It feels almost incomprehensible considering the start of the February signing period was just a few short weeks ago, but ready or not, the unofficial start of the 2019 season is right around the corner.

March 7 marks the beginning of spring football for the Ducks, and similar to last year, the Ducks will have a short break in the middle of spring practices to account for events on the academic calendar, culminating with the annual spring game on April 20.

As we count down the dwindling days leading up to the start of practices, WFOD takes a closer look at the primary storylines unfolding at each position and sets expectations for head coach Mario Cristobal and company as spring arrives.

Today, our Spring Storylines series continues with a look at wide receiver.

Will a leader emerge at WR?

The source of many a Duck fan’s frustration last season stemmed from the ghastly play of Oregon’s wide receivers. Not withstanding, of course, was the performance of Dillon Mitchell, who set the school record for single-season receiving yards (1,184) in 2018 in addition to leading the Pac-12 Conference in that category.

Sadly, Mitchell is no longer on the roster, electing instead to forego his senior season in Eugene to enter April’s NFL Draft. The same can be said of wide receivers coach Michael Johnson, who left the Ducks in January to take the same position at Mississippi State.

The man replacing Johnson is former Utah State assistant Jovon Bouknight, who spent the previous 10 years in Ogden before making the brief move this offseason to Texas Tech as a member of former USU head coach Matt Wells’ staff in Lubbock. He’ll have his work cut out for him in Year 1, as Bouknight will be tasked with turning around a wide receiver room that may occupy the Pac-12 basement in terms of returning talent in 2019.

Perhaps the best bet to replace Mitchell as the leader of the receivers – at least in terms of production – is rising junior Jaylon Redd. After a modest true freshman season in 2017 that saw him flash some dynamic ability operating out of the slot, Redd’s role expanded in 2018, as he ranked second on the team in receptions (38), receiving yards (433), and touchdowns (5). Without Mitchell commanding attention from opposing defenses, Redd will likely serve as a focal point for opponents early in the upcoming season. At 5-foot-8 and 178 pounds, this is less than ideal, as Redd is better suited as a complementary piece in the passing game opposed to a true no. 1 option a la Mitchell.

For Redd to be operating at his best, he’ll need the likes of Brenden Schooler, Johnny Johnson, and Bryan Addison to take significant leaps in their development this spring. Of the three, Schooler and Johnson are the most tenured, as each player has two full seasons of experience at wide receiver. The problem, however, is that neither player has been able to demonstrate any semblance of consistency to be regarded as true threats for Justin Herbert through the air. Johnson, in particular, has been plagued by drops for much of his career, as last season was a virtual horror show for the junior-to-be when it came to securing passes that came his way.

Addison may be the most intriguing talent of any player out wide for Oregon this spring. Despite appearing in four games last season (notching one reception for 12 yards), Addison was able to preserve his redshirt following a tumultuous year for him off the field. His late addition to the team last summer after he was unable to enroll at UCLA in a timely manner, coupled with a midseason suspension, prevented him from seeing more action in 2018. At 6-foot-5 and 180 pounds, Addison is a big, athletic target with the skills to be a top option in the passing game, and his late season push for playing time was an encouraging development as spring practice approaches.

Other “veteran” receivers looking to breakthrough this spring include redshirt sophomores Daewood Davis and Demetri Burch, and redshirt freshmen Isaah Crocker and JJ Tucker.

In Davis and Burch, the Ducks have two speedy options who have yet to translate some of those physical attributes to game action. Davis appeared to be on the verge of making that leap last spring with an impressive performance in the spring game, though he only managed one catch for 13 yards last season. Burch, on the other hand, has been prominent figure mostly on the scout team, often starring in dual roles as both a receiver and scout team quarterback. After redshirting a season ago, the Ducks are hopeful that Crocker and Tucker are in a position to assume much larger roles on this team despite their youth and inexperience. Crocker, in particular, could be one to watch, as the Sacramento native arrived in Eugene with a four-star billing and a penchant for making big plays in the downfield passing game.

They will be joined by true freshmen Josh Delgado, who enrolled this winter, and Mycah Pittman, who looks to join the team later this spring. Both players arrive on campus as four-star recruits with a prime opportunity to stake early claims to playing time this upcoming season. Both players project best working out of the slot, though Pittman’s skill set is polished and versatile enough to factor in at any one of the wide receiver positions.

Fellow true freshmen JR Waters and Lance Wilhoite, along with Penn State grad transfer Juwan Johnson, are scheduled to join the team later this summer.

Spring Storylines: Is Oregon insured at QB beyond Justin Herbert?
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