Handing out midseason awards for the Oregon Ducks after a 5-0 start

We aren't quite at the midway point of the Oregon Ducks' 2025 college football season, but with a bye week taking place just one game before they reach the technical halfway point, we figured it would be a good time to take stock of things and assess what we have seen so far throughout the first five weeks of the year.

By just about every metric, the Ducks have been great thus far, storming out to a 5-0 record and picking up arguably the most impressive win in all of college football so far, taking down the Penn State Nittany Lions on the road in double overtime a week ago.

The Ducks have climbed up to the No. 2 spot in the US LBM Coaches Poll, and they will have another test on their hands next week, with the No. 9 Indiana Hoosiers coming to town.

Before we get into our deep preview of that game, though, let's take a chance to look back on the first five weeks of the year and hand out some awards, recognizing the players and positions who helped Oregon get to this point. Here are our midseason awards for the 2025 season:

Most Valuable Player

Zachary Neel: Dante Moore. Any other answer here is just trying too hard. Moore is arguably the best quarterback in the nation right now, and he has done absolutely everything asked of him in his first year as a starter for the Ducks. Easy answer.

Don Smalley: Dante Moore. Before the season, I was a little skeptical of all the Heisman talk because Moore hadn't done anything to warrant that. But he's been incredible and the best quarterback in the country. Moore is definitely going to New York as a finalist, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if he wins it.

Paul White: I’m going to pick Dante Moore here just because of how impressive he’s been. The guy who has an explosive day on offense has changed weekly this season, but Moore has just been that steady hand game after game.

Bjorn Bergstrom: Dante Moore. Moore’s excellence has been the ultimate ceiling-riser for the Ducks. Though it’s a very deep roster, they wouldn’t be national title contenders without his play.

Most Improved Player

Zachary Neel: I like the Bear Alexander answer, but I'm going to go with Gary Bryant Jr. After not producing much and struggling with injuries in his first two years with the Ducks, Bryant has been an incredible leader in that young WR room this year, and he's proving his value early on.

Don Smalley:  Bryce Boettcher. Before this season, he was a draft prospect and would get selected sometime during the draft. But now he's one of the top linebackers in the country and is a potential early-round pick.

Paul White: I’m going with Kenyon Sadiq. He’s nearly matched his total receiving yards from last year in less than half the games and already has more touchdowns. He’s finally blossoming into the star tight end that he’s been promised to be.

Bjorn Bergstrom: Bear Alexander. From Week 1 to Week 5, Alexander’s surge has been felt — especially against Penn State, as he was a key component in stymying a potent rushing attack.

Best Position Group

Zachary Neel: Man, there are so many different ways you could go here... Part of me wants to say the defensive backs, who have been incredible this year despite not getting tested too much. Another part of me wants to say the wide receivers, who have not only excelled in catching the ball, but also in blocking, as well. Part of me wants to give credit to the offensive line, which has been among the best in the nation to this point. Ultimately, though, I'm going with the running backs. That position truly is 6-7 guys deep, and they've been stellar so far.

Don Smalley: Receivers/Tight End. Dante Moore couldn't be the quarterback he is without the receivers and tight ends catching everything that comes their way. And this is without Evan Stewart. Dakorien Moore might be the best freshman receiver the Ducks have ever had. Gary Bryant Jr. has come into his own with Malik Benson fitting right in as a transfer. Kenyon Sadiq is the best tight end in the country, period.

Paul White: Running back. It hasn’t mattered who the Ducks have played so far this year, the run game has been dominant. They’ve rushed for over 200 combined yards in three games so far this season, but what makes it more impressive is that it’s a different guy carrying the load every week.

Bjorn Bergstrom: Running Back. It’s not often that an RB-by-committee is with four guys, but that’s what it’s been for the Ducks. Each back has a perfectly crafted role and does its job extremely well.

Best Coach

Zachary Neel: Again, so many ways we could go here, from A'lique Terry and Ra'Shaad Samples to Ross Douglas and Chris Hampton. Ultimately, I think I've been most impressed with Will Stein, though. The way his offense has opened up and flourished with Dante Moore at the helm has been incredible. He is undoubtedly the best OC in the nation, and Duck fans need to enjoy him while they have him, which could realistically be no longer than the end of this season.

Don Smalley: Will Stein. What he has turned Dante Moore into has been incredible. The improvement from what Moore was at UCLA is miraculous. I'm not sure that occurs under anyone else's tutelage. Stein's playcalling has been stellar. The only bad thing is that Stein will become a head coach after this season. I'm not sure how Dan Lanning will find a suitable replacement.

Paul White: Will Stein. I’d imagine it’s an extremely challenging job to build an offense on a National Championship contender that’s built around a quarterback who struggled in his only season starting back in 2023. But Stein has crafted the unit perfectly and has turned Moore into a Heisman candidate, while also churning out one of the best rushing attacks in the nation.

Bjorn Bergstrom: Dan Lanning. Will Stein’s offensive creativity has been off the charts, but Lanning’s repeated ability to have his team motivated and ready to play is second to none in college football.

Biggest Surprise

Zachary Neel: The youth. We knew that this team was young and talented, but I didn't expect to see this many true and redshirt freshmen making such a big impact so early on. That 2025 recruiting class really is going to go down as one of the best in program history when all is said and done.

Don Smalley: The team overall. Oregon was supposed to be a year away with all the personnel changes. They have a new QB, a lot of young receivers, an offensive line made via the transfer portal, and their best receiver blew his knee out. But they've dominated, and the future is now.

Paul White: Dakorien Moore. I was intrigued to see how he would handle being the No. 1 passing option as a true freshman when the role was thrust upon him right before the season started, and he’s delivered. He can make contested catches, burn you deep, or just get you past the sticks for a first down if you need him to — essentially everything you’d want to see out of a five-star receiver.

Bjorn Bergstrom: True Freshmen Excellence. We knew this was a talented class, but expectations have been blown out of the water with a number of true freshmen having major contributions early.

Best Uniform

Zachary Neel: The obvious answer is the "Shoe Duck" vs. Oregon State, but I think my favorite so far this year is the Week 3 uniform vs. Northwestern. I'm a sucker for yellow and white on the road.

Don Smalley: Although it was against the Beavers and they shouldn't wear black in the Civil War, the uniforms, as a tribute to Phil Knight, were slick with all of the little nuances on the jersey and the gold shoes. It was sweet.

Paul White: I think the best uniforms the Ducks have worn this year is the “Shoe Duck.” I just think the black and white complement each other perfectly, while also incorporating details that are sentimental to the school.

Bjorn Bergstrom: The Mummy Duck. Not only was the design of the uniform clean, but the tops being white during Penn State’s “whiteout” was brilliant.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks midseason awards for 2025 college football season