Oregon Ducks legend Jonathan Stewart and USA Today's Zachary Neel come back from summer break and jump into the preview season for the 2025 season. The two take a "What's New?" approach, diving into each position on the roster and touching on who left, who arrived, and who returns, giving an assessment of which positions need to prove themselves this year.
[00:01:41] - Show Preview & Fan Engagement The hosts discuss the plan to preview Oregon football for the upcoming season, encourage fans to ask questions, and explain their approach to analyzing the roster. [00:03:28] - Quarterback Preview Discussion about key departures (Dillon Gabriel), incoming talent (Dante Moore), and the importance of naming a confident starter. [00:08:35] - Running Back Situation Breakdown of the "stable" of running backs, who left for the NFL, what to expect from Makai Hughes, Noah Whittington, Dejuan Riggs, and more. [00:12:40] - Backfield Usage & Player Mentality Exploration of shared workloads, how running backs approach competition, and balancing carries. [00:15:42] - Wide Receivers Outlook Impact of losing Evan Stewart, the need for other receivers to step up, and excitement for new and returning talents. [00:19:36] - Tight Ends and Offensive Line Assessment of Kenyon Sadiq’s expanded role, transfer additions, and the state of the offensive line after departures and new recruits. [00:26:00] - Offense Overall Jonathan shares thoughts on each offensive position group, including strengths, weaknesses, and potential. [00:28:51] - Defensive Line Preview Zachary breaks down key losses (Derek Harmon, Jamari Caldwell), introduces new transfer Bear Alexander, and highlights the depth of young talent. 00:32:56] - Edge Rushers Outlook Confidence in Oregon’s edge rushers, especially Mateo Uyangalalei, and excitement for the group’s potential. [00:33:48] - Linebacker Depth Review of major departures, the return of Bryce Boettcher, and Lanning’s trust in developing homegrown recruits. [00:37:03] - Secondary & Corners Discussion about turnover in the defensive backfield, incoming transfers, and young players poised to step up. [00:39:35] - Safeties: Praise for transfer Dylan Thieneman, the depth of the safety group, and his NFL potential. [00:41:09] - Defensive Cohesion & Flexibility Talk on possible defensive schemes, depth across positions, and development priorities. [00:43:30] - Team Outlook & Season Expectations Debate on whether this is a championship season or more of a setup year, with optimism for Oregon’s long-term ceiling. [00:46:24] - Looking Ahead Schedule updates, what fans can expect from future episodes, and wrapping up the show.