It's Marsh Duck Monday!

Today looking at the offensive line or what become of the offensive line.

https://marshduck.substack.com/p/will-oregon-have-a-rotating-offensive?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=8foswi

Thank you, David, for another terrific and timely article.

It's great that Charles has posted a season prediction contest. I'm waiting to put my two cents in (probably worth less) until the starting roster for the Boise game is revealed, with an eye on the O-line.

A true first-year player or two starting on the O-line? If you're good enough, you're old enough, but the play of the O-line is a ballet that requires cohesion more than any other position group.

I hope the starting O-line hasn't been set because of rigorous, close competition rather than a lack of talent. I certainly trust the coaching staff, but I expected more than one O-line player to be picked up from the portal.

QBs, edge rushers, and O-line players command premium portal payments. OBD is set at two of these three positions, and I understand dropping out of the bidding for an OT like Seaton, who is making big bank in Baton Rouge.

(LSU, between coaching firings, hirings, and 40 new players from the portal, is now a program beating the bushes for private equity. May Kiffin be hoist on his own petard. 💩)

A new college football paradigm has been created by NIL, unregulated free agency, judges who function with injunctions, and battling billionaires. You have to be wise about where the money is spent. Texas Tech had a great D last season. The Oregon D turned the Red Raiders' O into an Orange Bowl zero.

Dan and his support staff have done a terrific job on both the recruiting and portal fronts. But I sure wish that Portland State was visiting in Week 1 and not the top-ranked G6 program, with a rare opportunity to show its playoff bona fides on national television.

I hope the O-line will be prepared to pave the way for a beatdown of Boise.

Thanks again for starting the week with an insightful article.

35 minutes ago, Jon Joseph said:

I hope the starting O-line hasn't been set because of rigorous, close competition rather than a lack of talent. I certainly trust the coaching staff, but I expected more than one O-line player to be picked up from the portal.

QBs, edge rushers, and O-line players command premium portal payments. OBD is set at two of these three positions, and I understand dropping out of the bidding for an OT like Seaton, who is making big bank in Baton Rouge.

I doubt it is a talent problem. Lanning and co made a push for Seaton because they had a relationship with him during his recruitment and he would have added a nice additional piece to the offensive line but I think they also dropped out of the bidding war because it wasn't a make or break moment for the offensive line.

If Oregon needs linemen they'll go out and get them. They did for the 2025 season where they grabbed 3 linemen from the portal and started them. Then only grabbed one this year and it sounds like he hasn't carved out a starting role yet. That in itself is telling that there is talent on the roster but it comes down to putting that talent on the field.

We'll know more on Saturday!