How Oregon Ducks Offense Has Improved Heading Into Season Opener

EUGENE – A week 1 matchup against the Montana State Bobcats will be the first glimpse of what the No. 7 Oregon Ducks offense is going to look like in 2025.

The Ducks return a few offensive starters, but offensive coordinator Will Stein gained some top transfers in the offseason while some former blue-chip recruits prepare to take on bigger roles.

There’s been plenty of debate about how Oregon’s offense will perform with so many changes this season. Ahead of the program’s game versus Montana State, the Ducks detailed how they’ve improved since the start of fall camp and tight end Kenyon Sadiq described the offense’s “explosive potential.”

Early Improvements

oregon ducks kenyon sadiq bryce boettcher dan lanning will stein offense montana state big ten college football playoff — New Oregon offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Will Stein leads a drill on the first practice of spring for Oregon football as the Ducks prepare for the 2023 season. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Oregon has the benefit of returning its starting center from 2024 in Iapani Laloulu. Outside of Laloulu, there will be a lot of newness in the Ducks’ starting unit.

“There has been a lot of new pieces,” Sadiq said. “I feel like, from starting fall camp to now, we're completely different offense, meaning we've all changed a lot of different ways.”

Oregon will start a different quarterback this season, a different running back and the offensive line will be very different. Sadiq is anticipated to earn his first start at tight end against the Bobcats.

The junior backed up Terrance Ferguson and Patrick Herbert in his first couple of seasons with the Ducks. Like a lot of other players on the roster, the former four-star recruit finally gets his opportunity.

Dan Lanning acknowledged at his week 1 press conference that it will be a different game day experience for a lot of players, but remains confident that the work they’ve put in at practice will translate in game.

“There's gonna be a lot of guys out there playing for us that haven't played a lot,” Lanning said. “But what gives you confidence in those moments is that they've had a lot of experience in practice. And that experience, if we've done a good job of making it feel like a game, it's going to carry over.”

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Ducks Motivated To Prove Themselves

Oregon won the Big Ten Conference Championship in 2024 in its first season in the Big Ten. Before the Ducks kicked off the 2024 season, there were a lot of questions about whether or not they could contend with the powerhouses of the conference. Lanning’s program put those debates to bed and went on to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff (CFP).

Entering 2025, the discourse is about whether Oregon has the right offensive pieces to make it back to the conference championship game.

“I think every year, the offense has something to prove,” Sadiq said. “The whole team has something to prove. I think it's about going out there and establishing our identity going into this year.”

Ducks linebacker Bryce Boettcher echoed this when asked what he thinks motivates the team this season.

“Just like as a team, collectively, no matter who we're playing, we always have something to prove,” Boettcher said. “I think when you have that mindset, good things will happen. You can never get too far full and think you've accomplished everything. And I think that's your mindset going into this year is as a team, collectively, something improved.”

Oregon will look to make a statement and prove it still belongs in its first game of the season against Montana State at Autzen Stadium on Saturday.