EUGENE \u2014 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
UO\u2019s leading returning skill player, Evan Stewart<\/a> 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\u2019re in the NFL along with Terrance Ferguson. Stewart\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n \u201cLosing Evan was definitely tough, but next-man-up mentality,\u201d offensive coordinator Will Stein said. \u201cIt\u2019s about guys stepping up, doing their job, learning, growing. It\u2019s what this fall camp is all about, trying to feel early on who that guy is going to be.\u201d<\/p>\n RELATED: Evan Stewart rehabilitating in Miami as Oregon Ducks open fall camp <\/a><\/p>\n Justius Lowe\u2019s 21 catches for 203 yards and one score now lead Oregon\u2019s returning receivers. He called Stewart\u2019s injury \u201cdevastating\u201d but also an opportunity for the rest of the receiving corps. <\/p>\n \u201cDefinitely sad, but at the end of the day it is a business,\u201d Lowe said. \u201cGuys 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Tight end Kenyon Sadiq is Oregon\u2019s most productive returning receiver, though Malik Benson\u2019s output at Florida State edges both him and Lowe.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s anything but certain.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like this identity is still unknown,\u201d Dickey said. \u201cI feel like we\u2019re shaping into a big aspect into our whole team and identity. I feel like we have to see.\u201d<\/p>\n Stein noted it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need that (receiver) group to be a big aspect of this offense, like it\u2019s been in the past, but they don\u2019t have to do it alone,\u201d Stein said. \u201cWe have other positions that we\u2019re 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\u2019s exciting. It\u2019s an exciting challenge for us.\u201d<\/p>\n — James Crepea<\/a> covers the Oregon Ducks<\/a> and Big Ten. <\/p>\n If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. 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