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 tight end.
Are McCormick and Webb primed to take the next step?
The tight end position has traditionally been a position of strength for the Ducks over the years. Names like Josh Wilcox, Blake Spence, Justin Peelle, George Wrighster, and Ed Dickson are but a handful of the names that come to the forefront for Duck fans who harken back to the days of yore.
That tradition looks to continue entering Mario Cristobal’s second season as Ducks head coach, as he returns a host of familiar faces that could prove to be a lifeline for Justin Herbert and the Oregon offense as work to find answers in the passing game.
Headlining the group is rising senior Jacob Breeland, a two-year starter who has battled nagging injuries over the course of his collegiate career but is undoubtedly the Ducks’ most proven player at the position. In addition to being a strong and capable blocker, Breeland has also steadily improved his production as a pass catcher since arriving on campus. If he can remain healthy, there’s no reason to think he won’t be able to improve upon the 24 catches for 377 yards and two touchdowns he notched in 2018.
Joining Breeland as the elder statesman in the tight end room is fellow senior Ryan Bay, a walk-on from Tigard who has been seldom used in the passing game though has carved out a prominent role as a second tight end when the Ducks have elected to go with their heavy formations.
He and Breeland are the known quantities for Ducks at tight end in 2019, but it’s the unknown quantities that could ultimately take this group from being simply “solid” to being one of the most dynamic tight end units in the entire conference.
Before suffering a season-ending leg injury in the season opener versus Bowling Green last season, redshirt junior Cam McCormick appeared to be well on his way to having a breakout sophomore season after impressive outings last spring and in fall camp. In fact, prior to his injury, McCormick was reported to have had the inside track on the starting job over the seemingly entrenched Breeland during fall camp last August. Now healthy and ready to compete in 2019, McCormick and his well-rounded game should be expected to once again push for serious playing time this fall.
Perhaps the most intriguing member of this deep and veteran-laded group is Spencer Webb. A former four-star recruit from the 2018 class, Webb was a trendy pick among pundits and fans to be an instant contributor in his first year in Eugene. That prediction fell short of materializing, as the Sacramento native utilized his redshirt after he was unable to bypass Breeland, Bay, and former USF transfer Kano Dillon on the depth chart. Arguably the most physically gifted of the tight ends on Oregon’s roster, it will be interesting to see if Webb’s undeniable athleticism and ball skills translates to considerable playing time with a year of maturation under his belt.
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Spring Storylines: Will a leader emerge at WR?