Dan Lanning intending to unleash Terrance Ferguson on Big Ten
Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson walks towards the sideline after making a catch in the third quarter of the Holiday Bowl against North Carolina Wednesday December 28, 2022 at Petco Park. (Lynn Harrington/stayaliveinpower5)
INDIANAPOLIS — The Ducks have one of the nation’s best tight ends, and their coach plans on using him in a variety of ways as they navigate through the Big Ten this fall.
Terrance Ferguson is very productive in Oregon’s offense, yet he still flies under the radar. Last season he tied for third on the Ducks in touchdown catches, and capped off his campaign with first-team, All-Pac-12 honors. The Colorado native is a matchup nightmare because he’s elusive out in the open field, with the vertical to climb the ladder and snag balls from heights defensive backs can’t reach.
Now Ferguson is going to have gunslinger Dillon Gabriel throwing him balls. With his big frame and soft hands, Ferguson is going to be Gabriel’s ultimate safety net. The Ducks will be facing some stifling defenses this season, including Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin. However, Ferguson is confident in the skills he’s bringing to the conference, and is eager to make an immediate splash.
“Being a tight end you have to be versatile, I think that’s one of my biggest strengths, I’m willing to block, get down there and get dirty, and I take pride in blocking,” Ferguson said. “I can also run crisp routes, create mismatches with linebackers and safeties, that’s my strongest suit.”
Some critics are claiming that the Ducks are too finesse, and will have a hard time transitioning to the Big Ten’s physical style of play. Ferguson feels the offense will be ready, and understands that he’s going to have to do the blue collar work in the trenches.
“A lot of people overlook our physicality, we have a great offensive line, we take pride in running the football as well, but we’re also fast and explosive,” he said. “We’re going to do what we want to do because we have the players and talent, and I think a lot of people are going to be surprised with how we play football as well.”
Ferguson continues to build chemistry with Gabriel everyday, and can’t wait for it to translate into live game action. The two hang out all of the time, and they’re also neighbors. Ferguson even traveled with Gabriel to Hawaii and Los Angeles. In his mind, their trust with each other is going to be beneficial in the clutch.
“Me and Dillon have hit it off ever since he landed in Eugene, we’ve grown really close and become best friends honestly,” the senior said. “It just speaks to the testament that he’s an easy-going, caring guy and one of the best people I’ve ever met outside of football.”
Lanning believes the two will do damage this fall, and has a variety of ways to get the ball in Ferguson’s hands. Ever year under Lanning’s watch Ferguson’s numbers increase, and it appears he’s going to have an All-American campaign this season. All Ferguson needs is 33 catches to break Ed Dickon’s record for tight ends. Lanning will get him to within striking distance, knowing all of Ferguson’s hard work is about to pay off.
“The job he (Ferguson) has done this offseason, the work he has put in, the leadership role that he provides for that tight end room, but for our offense, has been amazing,” Lanning said. “One of the things that I really love about him is when we go out to the practice field, and his foot steps inside that white line, he’s running, he attacks everyday with vigor and he’s been a great teammate to our team.”
Ferguson already has 13 touchdown catches over the past three seasons. It’s mind-boggling that Lanning feels Ferguson is just cracking the surface, and the best is yet to come. That’s a scary thought for the opposition though, and look for Ferguson to become a household name in the Big Ten by December.
