Greg McElroy Identifies Oregon's Weakness Heading Into 2024 Season

The Oregon Ducks joined the Big Ten this offseason along with the Washington Huskies, USC Trojans, and UCLA Bruins. This college program has the sixth-most Pac-12 titles, with 13 after its last conference championship in 2020.

On a recent episode of Always College Football, Greg McElroy named Oregon a Big Ten title contender but pointed out that the defense is a weakness for the team in 2024.

McElroy discussed how many second-year players on the Oregon defense are expected to make a big jump this year. Players like Tysheem Johnson, Jordan Burch, and Jestin Jacobs are all entering their second year with the program in 2024.

"...Defensively, biggest question mark. You have a lot of second-year players that are gonna be anticipated to make the next step," McElroy said. "Will they? I think they will, some people think they might. I don't know many people who don't think they will at all. They're gonna be in a really good spot. So Oregon, without question year one championship contenders."

Oregon also lost leading tackler Evan Williams from last season. Williams led Oregon with 82 total tackles last season. The Green Bay Packers drafted him in April.

However, Oregon's defense has hope. Jeffrey Bassa, Jamaree Caldwell, Burch, and Johnson are some of the key players returning on defense.

The team also added players like former Alabama Crimson Tide safety Peyton Woodyard, former Washington corner Jabbar Muhammad, and former Kansas State Wildcats safety Kobe Savage from the transfer portal in the offseason.

Oregon opens the 2024 campaign against the Idaho Vandals on Aug. 31.

Related: Greg McElroy Reveals One Question Mark That Could Stop Ohio State Next Season