Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks on the field before the No. 13 Oregon Ducks take on the Stanford Cardinal Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. Ncaa Football Oregon Stanford Football Stanford At Oregon Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Oregon Ducks' Dan Lanning's Interesting Opinion On Playing Time For True Freshmen

Originally posted on Oregon Ducks on SI
By Gabriel Duarte | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 8:54 AM ET

The Oregon Ducks lost a lot of talent from their 13-1 squad from a season ago. However, Oregon coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks were able to reel in the No. 3 recrutiing class in the country according to 247Sports rankings to help fill key holes on the roster.

As fall camp comes to a close, Lanning and the Ducks have seen significant progress from a few of their freshmen. Enough to where Lanning believes they will have the opportunity to contribute on game days.

Ducks Searching For Freshman Contributors

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Lanning said during a media availability session some freshman will have the chance to see action during the season.

"Yeah, I think you will. Yeah. I definitely think you will. You know, it's a group that's gotten a lot of opportunities, right, but the way we practice what we do, it gives those guys an opportunity to go get involved and get on the field, if they know their job," Lanning said.

Usually when a group of freshman arrive on campus, it takes them a while to get acclimated to the college lifestyle because of the fast-paced, competitive environments, especially at big programs like Oregon. Lanning said the Ducks' freshman hasn't had that issue.

"I'll say this group is a group of perfectionists. They want to be right. They want to be great. They get frustrated when they mess up, and they got to realize that that's part of the process. It happens right as a freshman, you don't make every single play. But can you learn from those mistakes, that's the key. And I think you'll definitely see some out there making an impact for us," Lanning said.

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Which Freshmen Could See Playing Time?

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Oregon's 2025 recruiting class featured three five-star signees in wide receiver Dakorien Moore, safety Trey McNutt, and cornerback Na'eem Offord. In addition to the trio of five-stars, the Ducks brought in 15 four-star recruits.

The most obvious freshman candidate to see playing time this fall is Moore. The No. 1 wide receiver and No. 4 player in the country according to 247Sports' Composite Rankings, Moore is in line to start for the Ducks following a potentially season-ending injury to Evan Stewart earlier this summer.

On the other side of the ball, Offord has the most realistic opportunity to see snaps this fall. The No. 3 cornerback and No. 13 player in the country, Offord has been competing for playing time amidst a total reshuffling in the Ducks' secondary.

Oregon only returns one player with starting experience in the defensive backfield in Jahlil Florence. The Ducks did bring in some transfers to help fill in the unit, but Offord will still have a realistic opportunity to step on to the field this season as a true freshman.

This article first appeared on Oregon Ducks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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