Five Bold Predictions for Oregon's Spring Game

Oregon will host its annual Spring Game this Saturday, and unlike some other programs, Dan Lanning says it's here to stay for as long as he's the head coach. This is a great opportunity to give fans a glimpse of what’s to come and to bring in top recruits so they can experience what Autzen Stadium is really like. With so many new faces on this team, it’ll be interesting to see who stands out. Here are five bold predictions I have for this weekend’s game:

Dakorien Moore Scores a Touchdown

The electric true freshman could quickly become one of Oregon's best players, and I think there’s a strong chance he finds the end zone in his first “game” as a Duck. The coaching staff knows he’s already a fan favorite, and the stadium would erupt if he scored—so I wouldn’t be surprised if they dial something up to put him in position to make it happen.

There will be TWO 50+ Yard Passing Touchdowns

This could tie into my Dakorien Moore prediction, but the staff is well aware that this secondary is young, so they'll likely test their discipline by taking multiple deep shots. On top of that, with Oregon’s quarterbacks also being young, I expect the staff to use this as a chance to evaluate their deep ball. Given how much speed is in Oregon’s wide receiver room, there’s a good chance we’ll see a few attempts to stretch the field.

A True Freshman DB Records an Interception

Oregon signed an elite defensive back class featuring Na’eem Offord, Brandon Finney, Trey McNutt, and Dorian Brew. With much of the secondary still up for grabs, even the true freshmen will have a chance to show what they’re made of. We saw it last year when Dakoda Fields picked off Austin Novosad in the Spring Game, and I think we’ll see another freshman make a statement this time around.

Transfer Tackles Keep It Clean

Oregon brought in Isaiah World and Alex Harkey to solidify the tackle spots after Ajani Cornelius and Josh Conerly Jr. left for the NFL Draft. World has the potential to be a top-five pick, and Harkey might end up being an even better version of Ajani. I think both will make a statement in the Spring Game by keeping their quarterbacks clean throughout. We don’t know the team rosters yet, so there’s a chance they won’t even be on the same side—but no matter what, I think they have a strong start to their Duck career.

Nasir Wyatt and Elijah Rushing Combine for 2+ Sacks

This might be the boldest prediction of the bunch, but I think it’s possible. Wyatt has elite speed and pass-rushing ability—he’s just a bit undersized. If he gets matched up against the right offensive lineman, he could do some serious damage. As for Rushing, he showed flashes last season but wasn’t able to record a sack in the limited snaps he got. With a bigger role this year, I think we could see him notch his first sack during the Spring Game.