Oregon Stays Ahead of the Curve With Use Of This Distinct Practice Habit

Inside the pass-catching technology that's changing how the No. 6 Oregon Ducks train.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore celebrates after a reception during a youth football camp at Marist Catholic High School on June 20, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

If Oregon’s fans are its 12th Man, then the Ducks’ Monarc Seeker could be considered the program’s 13th.

A hundred catches per day is becoming the standard for No. 6 Oregon, where Monarc Sports' robotic training machines have become a vital tool.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the field as the Oregon Ducks practice on Jan. 5, 2025, at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Oregon, ahead of the Peach Bowl. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Time on task.

Maximizing quick, effective reps that allow us to execute at a high level.@MonarcSport x #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/5nNmYNkxVp

— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) September 10, 2026

These state-of-the-art machines can fire six footballs in rapid succession to help players improve their hands, eyes and more. In Eugene, however, the Ducks have built the Monarc into their everyday culture on both sides of the ball.

“Noah Whittington set a standard last year,” Oregon running back Jordon Davison said in the Monarc-tagged video released Thursday via the official Oregon Ducks Football account on X. “We get 100 catches a day.”

Meet Oregon’s Robotic Quarterback

No one has ever accused Oregon quarterback Dante Moore of being too robotic in the pocket. His Monarc counterpart is a different story.

The Monarc delivers six balls in the span of 12 seconds at adjustable speeds up to 75 miles per hour. To put that in perspective, some of the strongest arms measured at the NFL combine top out in the high 50s.

“I think that Monarc has helped our position group tremendously,” Oregon wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator Ross Douglas said in the X video. “It’s time on task.”

April 26, 2025; Eugene, OR; Oregon wide receivers coach Ross Douglas works with players during Oregon’s spring game at Autzen Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Oregon coach Dan Lanning’s squad began using the Monarc in 2023 and is now among 35 college football programs nationally employing the machines, including Big Ten foes Indiana, Michigan and Ohio State, according to the Monarc website.

But for Oregon, the technology is only part of the equation.

The 100-Catch Standard

Former Ducks running back Noah Whittington set the tone for work ethic during his four years in Eugene, establishing a daily routine of 100 catches off the Monarc.

That workload spread to the rest of the Oregon playmakers, and before long that competitive nature usually reserved for the gridiron, spilled over into the training facility.

Sep 5, 2026; Eugene, Oregon; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan greets fans before the Ducks' season opener against the Boise State Broncos at Autzen Stadium. Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“It’s created a bunch of friendly competition amongst the room,” Douglas said. “See who can catch the most passes.”

Eventually, 100 reps became a baseline number and not just for offensive players.

Defensive back Carl Williams IV snags 300 catches a day, per defensive coordinator Chris Hampton, while wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan has gone as high as 500 reps in a single late-night session.

Catches for Everyone

Proof of how extensively Oregon uses it can be seen in the X video, where Ducks cornerbacks coach Rashad Wadood orders “all corners in the Monarc. All corners” during a live game.

Ducks wide receiver Evan Stewart is also shown catching passes, while another player off-camera proclaims “that’s 50 right there.”

Sept. 5, 2026; Eugene, OR; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Evan Stewart fends off a Boise State Broncos defender during the season opener at Autzen Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“DBs use it. Tight ends use it. Running backs,” Douglas said. “So anyone who has the ability to intercept or receive the football, they use it.”

The highlight of the X post, however, belongs to 6-5, 265-pound edge rusher Matayo Uiagalelei, who snares a smooth, one-handed catch to close the video.

What the Data Says

With hundreds of catches piling up during the week, are those hands translating to grabs on Saturdays?

A PFF-powered study published by Monarc states that its users experience 11.6 percent more receiving yards, 14.2 percent more receiving touchdowns and 16.4 percent more explosive receptions of 15-plus yards than the rest of the FBS.

Since Lanning introduced the Seeker in 2023, Oregon has completed 74.1 percent of its passes.
But the Ducks’ passing efficiency can’t be entirely attributed to the Monarc.

Oregon led the nation in completion percentage in 2022 and 2023, finished No. 2 in 2024 and fourth in the country last season.

Jan. 5, 2025; Eugene, OR; Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning walks the field prior practice at the Moshofsky Center ahead of the Peach Bowl. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Oregon saw its completion percentage leap from 63.2 percent in 2021 to 71.3 percent in Lanning’s first season at the helm, suggesting the Monarc is one of many effective tools in the coach’s toolbox.

What began as Whittington’s standard has become the starting point. And while 35 college football teams use the Monarc technology, it’s how the Ducks use it that might separate them from the rest of the field.

 “Because we want to be the team that puts in the most time and effort in on our Monarc with just how many passes we catch each week,” Douglas said.

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