Oregon football reached incredible highs last season, but it ended with a thud. The Ducks went to Columbus in Week 2 and stunned Ohio State, instantly propelling them to college football's elite. They hit a road bump against Stanford but still looked like the Pac-12 favorites well into November.
However, Oregon began to sputter down the stretch. The Ducks suffered two blowout losses against Utah, including one in the Pac-12 Championship Game. They also lost to Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl to finish a promising season at 10-4.
Oregon football has had an interesting offseason in 2022. Head coach Mario Christobal left for a massive payday in Miami and the Ducks brought in Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning to replace him. They also brought in former Auburn quarterback Bo Nix to be their new starter.
The Ducks kick off their 2022 campaign against Georgia, the defending national champions and Lanning's former squad, in Atlanta on September 3. Oregon is facing a juggernaut right away and will need players to step up if they want to shock the world. Nix will need to perform too, but this Swiss Army knife player may be the key for the Ducks in 2022.
Oregon’s biggest X-factor in 2022 college football season
DE D.J. Johnson
The Ducks lost Kayvon Thibodeaux, one of the best players in college football, this offseason. Thibodeaux racked up 122 total tackles and 19 sacks in his stellar college career. Replacing his production is nearly impossible but the Oregon football squad has to do just that this season.
No one player on the Ducks' roster can replace Thibodeaux, but they may have more success with a group effort. Noah Sewell, who had 114 tackles and four sacks last season, is still a force in the middle of the field who can occasionally rush the QB. Bradyn Swinson and Brandon Dorlus also return on the edge after tallying three and 2.5 sacks last season, respectively.
However, the most important player in Oregon's effort may be D.J. Johnson. His stats don't jump off the page, finishing with just 11 tackles and one sack on defense last season. If his four-sack performance in the spring game is anything to go by, though, he is in for a big season in 2022.
In the past, Johnson has played in every phase of the game. In 2019, his first with Oregon, he was a defensive lineman but was a tight end in 2020. Last season, he played all over the field, but he is back to being a purely defensive player in 2022.
“I play wherever they need me to play right now,” Johnson told Sports Illustrated. “Right now I’ve been on defense a little bit more, so that’s where the focus is.”
Johnson will have to grow into his new role but he has the perfect coach to help him do that. Lanning coached many star edge rushers at Georgia, including the 2022 NFL Draft's first-overall pick, Travon Walker. If Lanning can work his magic again then Johnson may become the next strong pass rusher to play under him.
Oregon's defense last year was remarkably average, even with Thibodeaux and other key players. The Ducks allowed 385.6 yards per game in 2021, near the middle of the FBS. Their scoring defense didn't fare any better at 27 points against per game.
Adding a defensive-minded coach in Lanning should help the Ducks' defense improve even with their losses. However, if Oregon wants to become one of the nation's elite defenses, then Johnson will need to emerge as a star.
Follow Us
Subscribe