What Traeshon Holden's Dismissal Means for Oregon Football in 2023
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On Wednesday Oregon Ducks wide receiver Traeshon Holden was arrested and promptly dismissed from the football program by head coach Dan Lanning.
After committing to Oregon on Dec. 11 his time in Eugene comes to an end without seeing a single snap on the field. Holden spent three seasons with the Alabama Crimson Tide and was slated to be a starting wide receiver for Junior Adams.
His dismissal creates some uncertainty in Will Stein's offense.
The Ducks return Troy Franklin from a year ago having already proven to be one of the best wide receivers in the Pac-12. At this point it's looking like he's ready to take his game to a new level after leading the team with 61 catches for 891 yards and nine touchdowns.
Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin hauls in a deep pass from Bo Nix during a game against the BYU Cougars at Autzen Stadium.
Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest
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Kris Hutson is another proven playmaker for quarterback Bo Nix, who finished the 2022 season with 44 catches for 472 yards but didn't find the end zone. After Hutson, the picture gets a little murky, specifically with regard to proven production.
Chase Cota graduated following his final season in Eugene. He was the No. 2 option at his position and also provided veteran leadership. After Cota and Hutson, the next two leading receivers from a statistical standpoint were Dont'e Thornton, followed by Seven McGee, who both transferred out and found new homes for the 2023 season.
Oregon wide receiver Chase Cota signals for a first down after a catch against the UCLA Bruins in Eugene.
Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest
Dont'e Thornton catches a touchdown pass against the Washington Huskies during the 2022 season.
Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest
Other than that the top weapons in the passing game are tight end Terrance Ferguson, who came into his own during his second year with the program, and running backs Bucky Irving and Noah Whittington. The talented backfield duo combined for 53 catches and 468 yards.
When you examine the returning production and production at the college level, particularly at the wide receiver spot, it becomes clear that Holden was filling a significant need and would have had plenty of passes come his way.
Now that he's no longer with the team the Ducks have a couple of options.
1. Turn to other players on the roster
Another wideout that could compete for a significant role is Tez Johnson, Nix's adopted brother who transferred to Oregon from Troy. He's got a pretty slight frame at 5'10", 150 pounds and is similar to Hutson.
However, he was one of the highest-rated receivers in college football from a season ago and like Cota could provide some leadership and proven production.
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There's also Josh Delgado, a veteran wide receiver that played at powerhouse programs St. John Bosco and IMG before coming to Eugene, but has been largely limited to a special teams role. Young wide receivers Kyler Kasper and Justius Lowe signed with Oregon in 2022 and both redshirted as true freshmen.
Kasper is the tallest and perhaps most athletic wide receiver Junior Adams has, while Lowe was a late flip from Utah still looking to see the field in college. Ashton Cozart signed in 2023 and enrolled early as an Under Armour All-American.
Jurrion Dickey finished high school as the country's No. 2 wide receiver and is almost sure to compete for meaningful snaps from the moment he steps on campus, which could be as soon as spring football.
2. Look in the transfer portal (again)
While there's already been a lot of roster turnover and 10 players added from the transfer portal, there's plenty of wide receivers still looking for homes after moving on from their previous schools.
The portal doesn't open until May, but that gives the coaching and recruiting staffs plenty of time to do their homework and host visitors. The Ducks are likely still in the market for another tight end to pad the depth at the position, so adding another experienced wide receiver could be a smart idea.
READ MORE: Could Kyler Kasper be Oregon's breakout wide receiver in 2023?
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