Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning spoke on his team’s relatively inexperienced linebacking core and expressed confidence that they can grow without outside help.
Dan Lanning Backs Young Oregon Linebackers and Shuts Down Portal Speculation
Following the Ducks’ 2025 spring game, Lanning spoke to reporters and was asked about the Ducks’ linebacking core, which has had question marks all offseason as it’s easily the youngest position group on the roster.
“We won’t pursue anybody in the portal at linebacker,” Lanning said. “I feel really good about our linebacking group, I like the guys we have.”
That linebacker group is filled with a number of highly-rated players out of high school, yet all but two have made a tackle in actual game action.
The list that hasn’t contributed on the field includes former four-star recruits in redshirt freshman Dylan Williams, freshman Gavin Nix, and redshirt freshman Kamar Mothudi. Redshirt sophomores Will Straton and Chip Allers round out the youngsters at the position.
Alongside the inexperienced ‘backers, Lanning’s defense received a huge boost when senior-to-be Bryce Boettcher announced his return to Oregon for his senior season.
The dual-sport athlete (Boettcher is also on the Ducks baseball team as an outfielder) led the team in tackles a season ago, tallying 94 total takedowns with 50 of them in the solo category. He also recorded two sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception apiece.
His tenacity and ability to diagnose opposing plays and fly to the ball are apparent. He acts as a heat-seeking missile for the Ducks’ defense.
Alongside him — unless one of the young LBs unexpetantly steps up into a starting role — will be redshirt junior Devon Jackson, who contributed in a rotational role last season.
Jackson amassed 47 total tackles, 26 of which were solo. In addition, he also had 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
From Lanning’s words, it’s very likely that one of the young former four-star recruits has stepped up and will fill a rotational role, much like Jackson did in 2024.
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Even so, if he sticks to his words of not pursuing a LB in the portal, the Ducks will head into 2025 with championship expectations — and questions from outsiders about the inexperience at the LB position.
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