Dan Lanning said this week that running back Noah Whittington, receiver Justius Lowe and linebacker Dylan Williams will all return to the lineup for Saturday night's Top Ten matchup at No. 3 Penn State.
A senior from Peach County, Georgia, Whittington missed the Ducks last two games with injury after zooming to 91 yards in just four carries against Oklahoma State. At 5-8, 203 he's a blend of power and speed that can take a small crease and pop it for a big run as well as drive through tackles.
He's steadily improved since coming back from a knee injury he suffered against Colorado in September 2023, emerging as the Ducks lead back in fall camp. In his absence Jayden Limar freshmen Dierre Hill and Jordon Davison have all been effective, each with a different style.
But Whittington is the one with experience in a big game. Last year in the Big Ten Championship he scorched the PSU defense for 82 yards on 15 carries, including a chunk run of 26 yards.
🦆 Timeline cleanse. Noah Whittington hammering his way into the end zone 🔨💥 pic.twitter.com/QsGr4k9kp7
— Lucy (@upthascoducks) July 2, 2025
Dan Lanning doesn't talk freely about injuries, but on Monday he did say when asked about Whittington and receiver Dillon Gresham, "I think we'll be able to have those guys with us. We probably could have pushed it this past week.”
Gresham shined in Oregon's spring game but he's been unavailable in Oregon's 4-0 start. A four-star recruit out of San Jacinto High School in Hemet, California, he had 1,658 all-purpose yards as a senior before redshirting last season in Eugene. As a junior, he piled up an incredible 90 catches for 2,051 yards and 31 touchdowns, according to MaxPreps and 247 Sports.
Dillon Gresham came to play! 🦆 pic.twitter.com/4e6TgaWQCC
— Austin 🦆 (@deviousduck_) April 26, 2025
Filling in for Tez Johnson last year Lowe caught 21 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown. He's a 6-1, 197 junior from Lake Oswego.
Their return gives the Ducks more options in the passing game, a wider array of targets should they seek to test a strong PSU secondary, which so far has limited opponents to 52 percent passing and two touchdowns while picking off four passes and racking up nine sacks.
Williams, a four-star from Long Beach Poly High in Southern, California, adds depth to the linebacker corps at 6-2, 210, a Top 200 recruit in 2024 who redshirted last season.
For a matchup of undefeated teams in prime time, having a full array of weapons is a confidence-booster for the Ducks, who enter the White Out game as 3.5-point underdogs.