One Big Question About Dan Lanning's Freshman Offensive Linemen Comments

Going into the 2026 season opener, many expected the No. 6 Oregon Ducks would play a litany of younger players, especially on the offensive line with coach Dan Lanning sharing during fall camp that the ideal rotation for Oregon would be six to eight linemen coming in and out of the trenches.

The Ducks did deliver on the rotation aspect, but with an evident absence of two freshmen stars, it's only natural to wonder how much five-star freshman Immanuel Iheanacho and four-star Tommy Tofi will be on the field versus continuing to develop outside of game reps.

Oregon’s Tommy Tofi leaves the field after the Oregon Spring Game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene April 25, 2026 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Dan Lanning Gets Real About Tommy Tofi and Immanuel Iheanacho

During his press conference on Tuesday detailing the Ducks' upcoming trip to Boone Pickens Stadium to face the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Lanning explained that Tofi and Iheanacho have some time to adjust to college ball before getting in-game snaps.

"Play winning football. Play with really high effort," Lanning explained. "Learn the system. Let's acknowledge, man, he still got here at the very end of June. Again, you've got to play better than the person that's out there on the field in front of you. But those guys, I'm very excited about them. They've got to play consistently to put themselves in position to be out there playing for us."

Though Ducks offensive line coach A'lique Terry has praised both freshmen for their commitment to conditioning and learning the playbook in early August, Terry has also shared during the off season that the adjustment for freshmen trench players to not only Oregon's playbook but the physical demands of college competition isn't an immediate process.

Sep 5, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Dierre Hill Jr. (6) is tackled by Boise State Broncos linebacker Logan Brantley (17) during the second half at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Oregon Ducks Lineup Against The Broncos

The starting lineup for the Ducks mostly had question marks surrounding the left guard due to senior Dave Iuli suffering a torn tricep that took him out of spring practice and both tackle positions with several candidates (including Iheanacho and Tofi) tossed around for both outer spots.

For the Ducks' starters against the Broncos, junior Fox Crader took the right tackle, sophomore Ziyare Addison took the left tackle, Yale senior transfer Michael Bennett took up the right guard, and sophomore Douglas Utu picked up the left guard, with the anchor of senior center Iapani "Poncho" Laloulu picking up the center.

Though there was some surprise surrounding Crader at right tackle, the Pacific Northwest native has been rotating in on the exterior during the 2025 season. Addison was the big surprise on the left exterior, as projections across media and fan opinions continued to tab the 6-6, 365-pound Iheanacho as a potential option.

What's even more curious, and falls into Lanning's recent comments, is junior and Salem, Oregon native Trent Ferguson swapping in for Utu in the second half and Iuli trading in and out with Bennett throughout, with no sight of either promising freshman on the field.

Oregon offensive line coach A’lique Terry coaches during the Oregon Ducks annual spring game on April 25, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Dan Lanning's Postgame Offensive Line Comments

For Lanning, this offensive line set-up brought some bright spots and some fixer-upper moments throughout the mixed-bag victory over Boise State.

"Overall, they did a good job of protecting the quarterback. I think they had some exotic pressures that they were able to dial up on some run downs. I think there are some things we've got to look at there from a schematic standpoint for us," Lanning said. "But it seemed like the effort was there. I don't know that we had the push that we needed consistently. So we'll go back and watch it and get a better evaluation."

With this particular group of linemen getting an extra year to develop with 2025's transfer class, it appears the rotation against Boise State will have several faces that'll get plenty of action throughout the season. For Iheanacho and Tofi, the emphasis for Lanning is still learning the ropes, but it's not impossible either freshman will see a snap or two as the season progresses.

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