EUGENE — Oregon will be leaning on an unproven receiving corps this season, with nearly 80% of its receiving yards from last season no longer on the roster or out due to injury.

The Ducks lost players responsible for 255 of their 335 receptions last season, which totaled 3,126 of 3,913 yards and 24 of 30 touchdowns.

UO’s leading returning skill player, Evan Stewart accounted for 48 catches for 613 yards and five touchdowns and his absence was impactful during the Rose Bowl even with Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden. Now they’re in the NFL along with Terrance Ferguson. Stewart’s torn right patellar tendon leaves Oregon with 10 scholarship receivers, seven of whom combined for 28 catches for 267 yards and one score last season.

“Losing Evan was definitely tough, but next-man-up mentality,” offensive coordinator Will Stein said. “It’s about guys stepping up, doing their job, learning, growing. It’s what this fall camp is all about, trying to feel early on who that guy is going to be.”

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Justius Lowe’s 21 catches for 203 yards and one score now lead Oregon’s returning receivers. He called Stewart’s injury “devastating” but also an opportunity for the rest of the receiving corps.

“Definitely sad, but at the end of the day it is a business,” Lowe said. “Guys got an opportunity to step up and make an impact. We got a lot of weapons, a lot of new guys, a lot of freshmen that can play.”

Tight end Kenyon Sadiq is Oregon’s most productive returning receiver, though Malik Benson’s output at Florida State edges both him and Lowe.

Even with Sadiq expected to see a significant increase in targets as the starting tight end and unmatched hype surrounding star freshman Dakorien Moore, the Ducks have to call on others to distribute the ball this fall.

Gary Bryant Jr., Kyler Kasper and Jurrion Dickey each dealt with injuries last season. Redshirt-freshmen Dillon Gresham and Jeremiah McClellan made encouraging plays during the spring game. Freshman Cooper Perry could also break into a rotation that’s anything but certain.

“I feel like this identity is still unknown,” Dickey said. “I feel like we’re shaping into a big aspect into our whole team and identity. I feel like we have to see.”

Stein noted it’s going to take more than the receiving corps to make the offense remain efficient and productive and with more depth at running back and a talented tight end group, the Ducks could utilize less three receiver sets than in the past.

“We need that (receiver) group to be a big aspect of this offense, like it’s been in the past, but they don’t have to do it alone,” Stein said. “We have other positions that we’re going to rely on this year, maybe more than just out of 11 personnel, like we have in the past with Tez and crew. But that’s exciting. It’s an exciting challenge for us.”

— James Crepea covers the Oregon Ducks and Big Ten.

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