Oregon football kicks off its season against Portland State at 12 p.m. PT Saturday (on Pac-12 Network).
As coach Dan Lanning largely shrouds spring practice and fall camp in secrecy, showing little to media and revealing even less in interviews about his team, the first game will provide a great deal of clarity even if it is against a FCS team that went 4-7 last season.
Here are 10 of the top storylines to look out for whether watching live in Autzen Stadium or on TV ...
1. Who emerges as Bo Nix's No. 2 target?
Troy Franklin established himself as the No. 1 wide receiver on Oregon’s roster early into last season. He broke onto the scene catching 10 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown against Eastern Washington, but he really showed that he was the guy after hauling in 5 catches for 137 yards and a touchdown against Washington State.
A full year and two training camps under his belt with Nix means that Franklin should be the locked-in first read more often than not. But Oregon added talent to what was already a deep receiver room. Transfers Tez Johnson (Troy), Traeshon Holden (Alabama) and Gary Bryant Jr. (USC) join returners Franklin and Kris Hutson, while highly-touted freshman Jurrion Dickey will have a chance to contribute as well.
Hutson accumulated 44 catches for 472 yards in 2022, but it will be interesting to see if he’s displaced and one of those three transfers assumes the role of Nix’s second favorite target.
Johnson, of course, is adopted brother of Nix and had a huge season at Troy last fall, catching 56 passes for 863 yards and 4 touchdowns. So it would be no surprise to see those two form a strong connection in this offense.
Holden, meanwhile, had 25 catches for 331 yards and 6 TDs at Alabama, which says a lot about his upside. And Bryant was one of USC's leading receivers two years ago (44-579-7) before opting to redshirt last season and transfer.
The case could be made for any of those wideouts to emerge as the secondary target in this offense.
2. Who will step up in the secondary?
Last year, it was clear Oregon’s secondary would be carried by Christian Gonzalez’s ability to shadow each opponent’s best receiver. This year, the defensive back unit is deep but unproven, at least in Ducks’ fans eyes.
Despite being the eldest cornerback in the room at Alabama, Khyree Jackson didn’t see much playing time. He’ll have a chance to prove that he deserves it at Oregon. Nikko Reed follows Gonzalez's in terms of coming over from Colorado and fits coach Demetrice Martin’s scheme just like Gonzalez did, so he’ll have the opportunity to contribute on the backend.
Then there’s transfers Tysheem Johnson (Ole Miss) and Evan Williams (Fresno State) who will be playing at the safety positions. Johnson had 78 total tackles and Williams had 69 last season, so experience is key at this spot.
The defensive back room is a conglomeration of new faces, and it’ll be interesting to see who emerges to solidify Oregon’s defense.
3. Who is the punter?
Much has been made about the 50-50 battle for the starting punter job between freshman Luke Dunne and graduate transfer Matthew Rigney, who should both receive opportunities against Portland State and throughout the rest of Oregon’s non-conference schedule.
The punter position might not receive publicity but it's valuable. Come Sept. 23, when Oregon has its first Pac-12 game against Colorado, it’ll need to have a starting punter selected to inject confidence into the special teams.
4. Clarity on the offensive line
Lanning has been adamant that there will be an eight-man rotation on the offensive line. Guard Junior Angilau and tackle Ajani Cornelius -- both offseason transfer additions -- are locked into their roles. Steven Jones should be pretty safe at right guard, but Marcus Harper might see some snaps as well.
Former five-star prospect Josh Conerly II will get the first crack at playing on the opposite side tackle in his second season, but Faaope Laloulu has a chance to get snaps there as well.
The center position is the most up in the air. Jackson Powers-Johnson is the presumed starter, but Harper has taken snaps at center as well. Powers-Johnson is also questionable for Saturday’s game, so it could give Harper a chance to get a step up on the job. The offensive line is so important for Oregon’s offensive efficiency, so it's vital the Ducks find the right grouping.
