Chantel Jennings, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Oregon's rebuilding project begins at QB

Oregon has firmly entrenched itself in the upper echelon of college football. It is no longer just a team out West that competes with the Alabamas and the Florida States of the world. Other teams compete with the Oregons of the world.

And though a national title still eludes the Ducks, they’ve secured themselves a spot with the elite of the elite heading into the 2015 season. It's a place that carries with it the expectation that a program does not simply rebuild after each season it reloads with talented players waiting in the wings and highly ranked recruiting classes.

Oregon has proven it can sustain its talent level from season to season, but there's an added pressure facing the Ducks this offseason as they begin life without Marcus Mariota.

Is there any way to classify the challenge this offseason as anything other than a rebuilding effort after losing a player like that?

It's glaringly evident what Oregon is losing and what it needs to replace.

On the offensive side of the ball, Oregon loses five starters from its national title lineup, most significant of which is Mariota, who, to be fair, probably counts as anywhere from four to six starters.

While the Ducks have a plethora of skill players returning, it will be a rebuilding effort to find the next Oregon quarterback. And whoever steps into that spot -- whether it’s a transfer or Mariota’s 2014 backup Jeff Lockie -- is going to be under a magnifying glass. There’s no way that anyone will fill Mariota’s shoes but the difference between Oregon thriving, surviving orĀ hemorrhaging in 2015 rests largely on whomever is going to be Mariota’s “replacement.”

The saving grace for the Ducks is that there will be playmakers around him -- though, exactly how many and when they will all be available to practice is unclear.

If wide receiver Darren Carrington’s suspension for the national title game was in fact drug-related, he could face further suspension. It's unclear when wide receiver Devon Allen will be able to return from a leg injury suffered in the Ducks' win over Florida State. Wide receiver Chance Allen has chosen to transfer, though at best he would’ve been a backup to Charles Nelson next year.

Offensive coordinator Scott Frost has proven playmakers such asĀ Nelson, Royce Freeman, Byron Marshall, Thomas Tyner and Dwayne Stanford at his disposal, but who will be getting the ball in their hands remains the biggest question mark.

Plus, all five of those guys would need to stay healthy, which the Ducks couldn’t manage to do this year.

If there is a silver lining to be found in Oregon’s injury woes it is the experience several young players along the offensive line received in 2014, when they were called upon as part of Oregon's “next man up” mantra.

The Ducks’ O-line personnel shuffles were almost unbelievable. What was the team's most experience unit heading into the season was decimated by injuries, though the Ducks managed to spread that experience around by featuring a different starting lineup in nearly every single game. Only one player started every single game this season. It was Hamani Stevens and, to be fair, it was at two different positions.

As a result of the constant reshuffling in 2014, Oregon’s projected spring depth chart in 2015 features five players who started games. That means something.

“The guys who have played quite a bit should have a level of understanding, a level of confidence,” Helfrich said of the offensive line. “At the same time, they better compete, because there's some guys both on campus and some guys that will be in the mix that will compete their tails off for that playing time.”

On the defensive side of the ball, Oregon loses five starters. Three of the four starting linebackers return, which helps defensive coordinator Don Pellum -- who also coaches the linebackers -- in helping the defense progress faster.

But the Ducks lose one of their best pass rushers in Arik Armstead, who despite only tallying 5.5 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks in 2014, has been pegged as a potential first-round pick on athleticism alone. Though there was frustration from the fans with Oregon’s “rush three, drop eight” system at times, it proved to be effective enough as the Ducks gave up 6.8 yards per pass attempt.

Tony Washington, the one linebacker Pellum will need to replace, was second on the team in tackles for loss, but that’ll likely be more of a reshuffling and reloading effort.

However the secondary will be a true test. Three of the four starters this season were seniors: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Erick Dargan and Troy Hill. Between them, Oregon loses 229 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss, 10 interceptions, 33 pass breakups and 43 passes defended.

That is no small task for secondary coach John Neal and it’s going to require a total overhaul in personnel, leaving freshmen and sophomores to fill in quickly. Oregon gave up 49 pass plays of 20 or more yards this season (there were only 14 teams in the country that gave up more) and if that trend continues, it’ll be disastrous as the Ducks won’t have an offense that can make up for it like they did in 2014.

The offseason is crucial for Oregon and how its program is judged. How much of Oregon's success was due to a spectacular, once-in-a-lifetime player? Being part of the nation's elite means being able to withstand such losses.

Oregon is in that group, but the only thing harder than getting there is staying there. We're about to find out whether the Ducks can protect against a drop-off.

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