Playing last year for new Oregon wide receivers coach Ross Douglas at Syracuse, Trebor Pena had the best season of his college career.
Pena caught 84 passes for 941 yards and 9 touchdowns for the Orangemen. The year before Douglas took over as passing game coordinator he'd managed just 22 receptions for 203 yards. He'd scored one touchdown in the three previous seasons.
Tuesday Pena announced he's entering the NCAA transfer portal when it opens tomorrow, an intriguing possibility for the Ducks as they enter the home stretch of spring practice with the Spring Game 11 days away. Oregon lost explosive targets Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden to the NFL after last year's 13-1 season.
Should they pick up Pena as insurance or to add more competition to their receiver corps, knowing that talented young players are eagerly waiting for their closeup?
The Ducks have an impressive stable of four and five-star recruits in the freshman and sophomore classes, notably Dakorien Moore, 5-11, 184, the No. 1 receiver in the country in 2025.
Jeremiah McClellan has waited his turn. Gary Bryant, Kyler Kasper and Jurrion Dickey fought back from injuries. Justius Lowe filled in capably last season when Holden and Johnson missed time, grabbing 21 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown. Cooper Perry has flashed in practice.
In the December portal the Ducks added Malik Benson, a 10.4 sprinter from Florida State who set records at Hutchinson Community College, 97 catches in his Juco career for 2,152 yards and 21 TDs.
Asked about Trebor Pena last September, Douglas said, "He is a smart kid who understands football. He’s a quick learner. So I don’t think there’s anything he can’t do.”
Syracuse led the nation in passing offense last season, piling up 4,810 yards. They were a few spots behind Oregon in scoring offense, 21st in the nation at 34.1 points per game. Borrowing some of that energy and productivity is tempting.
Syracuse star WR Trebor Pena is entering the transfer portal, sources confirm to @RivalsFriedman
— NCAA Transfer Portal (@RivalsPortal) April 15, 2025
Pena was one of the top WRs in the ACC, racking up 941 yards and 9 TDs on 84 receptions pic.twitter.com/jxPJMSiVyd
Pena is 6-0, 184, a two-star prospect out of high school whose best time in the 100 meters was 11.0, topping out in the long jump at 22 feet, 6.75 inches. The Ducks have four to five receivers of similar size that are faster and more dynamic, including Bryant, Lowe and Moore.
During Lanning's tenure the Ducks have been aggressive in the portal but selective. Lanning told reporters last spring,
“We want to create that competition and find ways to enhance our roster and make sure we don’t have holes when you step on the field on Saturday, it’s the thing that gives us our best chance of being successful.”
A player someone on the coaching staff knows and values should get a look, but it seems time for the program to show commitment to the recruits they've brought in and trust them. There's tremendous talent in the Oregon receiving room and Moore in particular seems like an immediate impact star in the making.
They shouldn't pick up Douglas unless they lose a couple in the portal tomorrow. Either way, the moves they make over the next couple of weeks will be pivotal. Sometimes the best decisions you make are to trust what you have.