It’s officially game week, and if you’re a fan of Oregon football, you must be more excited for the start of the 2024 season than in recent years.
Oregon is ranked as the third-best team in college football as the season begins, with experts like Desmond Howard and Kirk Herbstreit predicting that the Ducks could win the national championship. There’s strong belief in head coach Dan Lanning, and if there’s one team—besides Georgia or Ohio State—that is poised to make a significant impact this year, it’s Oregon.
For the Ducks to meet these high expectations, several veteran players will need to step up and have standout seasons.
Dillon Gabriel is an obvious candidate as a veteran who needs to shine, but The Athletic suggests that Jordan Burch might be the most crucial player on Oregon’s 2024 roster.
The Athletic featured Burch in a list of the top 10 non-quarterbacks who will significantly influence the playoff race this season, as highlighted by Jared Mack from 247Sports.
It’s a reasonable inclusion, as Burch could emerge as the most impactful defensive player for a top-three team in the nation. Two years ago, he transferred from South Carolina and was ranked as the No. 11 player in the transfer portal and the top defensive end. His first year at Oregon was relatively quiet until the end, but the former five-star recruit really made an impression late in the season.
Last year, Burch recorded 34 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks, following his impressive three-year tenure at South Carolina, where he tallied 105 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and a pick-six.
There are sky-high expectations for the talented defensive end in 2024—just ask the experts!
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