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The 5 Oregon players who should see their roles grow after the Boise State thriller

Sep 5, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive back Na'eem Offord (2) breaks up a pass play during the second half against Boise State Broncos wide receiver Darren Morris (13) at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Sep 5, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive back Na'eem Offord (2) breaks up a pass play during the second half against Boise State Broncos wide receiver Darren Morris (13) at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the season opener against Boise State was concerning for the Ducks, in the end, a win is a win, and you'll take the ugliest of wins over the prettiest of losses. The game left plenty the Ducks need to improve on, and plenty of lessons for Dan Lanning to teach the team, but a close game like that can be incredibly valuable.

Coming out of camp, Oregon is still working through a few positional battles and tinkering with the lineup. On Saturday, 5 Ducks flashed great potential in limited roles, and should continue to see their playing time rise next week.

The 5 Ducks who deserve more playing time against Oklahoma State

Nasir Wyatt - Edge Rusher

The biggest issue everyone should have with Oregon's Week 1 game plan should be the fact that the staff only found 7 snaps for Nasir Wyatt. Maybe the staff wanted to play things carefully, as Wyatt is playing with a club on his hand, but he's a clear difference-maker for this defense. In just his 7 snaps, Nasir Wyatt recorded 2 quarterback pressures, as he's arguably the most talented pass rusher on this team.

Andrew Olesh - Tight End

Jamari Johnson is one of the best tight ends in the country, so any players in his room looking for snaps are going to have a hard time finding them. While Johnson dominated the snap counts, Andrew Olesh did play 5 snaps for the Ducks and made a pretty solid impact. Olesh's blocking ability was impressive in his Oregon debut, and even if he's not catching passes, he could help open up the run game.

Na'eem Offord - Cornerback

Oregon is clearly holding a battle to see how should start opposite Brandon Finney Jr as Na'eem Offord played 27 snaps on Saturday. In the 27 snaps, Offord was targeted twice, once picking up a pass nterference call, but he also broke up Boise State's final pass of the game to win the game for the Ducks. The talent is clearly there for Offord, and hopefully he can continue to get playing time to prove he can be the elite corner the Ducks hoped for when he was signed out of High School.

Davon Benjamin - STAR

Baylor transfer Carl Williams IV started the game in the STAR role, and Boise State picked on him, converting a long 3rd down, and then beating him with a slot fade to open the scoring. Freshman Davon Benjamin came into the game, and played 18 snaps. Benjamin played well enough that he should jump Williams IV, if not continue to battle for the chance to earn the starting role.

Dylan Williams - Linebacker

Replacing Bryce Boettcher is the biggest test for the Ducks' defense, and Saturday may have revealed the answer to who steps up to fill the void is Junior linebacker Dylan Williams. In a game where the Ducks missed a ton of tackles, Dylan Williams was a perfect 5-5 on attempts. Dan Lanning praised Williams after the game, and he should only continue to grow into a role with experience.

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