It was fair to wonder if there would be a drop-off along the offensive line when OL-oriented head coach Mario Cristobal left the Ducks at the end of last season?
Well, if that is to happen, it certainly doesn't look like it will be this season.
Surprisingly, Oregon was able to return five starters up front (with George Moore the only of the Ducks' top 6 OL who chose to move on).
In terms of seniority on the Oregon football roster, it starts with that offensive line led by TJ Bass (who split between LG and LT last season), Steven Jones (RT/RG), Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu (RT), Ryan Walk (C/RG/LG) and Alex Forsyth (C). Out of the five returning starters on the unit, Jones is the youngest -- he is the only non-senior but has been with the team since 2018.
The seniority resembles a recent 2019 Oregon team that had four established veterans up front as well on a unit that produced four future NFL players.
Joining Cristobal to Miami was offensive line coach Alex Mirabal, who helped coach some of the better offensive line units in Oregon history. What changes with new position coach Adrian Klemm taking over the offensive line?
As fall camp approaches, I have some thoughts ...
1. 2019 replica?
Helping solidify an offense that won both the Pac-12 and Rose Bowl title games in 2019 was a stellar collection of offensive linemen. They protected Justin Herbert all season, allowing the senior to have career highs in passing yards (3,471) and passing touchdowns (32). Running back C.J. Verdell also had arguably his best season in 2019, ending the year with over 1,200 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns.
Penei Sewell, Shane Lemieux, Calvin Throckmorton, and Jake Hanson locked it down on the line of scrimmage and quickly became one of the best units in college football. All four are currently in the NFL and three of them have started at least 10 games in the league.
This year things look awfully similar.
After handling the hard-hit 2019 offseason, where four members of the starting line left, the unit is back to an elite level of talent. Five upperclassmen look to maintain their starting spots from a season ago. All of them decided to return for their final year of eligibility and now make up arguably the best offensive line unit in the Pac-12.