Tag: josh conerly

Recruiting Superlatives: Highlighting Oregon’s most notable recruits over last 5 years

Who is the most influential Oregon recruit in the last 5 years? What about the biggest recruit to get away? We give some Duck recruiting superlatives.

On Monday morning, Bruce Feldman and The Athletic put out an article in their series of recruiting breakdowns looking at some of the top teams in the nation over the past couple of decades and offering superlatives for some of the most notable recruits to come through the program.

In the article (subscription required) they talked about Joey Harrington and De’Anthony Thomas as two of the most important recruits in program history, and identified Justin Herbert as the biggest developmental project, rising from an overlooked 3-star into the No. 6 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

I’m not going to bite into Feldman’s writing; it’s very good and deserves your attention. However, it did get me thinking about some superlatives that could be handed out for a more current group of recruits. While Feldman looked as far back as 2000 to identify some top players, I wanted to dial in the microscope a little bit and come of with some superlatives of my own.

For this exercise, I go back five years ago to the 2018 recruiting class, and started from there up to the last class that was signed in 2023. I also threw in a few “future superlatives” for good measure, highlighting a few of the recruits in 2023 and 2024 who I think will have major impacts down the road.

Without further ado, here are my superlatives for the Oregon Ducks recruiting over the past five years:

Position Outlook: Ducks offensive line stacked with talent, experience

There very well could be 5 new starters on the UO offensive line this fall. Despite the newness, the Ducks have the talent to be really good up front.

One of the many positions on the Oregon Ducks roster where Dan Lanning and the rest of the coaching staff have made a concerted effort to increase the level of talent is on the offensive line.

With the addition of guys like Ajani Cornelius, Junior Angilau, and Nishod Strother, Lanning has used the transfer portal in order to up the level of talent on the offensive line. While the Ducks are trying to replace four of the five starters from a season ago, there is a belief that the talent is there to be just as good as they were in 2022 is on the roster.

We have a pretty good idea of what the starting left tackle and right tackle positions will look like, but as for the interior of the OL, there are spots that are up for grabs. Going into fall camp, the offensive line is going to be one of the more intense position battles in Eugene.

With the new lineman on the roster and the expected jump from underclassmen, we broke down what we expect the Ducks’ offensive line to look like this fall.

Bo Nix gives praise to new faces along the offensive line

The new faces that make up the offensive line showed some nice early returns in the Spring Game, according to QB Bo Nix.

The highlight of the Oregon Spring Game was the improved defensive unit as they dominated the offense for much of the game, but one group on offense that shined was the line.

There are a lot of new faces along that line and the concern that is associated with that group is warranted. After the game inside Autzen, Oregon quarterback Bo Nix said the concern can be curtailed some.

“I think they do a really good job. There are new faces, but still very talented players,” he said. “You get them going together and they start communicating more and more with more experience and as we go they’re only gonna get better. With that group, the name of the game is just staying healthy and so doing what’s right throughout the season with their bodies.”

Working out and eating right will be the goal for the line this summer as they can work on technique once fall camp arrives. It’s going to be a challenge to replace players like Alex Forsyth, Ryan Walk, T.J. Bass, and Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu. Building chemistry among Josh Conerly, Jackson Powers-Johnson, and others will surely be a very high priority in August.

Protecting Nix will be the No. 1 key for the Ducks to have a successful 2023 season, and based on the talent up front, and the growing chemistry, it shouldn’t be an issue going forward.

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Matayo Uiagalelei, Josh Conerly highlighted as player who could help Ducks’ TE depth

Oregon needs more depth at TE. On Tuesday, Dan Lanning highlighted Matayo Uiagalelei and Josh Conerly as potential solutions.

With the news that Oregon Ducks tight end Terrance Ferguson is out for the rest of the spring season with an injury, an already existing need for the Ducks’ offense has become more pressing.

Behind Ferguson, Oregon has just a pair of scholarship players at the position — Patrick Herbert and Kenyon Sadiq. While both players are talented and present a high upside, it doesn’t take a savvy football mind to tell you that more bodies are needed in the TE room.

This is something that both Dan Lanning and TE coach Drew Mehringer have addressed, and will undoubtedly be a position that they look to bolster in the coming weeks via the transfer portal. On Monday, we saw the Ducks extend an offer to North Texas tight end Var’Keyes Gumms in the portal, and there will likely be more offers to come over the next several days.

In the meantime, Lanning and the Ducks’ coaching staff are looking for current players on the roster that can help alleviate the numbers problem.

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“The good thing for us is we have a lot of guys on our roster that have played tight end as well at other times,” Lanning said on Saturday after the team’s scrimmage. “They might not be listed as tight end on our roster but that doesn’t mean that they can’t play tight end so we have some position versatility with the guys we have on our team.”

So who are a few of those guys that could potentially move over to the TE room this spring in order to help out? Lanning was again asked on Tuesday and threw out a couple of names to watch for.

“A few people, right, like Matayo (Uiagalelei) is a guy that’s had history,” Lanning said. “Jake Shipley is a little banged up right now, but he’s a guy that’s been able to flip over the other side. We also got guys like Josh Conerly lined up as a tight end last year in a game. So I think we got a lot of guys that have some versatility there.”

Uiaglelei was an expected name, since he signed with the Ducks in the 2023 recruiting class as an athlete who played both EDGE and TE in high school. While he was expected to primarily play on the defensive side of the ball in college, his high school tape showed some impressive catching and blocking abilities down at St. John Bosco in California.

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Conerly, on the other hand, is a rather surprising name for Lanning to throw out there. While the former 5-star offensive tackle did player several snaps at TE in 2022 while being utilized in Oregon’s ’14J’ jumbo package, it was almost always in a blocking role during a short-yardage situation. Of course, there was one instance during a game against Colorado where Conerly slipped out in a play-action pass and caught a touchdown pass, but it’s unclear whether that was enough proof that he can be a pass-catching tight end for the Ducks, or not.

If Oregon is looking for blockers, then Conerly could be a great solution. However, he is currently projected to be the starting left tackle for the Ducks, so moving him out a spot on the line would throw a wrench in that plan.

No matter who the Ducks decide to put at TE to alleviate some of the pressure this spring, it’s clear that they have their eyes on the transfer portal and are working hard to get someone added to the roster before the season starts.

“Certainly a position that we have a need for and have our eyes open for it.”

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‘Josh Conerly is a freak athlete, but he’s the hardest worker in our room’

With a massive frame, feet like a safety, and a work ethic second to none, Josh Conerly’s ceiling at Oregon his through the roof.

There as been a lot of talk about sophomore offensive tackle Josh Conerly this off-season. Rightfully so, too.

As the highest-rated offensive lineman to ever sign with the Oregon Ducks a year ago, fans have been anxious to see what the former 5-star OT who was rated No. 1 in his class can do on the field. While we got to see his abilities sparingly during the 2022 season, everyone understood that it likely wasn’t going to be until 2023 that Conerly had an opportunity to have a major impact. With five starting positions on the offensive line up for grabs, Conerly is in a position where he can really show what he’s capable of this off-season, and it sounds like he’s taking full advantage of the opportunity.

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When we’ve met with coaches and players this spring for post-practice interviews, I always try and ask about Conerly. Dan Lanning has remarked at how hard the sophomore has worked to become a better leader. Marcus Harper said he’s done an incredible job to change his body, bulking up and putting on the right kind of weight.

It wasn’t until Thursday that we got the most glowing review of Conerly, though. When asked about the high-ceiling No. 76 could possess, offensive line coach A’lique Terry didn’t hold back.

“Josh Conerly has a unique skill set,” Terry said. “I mean that respectfully, his feet — he almost has feet like a safety, or an outside linebacker. He’s got power at the line, so he’s got the tools that’s necessary to be another special force.”

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Of course, you expect your position coach to speak highly of you to the media. However, hearing the high praise from Terry was important to me. As someone who has coached at an NFL level and seen the talent at the highest levels of the profession, you have to take his opinion seriously.

On top of his work with the Minnesota Vikings, Terry has also spent time in Eugene previously, working as a graduate assistant under Mario Cristobal. He’s seen the likes of Penei Sewell, and TJ Bass, and some of the best OL to pass through the Oregon program.

In all of his time coaching, Terry certainly has learned what it looks like to work hard, and have the drive to perfect your craft. In Conerly, he sees some of that drive.

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“We’ve seen some special tackles here in our short time here and in the past,” Terry said. “The best part about Josh Conerly is he’s a freak athlete, but he is the hardest worker in our room. And what does that do for everybody else? If one of your best players in your room is your hardest worker, it becomes contagious.”

There is a lot of talent in Oregon’s OL room this spring, and as every player chases that dangling carrot of a starting spot, there will be someone next to them trying to work harder.

Conerly has as much talent as anyone. By the sounds of it, he also has as much work ethic, if not more, than anyone in that room as well.

With the right coaching, and in the right situation, than can be an incredibly impressive combination.

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A’lique Terry talks Oregon dream job, Josh Conerly, and offensive line talent

“This was my dream school coming out of high school. There are not many places at all, if any, that is like the University of Oregon.”

For the first time since he was hired as the offensive line coach for the Oregon Ducks, coach A’lique Terry was made available for interviews on Thursday afternoon.

After former OL coach Adrian Klemm left for a job with the New England Patriots, Terry came in and took over a highly-talented group that is looking to replace four of the five starters from the 2022 season.

Terry was a former graduate assistant at Oregon under Mario Cristobal, but has since coached at both Hawaii and for the Minnesota Vikings working on the defensive line.

We got a chance to ask him about his time away from Oregon, as well as what he makes of the talent up front, and his dream job with the Ducks.

Here are some of the most notable quotes from that interview.

Oregon players continue to rave about OT Josh Conerly’s development this spring

Coaches and players haven’t been shy when asked about OT Josh Conerly. He appears to be making a leap this offseason.

Oregon Ducks offensive lineman Josh Conerly came into camp last season with much fanfare. He was one of the program’s highest recruits in history, and the highest-rated offensive lineman to ever sign with the Ducks. While most true freshmen end up riding the bench for a season, Conerly played some sparingly in 2022, often used in a jumbo, short-yardage package.

Despite playing on the O-line, Conerly’s highlight of the year was actually a touchdown catch at Colorado vs. the Buffaloes. But Conerly wasn’t brought in to catch passes. He was recruited to protect the quarterback and open running lanes, following in the long line of successful left tackles at Oregon that includes Penei Sewell, Tyrell Crosby, and TJ Bass in recent history.

According to his teammates, Conerly has worked hard in this off-season and is well on his way to reaching his high potential.

“You come in as a freshman like he did and just so young, you just get thrown into the fire,” said Marcus Harper, the only returning starter from Oregon’s OL in 2022. “He’s really sat down and kind of learned his playbook, honed in on his technique a lot more. He’s changed his body in the weight room, put some more body weight on him. I think he’s up to like 300 pounds if I’m not mistaken. He’s just taking this seriously.”

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With the Ducks losing four of their five starters up front from a season ago, there is currently a clean slate. While spots are open, there is an abundance of talented players working hard to cement their place at the top of the depth chart. While Conerly may have been the highest-rated player among them, none of that matters anymore. In order to win a starting spot, the sophomore is going to have to prove what he’s capable on the field and prove that the litany of recruiting ratings was accurate.

“I think last year him getting a couple of reps, he kind of got a little bit of a feel for the game,” Harper said. “He also saw the vets — Alex (Forsyth), (Ryan) Walk, you know, everybody across that offensive line — how they perform day in and day out. So he’s got to see that first person and now he’s taking the next step. Even though he is young, he’s realizing, ‘Okay, this is how they did it and the results that they got, let me take that and put that in my toolbox.’ So he’s done a tremendous job of that in his offseason and in the spring.”

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While the entire offensive line is in transition as a few veterans have moved on to the next level, Conerly is seemingly poised to be the leader of that next generation, so to speak. Harper’s praise is not the first we heard of Conerly’s leap this spring. A couple of weeks ago, head coach Dan Lanning singled out the offensive tackle as someone who had impressed him early on.

“A guy that really stands out to me going into Year 2 is Josh Conerly,” Lanning said. “This guy’s working his tail off in everything that he absolutely does. The way he stretches, just the way he approaches everything you know, his mentality in the classroom as well.”

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We knew a year ago when Conerly chose Oregon over the USC Trojans that the Ducks were getting a player who could potentially be dominant, and had an NFL future ahead of him if the cards played out the right way. Duck fans have seen elite tackle play in the past, with Sewell being the latest to get drafted, going to the Detroit Lions with the No. 7 overall pick in 2021.

It’s far too early to say that Conerly is on that same path; he has yet to start a game for the Ducks. However, if the buzz from coaches and players in the Oregon program is to be believed, he’s well on his way to reaching that 5-star potential in Eugene.

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The 10 most important storylines to watch as spring football resumes for Oregon

Spring football resumes in a few days for Oregon. Here are the biggest storylines to watch as the Ducks get back to work.

We are just a few days away from the end of spring break, which will see the Oregon Ducks return to the gridiron and resume spring practices after a short hiatus.

Earlier in March, we got to see a pair of practices from Dan Lanning and Co., giving fans a quick glimpse at some of the newest faces on the team, a handful of returning players, and a couple of the most notable position battles taking part across the roster. We also saw several new coaches getting their feet wet in Eugene, including new offensive coordinator Will Stein, safeties coach Chris Hampton, and offensive line coach A’lique Terry.

While the first two practices acted as a nice appetizer before the two-week break, now we can really get into the meat of the spring season leading up to the annual spring game on April 29 in Autzen Stadium.

In order to make sure we are prepared and ready to dive back into the spring football season, I wanted to dust off some storylines and update everyone on what to be watching for in the coming weeks. With practice starting on April 4, and going Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday throughout the month, there will be a ton to talk about.

Here’s what I will be paying attention to the most.

Duce Robinson, nation’s top-ranked tight end, chooses USC over Georgia

#USC isn’t ready to beat Kirby Smart on the field, but Lincoln Riley just beat #UGA in a major recruiting battle. That will play.

The USC fan base remembers what it was like when Josh Conerly, an elite offensive lineman, was about to announce his decision a year ago in the spring of 2022. Conerly ambushed USC in early April with his choice to go to Oregon and Dan Lanning. One year later, USC fans hoped there would be no ambush, no last-minute plot twist, in the recruitment of top tight end Duce Robinson.

They got their wish.

There was no 11th-hour reversal or change of heart. This time, Lincoln Riley got his man, securing a commitment from Robinson, the elite, field-stretching tight end who could become an even better version of what Riley had at Oklahoma with Mark Andrews. Robinson, if he does play at USC, could be for the Trojans what Kyle Pitts was to Dan Mullen and the Florida Gators in the 2020 season.

Getting Robinson is sweet for USC, which elevated its national recruiting ranking in the process and gave Riley another amazing piece in an already-loaded offense. Yet, the actual recruiting victory means even more when one realizes that the Trojans and Riley beat out Kirby Smart and Georgia for this top prospect. It’s exactly the kind of national win which elevates the profile of the program and makes USC a destination school, one year before its move to the Big Ten, where the Trojans will need to continue to win recruiting battles in the Midwest and in various Big Ten markets such as the DMV (D.C.-Baltimore-Northern Virginia) and New Jersey (Rutgers).

We’ll have much more on this story at Trojans Wire. Watch this space, and also follow our friends Tim Prangley and Rick Anaya for their USC show at The Voice of College Football. “Trojan Conquest Live” airs on YouTube every Sunday at 8 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Pacific. Tim and Rick will have plenty on Duce Robinson this coming Sunday.

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Josh Conerly highlighted by Dan Lanning as standout player early in spring ball

“This guy’s working his tail off in absolutely everything that he does.” Dan Lanning had high praise for OT Josh Conerly.

As we enter the spring football season for the Oregon Ducks, there are a lot of individual players who come in with high expectations. Quarterback Bo Nix is among the early Heisman Trophy favorites, and there’s hope that wide receiver Troy Franklin can get into the conversation for the Belitnikoff Award when all is said and done.

One of the youngest players on the roster with high expectations early on, though, is offensive tackle, Josh Conerly. After coming to Eugene as the No. 1 prospect in Oregon’s 2022 recruiting class — the highest-rated OT to ever sign with the Ducks — there is an expectation that Conerly will immediately step into the starting lineup for Oregon this season, anchoring the left side of the line and immediately becoming the next great tackle to play for the Ducks, following in the footsteps of guys like Penei Sewell and Tyrell Crosby.

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Lofty expectations, for sure, but after hearing what head coach Dan Lanning had to say about Conerly after the Ducks’ first spring practice on Thursday, the sophomore seems to be well on his way to being an elite player, and a great leader, for the team.

“It’d be hard to mention one or two but like, you know, a guy that really stands out to me going into year two is Josh Conerly,” Lanning said. “This guy’s working his tail off in everything that he absolutely does. The way he stretches, just the way he approaches everything you know, his mentality in the classroom as well.”

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Conerly certainly has a path to the starting LT spot on the roster, but it won’t be without some competition. I wrote on Thursday morning about the litany of players that Oregon has on the offensive line who are capable of winning a starting spot, and the list is lengthy. The Ducks brought in Ajani Cornelius from Rhode Island this offseason, who was ranked as the No. 1 OT in the transfer portal. They also have George Silva competing for a starting spot, who comes to Eugene as the No. 1 ranked JUCO OT this offseason.

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We won’t get a final answer on who starts at OL this spring, but we can get a pretty good idea of where guys stand going into the summer months. If Conerly can continue to work hard and reach his projected ceiling with the Ducks, then he could end up being a really great player in Eugene. From the sounds of it, he is well on his way.

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