Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM JANUARY 2025 41 C O L L E G E F O O T B A L L P L A Y O F F OFFENSE Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. WR-X 1 Traeshon Holden 6-3 205 Sr. 13 Jurrion Dickey 6-2 205 R-Fr. WR-Z 7 Evan Stewart 6-0 175 Jr. 2 Gary Bryant Jr. 5-11 180 Jr. LT 76 Josh Conerly Jr. 6-4 315 Jr. 71 George Silva 6-7 305 Sr. LG 50 Nishad Strother 6-2 320 Sr. 79 Lipe Moala 6-5 325 R-Fr. C 72 Iapani Laloulu 6-2 325 So. 70 Charlie Pickard 6-4 307 Jr. RG 74 Dave Luli 6-3 340 Jr. 73 Kawika Rogers 6-5 325 So. RT 65 Ajani Cornelius 6-5 315 Sr. 78 Gernorris Wilson 6-5 310 R-Fr. TE 3 Terrance Ferguson 6-5 255 Sr. 88 Patrick Herbert 6-5 255 Sr. WR-F 15 Tez Johnson 5-10 165 Sr. 14 Justius Lowe 6-1 185 So. QB 8 Dillon Gabriel 6-0 200 Sr. 5 Dante Moore 6-3 210 So. RB 20 Jordan James 5-10 210 Jr. 6 Noah Whittington 5-8 200 R-Jr. DEFENSE Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. DE 1 Jordan Burch 6-6 295 Sr. 32 Emar'rion Winston 6-4 255 So. DT 90 Jamaree Caldwell 6-1 340 Sr. 95 Keyon Ware-Hudson 6-2 305 Sr. DT 55 Derrick Harmon 6-5 310 Jr. 52 A'Mauri Washington 6-3 320 So. DE 10 Matayo Uiagalelei 6-5 270 So. 56 Jaeden Moore 6-4 245 R-Fr. OLB 44 Teitum Tuioti 6-3 255 So. 17 Blake Purchase 6-3 260 So. ILB 28 Bryce Boettcher 6-2 225 Sr. 4 Jestin Jacobs 6-4 235 Sr. ILB 2 Jeffrey Bassa 6-2 235 Sr. 26 Devon Jackson 6-2 230 So. CB 9 Nikko Reed 5-10 180 Sr. 8 Dontae Manning 5-10 190 Sr. SS 0 Tysheem Johnson 5-10 200 Sr. 12 Peyton Woodyard 6-2 205 Fr. FS 5 Kobe Savage 5-11 205 Sr. 19 Tyler Turner 6-0 190 R-Fr. CB 7 Jabbar Muhammad 5-10 185 Sr. 11 Kam Alexander 5-11 190 Sr. NB 3 Brandon Johnson 5-10 185 Sr. 27 Daylen Austin 6-1 200 R-Fr. SPECIAL TEAMS Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. PK 36 Atticus Sappington 5-10 190 Jr. 98 Andrew Boyle 6-2 195 Sr. KO 36 Atticus Sappington 5-10 190 Jr. 98 Andrew Boyle 6-2 195 Sr. P 92 Ross James 6-2 190 Jr. 45 Luke Dunne 6-5 220 R-Fr. LS 43 Luke Basso 6-3 215 Jr. 96 Nick Duzansky 6-4 198 R-Fr. H 45 Luke Dunne 6-5 220 R-Fr. 92 Ross James 6-2 190 Jr. PR 2 Gary Bryant Jr. 5-11 180 Jr. 15 Tez Johnson 5-10 165 Sr. KR 6 Noah Whittington 5-8 200 R-Jr. 27 Jayden Limar 5-11 200 So. OREGON DUCKS DEPTH CHART Sometimes, the best thing that can happen to your program is the head coach taking another job. Few know that better than Notre Dame and Oregon. In the Ducks' case, there might not be a single coach in college foot- ball they'd rather have than Dan Lanning. Lanning was a Kirby Smart protegé, building the Georgia defense that dominated the country from 2021-21. He re- placed Mario Cristobal, who went 35-13 in four years at Or- egon before bolting for Miami. Upon arriving in Eugene, Ore., Lanning went 10-3 in his first season and 12-2 in his second, with both losses being three-point heartbreakers to eventual national runner-up Washington. After then-Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer departed for Alabama and left a gutted roster behind, the Huskies were (pun intended) sitting ducks. Or- egon smacked Washington 49-21 Nov. 30 to complete the only 12-0 regular season in the FBS this year. "I go to bed every night thinking about [the losses to Washington]," Lanning said. "When I wake up every morning, thinking about them. So, it's nice to be able to think about a win, too." Entering the College Football Playoff as the No. 1 seed, Oregon is well positioned for a run at the first national championship in program history. The Ducks put themselves in that position Oct. 12, when they beat then- No. 2 Ohio State 32-31. Senior quarterback Dillon Ga- briel, whose shaky play was a cause for concern in close calls against Idaho and Boise State, made his mark on Oregon his- tory that night with 373 total yards and 3 total touchdowns. Buckeyes graduate student signal-caller Will Howard's ill- advised scramble and slide as time expired sealed Lanning's first signature win in Eugene. "In moments like this, where you want to be filled with complete joy, the relief is one of the biggest feelings you feel," Lanning said. "Because of how hard your guys worked, how bad you know they wanted it." Since then, Gabriel has been the quarterback Oregon thought it was getting from Oklahoma. The Ducks can win any way you make them, be it the inside run or get- ting their athletes in space. Their monstrous defensive line ended the regular season tied for sixth in sacks. Oregon is as complete a team as there is in the country. — Jack Soble NO. 1 Oregon Ducks Quarterfinal Opponent: No. 8 Ohio State or No. 9 Tennessee Jan. 1 in the Rose Bowl at Pasadena, Calif. 2024 Record: 13-0, 9-0 Big Ten Head coach: Dan Lanning (35-5, third season at UO and overall) Soonest the Irish could see them: College Football Playoff National Championship Jan. 20 in Atlanta All-time series vs. Notre Dame: Irish lead 1-1 Last meeting vs. Notre Dame: Irish 13, Ducks 13 (Oct. 23, 1982, at Eu- gene, Ore.) 2024 STAT LEADERS Rushing: RB Jordan James (1,253 yards, 15 TD) Passing: QB Dillon Gabriel (3,558 yards, 28 TD, 6 INT) Receiving: WR Tez Johnson (78 catches, 866 yards, 10 TD) Tackles: LB Bryce Boettcher (87) Sacks: DE Matayo Uiagalelei (10.5) Interceptions: S Tysheem Johnson (3) 2024 SCHEDULE Date Opponent (TV) Result/Time (ET) Aug. 31 Idaho W, 24-14 Sept. 7 Boise State W, 37-34 Sept. 14 at Oregon State W, 49-14 Sept. 28 at UCLA W, 34-13 Oct. 4 Michigan State W, 31-10 Oct. 12 Ohio State W, 32-31 Oct. 18 at Purdue W, 35-0 Oct. 26 Illinois W, 38-9 Nov. 2 at Michigan W, 38-17 Nov. 9 Maryland W, 39-18 Nov. 16 at Wisconsin W, 16-13 Nov. 30 Washington W, 49-21 Dec. 7 vs. Penn State* W, 45-37 Jan. 1 vs. Ohio State/Tennessee^ (ESPN) 5 p.m. * Big Ten Championship in Indianapolis ^ College Football Playoff quarterfinal in the Rose Bowl at Pasadena, Calif.