Preseason Top 25: No. 7 Oregon tries to rebuild offense while staying in title

When Mario Cristobal was promoted to head coach after Willie Taggart left for Florida State in late 2017, the pieces for Oregon’s return to Pac-12 title contention had already started to come together. The offensive line was developing into a strong unit and when Cristobal, previously the co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, got the top job, the identity of the new Ducks regime started in the trenches. 

He’s backed up that line-of-scrimmage-focused mentality with success on the recruiting trail that calls to mind his four years with Nick Saban at Alabama, where in addition to coaching the offensive line and serving as associate head coach, Cristobal was the recruiting coordinator. The Ducks have landed the top recruiting class in the Pac-12 in back-to-back cycles, including splash five-star signings like Kayvon Thibodeaux, the No. 2 overall prospect in 2019, and Justin Flowe, the No. 6 overall prospect in 2020.

So now Oregon is coming off a Pac-12 championship and Rose Bowl win, looking to take the next step in its ascension the top of college football. There are opportunities for major statements ahead and a ceiling that includes a return to the College Football Playoff in 2020.

2019 rewind

Final ranking: No. 5 in the CBS Sports 130 | Achievements: Pac-12 champions, won Rose Bowl 28-27 vs. Wisconsin

There’s two views of Oregon’s season. One mostly focuses on the hardware, with the Rose Bowl win against Wisconsin and Pac-12 Championship Game romp of Utah as highlights of a season that affirmed the Ducks were back in the driver’s seat of the conference for the first time since Marcus Mariota. That’s a really successful season and one that will prove to be pivotal in the growth of the Oregon program under Cristobal. 

But there’s also the side that can’t believe how close the Ducks were to playing for a national championship in the College Football Playoff. Oregon lost two games by a combined nine points, leading in the third quarter against Auburn in a 27-21 loss and coming short in a furious fourth quarter comeback effort at Arizona State. If the Ducks could have held on in Arlington against Bo Nix and the Tigers and/or gotten that offense going just a little bit earlier in Tempe under the lights, Oregon probably makes the playoff. 

Key departures

QB Justin Herbert: A four-year contributor who finished his career with 30 consecutive starts, Herbert fulfilled much of what was expected when the Eugene native arrived on campus. In 2019, he became just the second player in Oregon history with 3,000 yards passing in back-to-back seasons and rated as one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country, ranking sixth nationally in passer rating among players with at least 400 pass attempts on the season. Herbert leaves with school records for pass completions and pass attempts in addition to his Rose Bowl Offensive MVP, with his legacy centered on…