three seasons, have the implantation of the twelve-team playoff to lean on instead of running the table in the regular season, and added one of the best transfer portal classes of the cycle. Realistically, the Ducks should be in the hunt in the expanded College Football Playoff.

Oregon is in a unique situation where it wouldn’t have to shift expectations if they were to lose their starting quarterback. The Ducks quarterback room features transfers Dillon Gabriel and Dante Moore. Gabriel is one of the betting favorites to win the Heisman Trophy. Moore is a five-star talent with power-five-level experience and a fantastic skill set.

That said, the onus remains with the men up front. The Ducks offensive line was one of the best in the nation last season finishing as a finalist for the Joe Moore Award alongside Georgia, LSU, and Washington. Last year’s starting center Jackson Powers-Johnson won the Rimington Award given to the best center in the country. Powers-Johnson was the 44th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. 

Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; General view down the line of scrimmage as Oregon Ducks center Iapani Laloulu (72) prepares to snap the ball against the Liberty Flames during the 2024 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Replicating the level of success from last season won’t be an easy feat. The Ducks return three starters up front including projected top-50 talents at tackle in Josh Conerly Jr and Ajani Cornelius. Senior guard Marcus Harper II boasts 28 straight starts and 35 games played in his career. Three of the five players up front are proven commodities that will certainly be players to lean on.

Despite that, the offensive line is a five-man group. If one of the five isn’t playing up to par the entire group suffers. Replacing a talent like Powers-Johnson is a tall task, but walk-on center Charlie Pickard is slated to be the starter for the time being. Sophomore Iapani Laloulu steps into the other guard role and is expected to produce immediately. Laloulu has experience playing guard where he appeared in 14 games last season and was named a Freshman All-American.

Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson (15) celebrates scoring a touchdown with offensive lineman Marcus Harper II (55) during the second half against the Liberty Flames in the 2024 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Following spring practice, Laloulu expressed how much he’s grown and his self-belief: “I’ve gained so much confidence.” he said when asked about his development. An injury to transfer guard Matthew Bedford may cause the Ducks offensive line to reshuffle along the interior. His return will be greatly anticipated and could be a major boost for a Ducks unit that needs the steadiness.

Opening the season against Idaho, the Ducks offensive line struggled in pass protection. The Ducks offensive line gave up three sacks in the first half of game action. For reference, the Ducks trenches gave up only five sacks all of last season. They also gave up just five during the 2022 season. The three sacks were the most they'd given up since the 2021 Alamo Bowl against Oklahoma.

Some of the struggles can be pinned on the new quarterback getting more comfortable with what he's seeing, but at the end of the day, the line was just not up to par. Simple line stunts were tough for the Ducks to pick up on the interior. Cornelius struggled at right tackle giving up two sacks. Pickard was credited with the other sack given up.

Oregon offensive linemen Ajani Cornelius, left, and Ty Delgado face off during the Ducks’ fall camp Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

The run game finished strong, but overall, left more to be desired. Only 107 yards on 37 attempts for 2.9 yards per carry is well below the Ducks standard. Offensive line Coach A'lique Terry and the Ducks group will head back to the drawing board and look to get better in every facet. The talent isn't the issue, the Ducks work plenty hard in practice, but there's no substitute for game reps.

The Ducks' goal is clear — winning a national championship. If they are to reach that goal, the offensive line will be the driving force. Improvement and consistency is the only way they'll get there.

Next up, Oregon hosts Boise State on Saturday. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. PT on September 7th (Big Ten Network.)

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