Oregon Ducks boast one of nation’s best offensive lines heading into 2024 Oregon football season
By Ethan Lee
As Dan Lanning gears up for his third season as the head coach of the Oregon Ducks football team (and the Oregon football program’s first season in the Big Ten), it seems he’s done well to bolster the talent in the trenches as the Ducks’ offensive line is ranked among the nation’s best, according to the good folks over at Pro Football Focus.
Given that the Oregon Ducks football program has long been known for its high-powered offense, it’s probably a good thing for this team to have a strong offensive line. In PFF’s rankings, the Ducks boast one of the top offensive lines in college football (coming in at No. 5 in their top 10 list of the national rankings).
As PFF analyst Max Chadwick highlights, this group is the first non-SEC team to get ranked on this list. That’s certainly something worth celebrating (given the way the SEC teams tend to stockpile talent for the trenches).
Oregon football: Ducks’ offensive line ranks among nation’s best, according to PFF
According to Chadwick, one rather significant reason for the Ducks to have such a high ranking on the offensive line (as a whole) has to do with the strength of Oregon's tackle position. Chadwick points out that Ajani Cornelius is a pretty high profile player (PFF’s No. 4 returning tackle in the country and generally a player that is considered to stand out as a reliable protector and dominant force up front).
To go with Cornelies is Josh Conerly Jr., who has earned an abundance of acclaim and recognition as well for the way that he plays as a reliable protector. Right along with him is returning left guard Marcus Hopper II, Matthew Bedgord, and Iapani Laloulu who round out the interior of the offensive line.
As the 2024 Oregon football season keeps getting closer, it’s fascinating to see how the Ducks will have one of the best offensive lines in the country. Lanning has done a good job of assembling a bunch of talent on the offensive line. Here’s to hoping that it pays off this year.