It’s been practically two full months since the 2019 season ended for the Oregon Ducks; a season that will be long remembered as a year of resurgence for the Oregon football program.
A Pac-12 Championship. A Rose Bowl victory. A second consecutive star-studded recruiting class signed, sealed, and all but delivered. Those types of accomplishments simultaneously restore the integrity of a proud program while also serving as an emphatic launch point for a new era under the direction of Mario Cristobal.
Yet, as strange as it may seem, the time for reminiscing and the savoring of moments from the recent past is over – at least insofar as it relates to Cristobal and his coaching staff. The countdown to spring practice can be marked by days, if not hours, and with it marks the first tangible signs that preparations for the upcoming 2020 season are underway.
With spring football set to begin in earnest for the Ducks on March 5, culminating with the annual spring game on April 18, WFOD is taking the time between now and then to examine the prevailing storylines at each position group.
Today, our Spring Storylines series continues with a look at tight end.
Who steps up at tight end?
There’s been no shortage of attention paid to the notable voids at quarterback and offensive line for the Ducks entering the 2020 season. And rightfully so, as one could argue that no two positions are more critical to the success of a football team than quarterback and offensive line.
But residing just beneath the surface of those two headlining concerns entering the upcoming season is the uncertainty at tight end; a position that had been dominated by the productive play of Jacob Breeland the past three seasons, but is now in a relative state of flux given the returning talent on hand.
Depending on your perspective, the good news is that the Ducks have been hardening themselves for this moment since roughly mid-October. It was then that Oregon was forced to search for answers at tight end after Breeland suffered a season-ending leg injury in the first quarter of a blowout victory over Colorado. Already down veteran Cam McCormick, who missed all of last season with an ankle injury, the Ducks piecemealed together a tight end rotation that featured a senior walk-on in Ryan Bay, a converted defensive lineman in Hunter Kampmoyer, and a talented, yet green up-and-comer in Spencer Webb, who bounced between receiver and tight end for much of the year.
As one would imagine, production in the passing game from the tight end position fell off a cliff with Breeland sidelined, as Justin Herbert was forced to look elsewhere with his favorite pass catcher shelved. Fortunately for Oregon, the offense was still able to find success through the air with Breeland out, but it was evident that the aerial attack wasn’t nearly as potent as it had been with Breeland in the lineup.
The question now is, does that lack of production continue?
The answer to that question seems multi-factorial. For one, the Ducks will be replacing Herbert with an inexperienced quarterback, be it Tyler Shough or one of the freshmen currently on the roster. Secondly, it remains to be seen how much new offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead will look to rely on the tight end in the passing game. His track record, particularly at Penn State, would suggest that he will look incorporate the position in the pass attack, but much of that decision-making could be predicated on personnel. Which bring us to our third point, who will the Ducks be turning to at tight end in 2020?
McCormick, Kampmoyer, and Webb are all set to return, but each offers doubts of their own. In the case of McCormick, injuries have largely derailed his Oregon career. When healthy, he is reportedly one of the Ducks’ most well-rounded tight ends, but staying on the field has been a struggle for the redshirt senior. Kampmoyer, another redshirt senior, has seen his role increase over the past couple of seasons, but is primarily used as a blocker given his inconsistent hands. Webb offers perhaps the most promise out of this trio, but has been slow in proving he is capable of putting it all together now entering his redshirt sophomore season.
Other options at the position include redshirt freshman Patrick Herbert – Justin’s brother – and redshirt junior DJ Johnson, a player with impressive athleticism who played some tight end in high school, but will look to make his debut at the position this spring after serving in a reserve role as a defensive end the past two seasons. Of the two, Herbert feels like the one most primed for a breakout 2020 campaign given his size, athleticism, and reputation he brings from the high school ranks as one of the nation’s top tight end prospects from the 2019 class. Though, just as notable is the fact that Herbert appeared in just one game last season and has yet to record a reception at the collegiate level.
Of all the questions surrounding the Ducks this spring, the tight end position understandably takes a back seat to larger queries. But given the lack of proven talent at the spot, the development of reliable contributors could once again determine just how multi-dimensional the Oregon offense is capable of being.
Spring Storylines: Is Tyler Shough ready to ascend to true QB1 status?
Spring Storylines: How much might Sean Dollars’ role expand in 2020?
Spring Storylines: What can be expected from Devon Williams in year one?
Top Photo: Oregon TE Spencer Webb (NBC Sports Northwest)