Counted out, doubted and underappreciated, the Ducks look to Gary Bryant Jr.

Gary Bryant Jr.'s best season came as a repeat-freshman at USC in 2021. He started seven games for the Trojans and played in ten, caught 44 passes for 579 yards and seven touchdowns in a pass-first offense that struggled to a 4-8 record.

Bryant returned 10 kicks for the Trojans and averaged 25.8 per return.

The next year Lincoln Riley came in, installed Caleb Williams at quarterback, brought in a fleet of transfer receivers and relegated Bryant to a minor role. After catching just two passes in the first two games for a total of 15 yards, he elected to redshirt, entering the transfer portal in January, then joining the Ducks for 2023.

He's been a good soldier in the Oregon receiver room. As a redshirt sophomore he caught 30 passes for 442 yards and four TDs, including a nice toe-tap grab in the back of the end zone at the Fiesta Bowl.

Earlier in the year he took a simple screen pass from Bo Nix and turned it into a 71-yard touchdown against Arizona State, showing his explosiveness.

As a junior last season Bryant suffered a knee injury injury in fall camp and was unavailable until late November, limited to two catches for 12 yards, taking over punt return duties after Tez Johnson got injured.

Two successive wide receiver coaches have praised his leadership and influence in the Oregon receiver room. Junior Adams and Ross Douglas both praised Bryant's work habits and attention to detail.

Bryant leads by example, and that's important among a group of younger players who don't have much experience.

Still, coming off an injury it's not certain GBJ can be counted on for big minutes and big touches in the Oregon offense. He sat out the spring game.

He's a reliable returner who handles the ball cleanly. He's displayed explosiveness in the past and runs good routes. The question mark is health and consistency.

Douglas has extensive experience crafting at receiver room out of spare parts. He's coached at Rutgers, in the NFL with the New England Patriots and last year at Syracuse, where the Orangemen led the country in passing offense.

In the spring Douglas said of his time at 'Cuse, “The guys who I inherited in my room, it was a bunch of guys who were counted out, doubted, underappreciated and really didn’t have career statistics."

Douglas took a group of castoffs, retreads and underachievers and turned them into a 4,800-yard passing offense.

In turn, Bryant Jr. praised Douglas' coaching style during spring practice. Asked about his new position coach he told reporters, "A Patriot guy. You know they do things the 'Patriot Way' over there and it's kind of similar here with [coach Dan Lanning] at Oregon. Coming there, just being a blue collar guy and putting your head down - working every day."

Bryant Jr. is one of those retreads, a former four-star recruit with versatility and decent speed who has experienced both success and adversity. A 5-11, 180 senior, it's his last chance to get on the NFL radar or play for a championship.

In Oregon's second scrimmage of spring Dante Moore connected on a long touchdown pass with Bryant, so it's not like the Duck coaching staff is unaware of what he can do.

After Bryant Jr. there's Malik Benson, Justius Lowe and a host of former blue-chip prospects with three or fewer career catches. Unless Evan Stewart makes a miraculous return, Douglas will have to repeat the feat of elevating a group that's been counted out, doubted and underappreciated.

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