Season In Review: OL

Reviewing Oregon's 2023 season and looking ahead to spring drills.

2023 ROSTER
LT: Josh Conerly Jr., So; Faaope Laloulu, Jr.; Gernorris Wilson, Fr.; Lipe Moala, Fr.; Bailey Jaramillo, So.
LG: Marcus Harper II, Jr.; Dave Iuli, So.; Charlie Pickard, So.; Brodie Wright, Fr.; Auston Mims, Fr.
C: Jackson Powers-Johnson, Jr.; Iapani Laloulu, Fr.; Bryce Boulton, Fr.; Kanen Rossi, So.
RG: Steven Jones, Sr.; Nishad Strother, Jr.; Junior Angilau, Sr.; Holden Whipple, So.; Ty Delgado, So.
RT: Ajani Cornelius, Jr.; Kawika Rogers, RFr.; George Silva, Jr.; Michael Wooten, RFr.; Beau CressAllen, Fr.

Starter: Talented players and stability in the lineup resulted in an elite 2023 season from Oregon's offensive line. The Ducks started the same lineup every game until the Fiesta Bowl, and that group played at such a high level it was one of four finalists for the Joe Moore Award as the nation's best offensive line. Oregon led the country for the second year in a row by allowing just five quarterback sacks all season, and the Ducks averaged 5.91 yards per rush, ranking third in the nation behind only LSU and Liberty.

Entering the season the biggest question mark up front might just have been center, where Oregon needed to replace long-time fixture Alex Forsyth. Into those big shoes stepped Jackson Powers-Johnson, and all he did was win the Rimington Trophy as the best center in the nation; ultimately he opted to enter the 2024 NFL Draft and sat out the bowl game, leading to the only lineup change all season for the Ducks up front.

The Ducks also needed to replace a pair of tackles who like Forsyth were NFL rookies in 2023, T.J. Bass and Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu. A true sophomore, Josh Conerly Jr., took over at left tackle while transfer Ajani Cornelius was the new right tackle. Marcus Harper II and Steven Jones returned to man the guard spots; all that talent, experience and stability paid dividends throughout the season.

Offensive Line Touchdown

Reserves: The top reserve was true freshman Iapani Laloulu, who played both guard and center — starting the Fiesta Bowl in place of Powers-Johnson — and even made a cameo as a tight end in a special package. Faaope Laloulu and Kawika Rogers provided the primary depth at tackle, and Dave Iuli was waiting in the wings at guard. Two other portal additions, Nishad Strother and Junior Angilau, fought to get healthy enough to contribute much of the season.

Developmental squad: The "look" team was a mix of experienced veterans including Bailey Jaramillo, Holden Whipple, Kanen Rossi and Charlie Pickard, and developing newcomers such as Gernorris Wilson, Bryce Boulton and George Silva. Lipe Moala joined that latter group late in the season after rehabbing an injury. Further depth was provided by Ty Delgado, Brodie Wright, Auston Mims, Michael Wooten and Beau CressAllen.

2024 SPRING PREVIEW
Veterans: Josh Conerly Jr., So; Ajani Cornelius, Jr.; Marcus Harper II, Jr.; Iapani Laloulu, Fr.; Nishad Strother, Jr.; Kawika Rogers, RFr.; Dave Iuli, So.; George Silva, Jr.; Bryce Boulton, Fr.; Charlie Pickard, So.; Kanen Rossi, So.; Holden Whipple, So.; Ty Delgado, So.; Gernorris Wilson, Fr.; Lipe Moala, Fr.; Bailey Jaramillo, So.; Beau CressAllen, Fr.; Brodie Wright, Fr.; Auston Mims, Fr.
Newcomers: Matthew Bedford, Sr; Shaq McRoy, Fr.

What to Watch: As at receiver, the Ducks lost perhaps the most high-profile contributor from 2023 but otherwise return a mostly intact unit on the offensive line for 2024. Conerly and Cornelius should be rocks as the bookends, Harper has a wealth of experience on the interior and "Poncho" Laloulu looks like a budding star as the next UO center. Strother and Iuli should be primed to take advantage of available reps, while the likes of Wilson, Silva, Rogers and Boulton continue developing and try to push the more experienced veterans. New to the mix this winter is senior transfer Matthew Bedford, along with mammoth freshman Shaq McRoy.