3 most intriguing position battles at Dan Lanning and Oregon fall camp 

There are big expectations in 2024 for Dan Lanning and Oregon football. The Ducks join the Big Ten but find themselves as the likely preseason No. 3 team, behind only Georgia and Ohio State.

However, before they book their trip to the College Football Playoff, the Ducks will have to weather a new conference. There are still some significant position battles for Oregon, and here are three big ones.

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Three most intriguing position battles at Oregon

Duke transfer Brandon Johnson is trying to learn on the run as he looks to nab Oregon's nickel position role. (Photo credit: IMAGN)

#1 Nickel back

Oregon uses a fifth defensive back in their base set, which is hardly unusual these days. But it's not yet clear exactly who's going to get the starting nod in that spot.

The presumed starter is Duke transfer Brandon Johnson. Johnson had 56 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss at Duke in 2023. He didn't arrive at Oregon until the summer, though.

There are other choices here. Nikko Reed is another veteran, and the Colorado transfer broke up seven passes at Oregon last season. Junior Khamari Terrell and redshirt frosh Daylen Austin could also challenge. While Johnson has an advantage, this will be a battle to watch through camp.

#2 Defensive tackle

It's a similar situation at defensive tackle. The main guys here are Jamaree Caldwell and Derrick Harmon. Caldwell is from JUCO and has played well two seasons at Oregon. Harmon transfers in from Michigan State. He had 40 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss there last season.

However, there are several other intriguing options at these spots. Keyon Ware-Hudson is a senior who has been a steady contributor for several seasons now. A'Mauri Washington is a talented sophomore who played sparingly last season.

Freshman Aydin Breland might have the best recruiting profile of any of these players. Caldwell and Harmon are expected to start, but there are questions.

#3 Kick returner

Oregon hasn't had a kick return touchdown since 2019. In fact, in the past four seasons, opponents have averaged better kickoff return yardage than the Ducks. For a team that's chock full of high-end athletes, that's simply unbelievable.

Joe Lorig is the special teams coordinator, so it's fair to expect that Lanning will lean on him to get someone explosive back deep in 2024. Last year, receiver Gary Bryant had the job. While he's back, his 18.5 yards per return is pretty pedestrian.

Frankly, given the rarity of special teams reps, it's uncertain who will end up playing the position. Given Bryant's experience, it wouldn't be surprising to see him still take some returns, particularly in situations where possession in paramount.

Last year, nobody else had more than one return, and this year, somebody (Noah Whittington? Jeremiah McClellan?) will.

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Which position battles will you be watching for Oregon this fall? Share your thoughts below in the comments section: