In just seven days, the Oregon Ducks will be taking the field against the defending champion Georiga Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
They will have a new head coach, a new quarterback, an entirely new offensive and defensive scheme to unveil, and a whole host of questions to answer.
Considering all of those unknowns, the Ducks are pretty highly regarded heading into the season. They rank No. 11 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25, and No. 12 in the preseason USA TODAY Coaches Poll. Of the major outlets, ESPN’s Power Rankings have Oregon the lowest, and even then the Ducks come in at No. 13.
As we get into the final weekend of August and see week 1 of the season in the near future, a shift can be felt for the Ducks. No longer are they in fall camp, which has taken place over the last month or so — now it’s game week.
To help celebrate this fact and get fans in the know as we count down the days until the team heads off to Atlanta, we wanted to present the biggest questions that are still facing the team. We may get a few answers in the coming days, and a few might not come until opening kickoff vs. Georgia. Some may remain unknown until deep into the season.
Regardless of when we find out, the answers to these questions will go a long way in shaping the ultimate outcome of Oregon’s 2022 season.
Question 1
Question: Who will the starting quarterback be?
Really breaking some revolutionary ground early with this question, huh? Obviously it is first on the list because it is potentially the most important development for the Ducks this season. Whether the final winner of the QB competition is Bo Nix or Ty Thompson — sorry Jay Butterfield, I’ve seen enough in both fall camp and dating back to the Spring Game to pull you from contention — the answer is going to have a huge impact on the success Oregon sees on the field.
If I were to predict the final winner, I would say it will be Nix. I feel about 90% confident in that assessment. Again, going off of what we saw in the spring game, and a number of reports that I have heard coming out of practice in the past few weeks, I feel pretty good that it will be No. 10 lining up against Georgia in Week 1. A depth chart is expected to be released on Monday, but there’s a good chance we don’t get this answer until the first snap on Saturday afternoon.
Question 2
Question: How explosive/different will Kenny Dillingham’s offense be?
Duck fans are used to blur offenses…