Oregon Ducks - College Football 2019 Season Preview
Last Updated: 08/21/2019 at 10:27 AM ET
The 2019 Oregon Ducks are ranked in the preseason top 15 in most national polls. The Ducks are loaded with talent entering the season with the most hype focused on quarterback Justin Herbert a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. Oregon opens against Auburn in Texas and any chances to reach the College Football Playoff could hinge on the outcome of that first game.
Troy Dye is a tackling machine at inside linebacker. Last season Dye had 115 tackles. Isaac Slade-Matautia returns as the other inside linebacker, while on the outside La’Mar Winston Jr. returns and Bryson Young rounds out the staring four at linebacker. The secondary has a pair of three-year starters in Deommodore Lenoir and Thomas Graham Jr. Jevon Holland returns as the starting free safety while the strong safety will be fought over between Brady Breeze and Nick Pickett, and Verone McKinley III will play nickel.
With Justin Herbert back under center, the Oregon Ducks offense is expected to put up big numbers on the scoreboards. However, the defense needs to step up if the Ducks want to play in the Rose Bowl and have an opportunity to win the national championship. A subpar rushing defense from last season must be fixed and third-down defense needs to be improved for Oregon to be a true title contender. Projected win total 11