Oregon’s 2020 football season has been strange indeed. Starting the New Year with a Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin, Mario Cristobal and staff followed that in February by signing the No. 9 recruiting class in the nation.

Then the pandemic hit.

While the Ducks continued their torrid recruiting pace, the Pac-12 ultimately postponed its football season after decided it could not manage the risk. With their senior season presumably gone, several of Oregon’s top stars decided to opt-out of the uncertainty and enter the NFL draft.

Superstar offensive tackle Penei Sewell, All Pac-12 level defensive backs Deommodore Lenoir, Jevon Holland and Thomas Graham all decided to pursue their professional dreams, with safety Brady Breeze adding his name to the list later.

But after the other Power 5 conferences left the Pac as the only one not playing, circumstances changed, most importantly the new availability of daily virus testing. On Saturday the Ducks announced a seven-game conference slate kicking off on November 7th against Stanford.

On Monday, standout cornerback Deommodore Lenoir announced he would now be staying for his senior season after starting the last 27 games for the Ducks.

The news is certainly welcome for the Duck defense, which before the four starting DB’s opted out, looked to field the top unit in the country. With the return of Lenoir adding to veteran safety Nick Pickett, Oregon will be in much better shape when joined by the extensive freshmen and sophomore talent.

Oregon may not be done, with whispers of another player planning to opt back in. Duck Sports Authority will keep you updated with the latest.