Nine Oregon True Freshmen Won't Redshirt in 2021, Why it's a Mixed Bag
Last week, we wrote a piece on the Ducks' freshmen who were closing in on skipping a potential redshirt season if they played on Saturday against Stanford. You can check that story out here.
All nine of those players played on Saturday and have avoided using a redshirt season in their true freshmen seasons, as players are allowed to play a maximum of four games in a season and still be able to redshirt.
The Ducks' coaching staff has done a great job developing talent and getting players prepared to see immediate playing time as true freshmen, especially those that didn't enroll early.
These nine players have carved out roles and will help Oregon pursue its third straight Pac-12 title.
Terrance Ferguson - Tight End
Moliki Matavao - Tight End
Byron Cardwell - Running Back
Troy Franklin - Wide Receiver
Dont'e Thornton - Wide Receiver
Jackson Powers-Johnson - Offensive Lineman (OG/C)
Jeffrey Bassa - Linebacker
Jabril McNeill - Linebacker
Terrell Tilmon - Linebacker
You might read these names and scratch your head a bit.
Sure all of these players have played five games, but they've all had varying levels of impact.
Take for example the tight ends. They've seen extensive playing time not only because of their accelerated development, but also due to injury, as Cam McCormick is out for the season and it looks like Patrick Herbert will miss extended time.
Furthermore, Ferguson and Matavao's early emergence gives the staff more flexibility to use DJ Johnson on defense as the pass rush continues to be an area that needs improvement, however Cristobal said they don't want to lose his value on offense.
Jackson Powers-Johnson enrolled early and we're already seeing him making a name for himself. Not only did he see significant playing time against Arizona, but he got his first college start at right guard when the Ducks had to slide Ryan Walk over to play center in Alex Forsyth's absence against Stanford.
Powers-Johnson was ready for his number to be called and helped the Ducks pound their way to 228 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Jeffrey Bassa came to Oregon as a safety, but switched to linebacker to shore up the depth at WILL following the injuries of Justin Flowe and Dru Mathis. With safety Bennett Williams reportedly expected to miss the remainder of the season, Bassa could be moved back to the secondary if needed.
I asked Bassa if the staff had a target weight for him due to the move and he told me they don't, which leaves the door open for a return should the staff deem it necessary. Troy Franklin has five catches for 49 yards through five games and should see his usage increase with appearances in every game thus far.
Byron Cardwell could see a significant uptick in snaps as well depending on the timetable for CJ Verdell's injury and the staff's plans for the rest of the season. Dont'e Thornton has flashed at times, mainly in his first collegiate touch against Stony Brook, taking a pass from Ty Thompson 54 yards to the house.
McNeil and Tilmon have seen a lot of reps on special teams, but McNeil could earn an extended role at as he moves to inside linebacker to aid with a position that is low on healthy bodies.
Now why is this a mixed bag?
Let's break it down, starting with the good.
On the one hand, you want to see more freshmen playing because on the surface it means that you have players that are pushing returns for starting jobs right away. These are guys that come to the program ready to compete and probably could've been competitive even as high school seniors.
Some players on this list didn't even get a senior season due to the pandemic, which emphasizes how quickly the staff was able to develop them since arriving in Eugene, and how talented they were even before graduating high school. Great examples outside of the 2021 recruiting class include cornerback Mykael Wright and linebacker Noah Sewell.
Both of those players became instant contributors once they got to the college level.
Now for the other part of the mixed bag. The bad.
What's another reason you'd be playing a lot of freshmen? Injuries. And the Ducks have a whole lot of them right now.
Following the Stanford game, Head Coach Mario Cristobal said he's never experienced a season like this where this many players are banged up. Let's be clear, he didn't use it as an excuse, but just drove home how strange of a year it's been.
At 4-1, the staff has had to use a lot of freshmen and placed them in larger roles than they'd perhaps like at this time. Ideally, a player is either so good you can't keep him off the field, OR, you have solid depth ahead of him so you can ease him in more gradually.
This team only has the gradual luxury at some spots now, see wide receiver and offensive line, whereas they're calling on younger players in the linebacker corps to take on significant snaps in big-time games.
What remains clear in the midst of all of this?
You can't take your foot off the gas on the recruiting trail. Not for a second. And Mario Cristobal doesn't intend to do that any time soon with SI All-American's No. 4 class in 2022.
More from Ducks Digest
How CJ Verdell's injury could impact Oregon
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