Oregon Ducks Tight End Room Developing Toughness, Leadership Ahead of Season Opener

The Oregon Ducks’ tight end room is making strides in fall camp. With a combination of veteran leaders and talented newcomers, the position group is establishinga strong foundation for the upcoming season. After practice No. 13 of Oregon’s fall camp, tight end coach Drew Mehringer discussed leadership and how some of Oregon’s younger athletes have been developing in camp.

Oregon tight ends coach Drew Mehringer works with players during practice with the Ducks Thursday, April 11, 2024, at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

EUGENE- As fall camp progresses for the Oregon Ducks, the tight end room is actively developing a culture of leadership and accountability. Led by veterans Patrick Herbert and Terrance Ferguson, the Ducks’ tight ends are gearing up for a competitive and physical season in the Big Ten Conference.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning and his staff dominated college football recruiting during the offseason, bringing an influx of new talent to Eugene. The tight end unit is one room with a significant amount of young talent. Veteran leadership is crucial to ensure the Oregon tight end core’s success in the upcoming season. After practice 13, tight end coach Drew Mehringer discussed the leadership displayed by Ferguson and Herbert and how it's benefiting the unit's growth.

"We're developing a lot of older guys’ senior leadership.” Mehringer explained. “We've been senior-heavy the last few years. Some of these guys from my unit, Pat [Patrick Herbert] and Ferg [Terrance Ferguson], are really growing and developing in their leadership and pushing some new guys. It's been a lot of fun. It's been very competitive on both sides of the ball. A lot of back and forth, which is generally a really good time.”

Oregon's incoming tight ends are showing daily improvement, according to coach Drew Mehringer. Kenyon Sadiq, Roger Saleapaga, and Kade Caton are among the young players who have stood out to Mehringer so far.

Oregon tight end Patrick Herbert snags a catch during practice with the Ducks Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024 at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Here are some key quotes from Oregon tight end coach Drew Mehringer following day 13 of Oregon’s Fall Camp:

Coach Mehringer on Oregon recruiting not only highly talented athletes but those of high character as well:

“Coach Lanning’s done an unbelievable job of bringing in the right guys. When you're bringing in the right people, obviously talents are prerequisite, but also character and intelligence and things like that. It's fun to integrate those guys into our culture and into our practice and see what those guys can do.”

Coach Mehringer on Roger Saleapaga:

“He's integrated himself into the room really well. He's very competitive, and guys like Ferg [Terrance Ferguson] and Pat [Patrick Herbert] have pushed him to be better. It's been a lot of fun having him in there."

Coach Mehringer on Patrick Herbert’s toughness:

"Patrick Herbert is the epitome of toughness. This a guy that doesn't say a whole lot, that does the right thing and misses very, very, very rare assignments. [He] is prepared, plays through injury. He's banged up, doesn't care, breaks his finger in the middle of practice, doesn't care. Will not put on a red jersey. He is an awesome human being."

Coach Mehringer on Kenyon Sadiq and Terrance Ferguson's leadership:

“Kenyon is a very humble kid, and I think guys like the red headed guy over here, Terrance Ferguson, keep him humble. Not in a bad way, but remind him what it takes to prepare to play, to keep his body right. The culture in that room is really, really good.”

Coach Mehringer on Patrick Herbert leading by example:

“He's fought through everything. You don't see him complaining. When [younger athletes] look at Pat, and Pat's like, ‘you're going to be all right, you're going to fight through it.’... It's nice to have somebody in there that's a calming presence, but a very serious presence, because this is very serious business, so it's been great.”

Coach Mehringer on Terrance Ferguson:

“If I continue to challenge him, and he keeps responding to the challenges, I think he'll be more than fine. He's plenty talented. He's proven on the field that he's capable. I think he just has to keep improving every day.”

Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson makes a catch during practice with the Ducks Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024 at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Coach Mehringer on the program’s emphasis on developing young talent through repetition:

“Our program is geared to develop you. Coach Lanning says it all the time; if you're good enough, you're old enough. So, let's get out here. And the only way to do that is to take reps, and you're not going to be able to do that just sitting on the sideline.”

Coach Mehringer on what has been effective for Oregon when developing younger players:

“The two-spot practice stuff has been really, really effective for us, and seeing what those young guys can do. It’s showing their weaknesses and helping us focus as position coaches on where we can develop.”

Coach Mehringer on Will Stein and Oregon's receiving core:

“Will's done an awesome job of incorporating our guys. I think we catch the ball very, very well, and when you look at our passing game, it's been very complimentary. Those guys can all make plays.”

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