Occupying a very small corner within one of the wildest years in modern human history has been a college football offseason and now season that has appropriately reflected our current day and age. The twists and turns have been numerous and well documented over the past several months, as COVID-19 continues to hang like an anvil over the viability of a 2020 college football season. In addition to that, college football’s player empowerment movement and the multiple opt-outs from high profile players across the country (including a handful who were on the Oregon roster) has also contributed in shaking the foundation of a decades-old American institution.
The extent to which these factors will change the previously accepted landscape of college football is unknown. What is known, however, is that after previously postponing the 2020 football season, the Pac-12 has decided to change course and proceed with an abbreviated conference schedule, joining the vast majority of the FBS on the gridiron this fall.
With Friday set as the official start date of fall camp for the Ducks, WFOD is here to help preview and bring you up to speed on the upcoming season by providing its position-by-position breakdown of the Oregon roster. The series concludes Thursday, as we take an in-depth look at the specialists.
As always, you can find the most up-to-date look at the Oregon depth chart by visiting our Living Depth Chart page.
The Headliner
It was a freshman season filled with peaks and valleys for Ducks placekicker Camden Lewis. After edging out Adam Stack (who has since transferred from the program) for the starting job in fall camp, Lewis was humbled early in last season’s opener vs. Auburn, as his missed 20-yard field goal in the first quarter against the Tigers set the tone for streaky, if not shaky, play from the freshman the rest of the season. In fact, Lewis would go on to miss his first three field goal attempts of his career, before converting five straight, which included a game-winner from 26 yards out to beat Washington State last October.
Lewis would finish the year 9-of-14 on his field goal attempts and 57-for-59 on his extra point tries, demonstrating along the way that he has ability, though was decidedly a kicker who has some work to do before Ducks fans, and perhaps even his own coaches, are comfortable putting their full confidence in him. Even kickoffs were somewhat of an adventure for Lewis, who unenviably tied for the Pac-12 lead in kickoffs out of bounds last season with three. “Headliner” may not quite be the right word here for Lewis, but he’s a player who will certainly have the attention of the Oregon faithful when he trots out onto the field to provide the Ducks with three points in 2020.
The Supporting Ensemble
Aside from the walk-ons, the most inconspicuous member of the Oregon football team may be junior long snapper Karsten Battles. And if it’s alright with you, it’s likely that he would like to keep it that way. After winning the starting long snapper job prior to the 2018 season, Battles has appeared in all 27 games since, exuding the kind of consistency with his snaps on field goal and punt attempts that you like to see if you’re Ducks special teams coordinator Bobby Williams.
Speaking of battles, the competition that’s to take place at the return man positions should provide some fodder as the season opener approaches on November 7. Mykael Wright revealed himself to be a devastating weapon as a kick returner in 2019, returning two kicks for touchdowns at USC and vs. Oregon State, and providing the Ducks with excellent field position to set up Lewis’ game-winning field goal attempt vs. Washington State. Considering he’ll have an expanded role on defense this upcoming season, it will be interesting to see if Wright once again serves as the Ducks’ primary kick returner in 2020. Keep tabs on Daewood Davis, Josh Delgado, and Travis Dye, as each could figure into the mix as not only kick returners, but punt returners as well following Jevon Holland’s decision to opt-out.
The Intriguing New Cast Member
Though he’s been with the program for the past two seasons, 2020 is the year we expect redshirt sophomore Tom Snee to take over punting duties from graduated walk-on Blake Maimone, who was quietly a strength for Oregon’s special teams in 2019.
A native of Melbourne, Australia, Snee has an Aussie Rules football background, which could provide opportunities for a slightly different aesthetic compared to what the Ducks have traditionally seen from the position. Nevertheless, Snee won’t be completely void of experience when he takes the field as the Oregon punter this fall. As a true freshman in 2018, Snee averaged 35.2 yards on 22 punt attempts, 11 of which yielded fair catches and five of which were downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Snee will need to prove he has the leg strength to help change field position like Maimone, but if his freshman season is any indication, Snee is adept at putting the ball in disadvantageous positions for the opposing team.
The Stirring Subplot
How much faith can be placed in Camden Lewis?
Based on the, at times, uneven play from Camden Lewis last season, Duck fans are likely wanting to see more before completely riding or dying with the sophomore kicker. Lewis’ clutch kick to win the Washington State game was an encouraging sign that he can come through in pressure situations, but the consistency simply wasn’t there (particularly on short kicks, oddly enough) over the course of the 2019 season to make anyone believe that Lewis’ erratic performances are a thing of the past. How much Lewis is challenged by the other kickers on the Oregon roster over the course of fall camp will be something worth monitoring.
WFOD’s 2020 Fall Camp Preview – The Quarterbacks
WFOD’s 2020 Fall Camp Preview – The Running Backs
WFOD’s 2020 Fall Camp Preview – The Wide Receivers
WFOD’s 2020 Fall Camp Preview – The Tight Ends
WFOD’s 2020 Fall Camp Preview – The Offensive Line
WFOD’s 2020 Fall Camp Preview – The Defensive Line
WFOD’s 2020 Fall Camp Preview – The Linebackers
WFOD’s 2020 Fall Camp Preview – The Defensive Backs
Top Photo: Oregon kicker Camden Lewis (Sean Meagher/Oregon Live)