Where the Oregon Tight Ends Stand Heading Into Summer

Even with DJ Johnson moving back to a full-time role on defense, Oregon's tight ends are teeming with talent.

Author:
Dylan Mickanen
Publish date:
Jun 7, 2022 1:40 PM EDT

In this story:

Among the tight ends in Eugene, expect more of the same heading into 2022 with an eye on a breakout campaign or two.

Last season, the trio of Terrance Ferguson, Moliki Matavao and Spencer Webb accounted for 95.1% of receptions, 91.8% of yards and 100% of touchdowns credited to the position. All three return and are expected to see ample playing time, especially the two sophomores after a full offseason in a college football training program.

Spencer Webb hauls in a touchdown against the Arizona Wildcats in 2021.
Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest

As high schoolers, Matavao and Ferguson were the nation's No. 5 and No. 10 players at their position for a reason. Don't be shocked if the pair ends up Oregon's starting tight ends by season's end, whether it be due to an increase in performance or an injury to Webb.

Oregon Ducks tight end Moliki Matavao hauls in a pass during a 2022 spring football practice in Eugene.

Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest

The fifth-year senior has had multiple seasons affected by injury including playing in just one game during the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

The other two Duck tight ends who played last season will not be lining up alongside the offensive line this season. Walk-on Cooper Shults transferred to Nevada while DJ Johnson is back on the defensive side of the ball.

Despite those departures, the Ducks still have plenty of talent behind its three returning rotation players, it's just a matter of if that talent will be able to see the field.

Seventh-year senior Cam McCormick suffered a season-ending injury on his first catch of the 2021 season, a game the Ducks would go on to win in Columbus. It was also his first catch since suffering a season-ending injury in the 2018 season-opener.

Tight end Patrick Herbert runs after the catch during the 2021 Oregon spring game.
Oregon Athletics

Meanwhile, Patrick Herbert has yet to record a catch at Oregon due to a redshirted freshman season, then knee injuries kept him sidelined for all of 2020 and 2021. But he still has plenty of talent as a former four-star recruit and the nation's No. 6 tight end in 2019 according to 247Sports.

The only other tight end from the 2021 roster to not have transferred out of the program or switched positions is walk-on Tyler Nanney, who hasn't recorded a statistic while at Oregon. The program did not take in a tight end during the spring after 2022 prep Andre Dollar flipped to Washington State.