It used to be that the special teams were made up of second and third stringers, mostly freshmen, looking to participate on the field in any way they possibly can.
Oregon is looking to throw that notion in the garbage.
The Ducks special teams are going to consist of offensive and defensive starters looking to make that much of a difference that could turn a loss into a win thanks to either better field position or explosion plays.
Players such as starting wide receivers Mycah Pittman and Johnny Johnson III will be returning punts and kickoffs, respectively. Mykael Wright has already shown his explosion capabilities as a kick returner (ask USC) and while there is still a competition or the top kicking spot between Henry Katleman and Camden Lewis, we can at least have confidence that the Ducks have a solid option there.
But Oregon does have other world-class athletes who can pick up the slack if Pittman and/or Johnson need a break. Jaylen Redd has experience in the return game, as does Kris Hutson. Freshman Seven McGee’s speed and ability to shift through players also make him a candidate to see some time as a returner as well.
Here is our projection for the depth chart at the start of the season: