Dan Lanning Gives Glimpse Into How Much Oregon's Roster Has Changed

Going into the 2026 season, the Oregon Ducks are headlined by returners like quarterback Dante Moore, center Iapani "Poncho" Laloulu, edge rushers Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti, and tight end Jamari Johnson.

However, there's plenty of freshmen and sophomore players eager to make a big impact, and coach Dan Lanning wants to remind fans that though the team is anchored by tenured leaders his phrase of "if you're good enough, you're old enough," still stands true.

Jul 29, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Oregon Football head coach Dan Lanning speaks during Big Ten Media Days at Hilton Chicago. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Oregon Ducks' Fresh Faces

During the Oregon Ducks' media day, Lanning spoke at length about the shift of new faces on his team. In particular, Oregon's 2026 high school class welcomed 24 new athletes, including three five-stars, 16 four-stars, and five three-stars according to 247 Sports rankings.

Plus, Lanning and crew brought on 13 athletes after dipping into the transfer portal.

“I thought we had a lot of young talent last year, and certainly a lot of talent," Lanning said. "We lost some guys to the NFL, so we certainly lost some pieces of the puzzle. But we have a lot back. That being said, there's experience, but talking to our team recently, I said, raise your hand if you're new. There's still a lot of new faces in that room, so it's going to be about that experience and those young guys and new guys leaning on the people that have been here before on what it's supposed to look like and how it all plays out.”

Lanning described this particular team "hungry" to find time on the field this season. Though that evaluation could very well be used to describe the returning players eager to show the past two seasons' playoff chances unraveling are not the hallmarks of their tenure, it could also apply to the next generation of young players currently joining Oregon eager to write their own history.

Jan 9, 2026; Atlanta, GA, USA; The Oregon Ducks mascot sits on the sidelines prior to the 2025 Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Indiana Hoosiers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Big Shoes To Fill

When thinking about the losses Lanning mentioned, there's several places where young players can step up and make a mark. The most obvious on the offense is the offensive line, where starting offensive tackle Isaiah World, tackle Alex Harkey, and guard Emmanuel Pregnon all departed the program. Especially at tackle, several young linemen have the chance to get on-field time while learning from Laloulu, who has ample experience with bringing together a trench.

There's also the very young wide receiver room, where a veteran in Evan Stewart is able to mentor five incoming freshmen with impressive high school resumes like Messiah Hampton, Jalen Lott, and Gatlin Bair.

On the defensive side of the ball, the secondary has plenty of young talent like freshman Devin Jackson, Jett Washington, and Xavier Lherisse able to pick up knowledge from junior Peyton Woodyard, sophomore Brandon Finney Jr., and highly-anticipated Minnesota transfer Koi Perich.

Though several of the position groups with the most youth have the most question marks, seeing the veteran players that anchor each corps shows Lanning and crew were deliberate in the way they're setting the newest Ducks up to succeed.

Fighting Ducks quarterback Dylan Raiola, left, hands off the ball to Fighting Ducks running back Dierre Hill Jr. during the Oregon Ducks annual spring game on April 25, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Eager To Learn

Though not considered a fresh-faced talent, Nebraska quarterback transfer Dylan Raiola also shared his own perspective that many younger athletes face when joining a team like Oregon. Though, especially since the five-year eligibility decision from the NCAA, more young talent will see the field, there's still immense value in developing over going straight to in-game action.

“I think everybody wants everything now, and you asked the question about when's the last time I even started. I processed that over this last six months that I've had, and I just think that when everything's thrown at you, and you're always in the microscope, and everything's always thrown at you very fast, you can kind of lose sight of the process and of football and the journey and enjoying it," Raiola shared about his process of transferring to Oregon to learn from Moore.

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