Oregon Ducks tight end Terrance Ferguson is set up for a record-setting season

There was significant attrition this offseason for the Oregon offense, which lost its best player at every position group.

Except one, that is.

Terrance Ferguson is back for his senior season with the Ducks, and the 2023 first-team all-Pac-12 tight end is returning with a team mindset but also several individual school records within his reach.

“I wanted to win something here that meant something,” Ferguson said Tuesday following the Ducks’ third team practice this spring. “I want to be part of something special.”

Ferguson’s return looked like a 50-50 proposition in the weeks leading into Oregon’s win against Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1.

Had he left, he would’ve joined starting running back Bucky Irving, record-setting wide receiver Troy Franklin and Rimington Award-winning center Jackson Powers-Johnson as offensive standouts who left for potential pro careers after the junior seasons, as well as senior quarterback Bo Nix.

All four are expected to be selected in the NFL Draft, a three-day event that concludes on April 27, the same day as the Oregon spring game in Autzen Stadium.

Ferguson admitted it wasn’t an easy decision to return and he leaned heavily on his family, faith and the advice of coaches and former players before committing to one more season in Eugene.

“There’s some stuff I want to accomplish in college still,” he said. “That was the biggest thing. There’s still stuff left on the table here before I need to move up to the next level.”

Ferguson wants a title for the Ducks

At the top of that list is winning a national championship. To help the Ducks contend for something so lofty, Ferguson turned inward this offseason and has been focused on how to improve his own performance.

His short list of pending improvements includes being a more physical blocker and a more refined route runner.

“I could go on for a long time,” he said when asked where he’d like to see the greatest gains. “That’s a big reason also why I came back, to get better at a lot of those things."

Still, Ferguson is coming off his best season as a Duck. He had 42 receptions for 414 yards and six touchdowns in 2023 — all career highs — and joined Ed Dickson (2009) and Dante Rosario (2006) at No. 2 on Oregon’s single-season receptions list. He was just one catch behind Dickson’s record of 43 set in 2007.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds going into the Fiesta Bowl, Ferguson has been a dedicated participant this offseason in the weight room and others have noticed.

“Terrance Ferguson has busted his absolute tail to put himself in a great position to be a great player for this program,” coach Dan Lanning raved on Tuesday. “He’s one of many who made the decision to come back and get better, but he’s the guy who’s putting in the work too. He’s lowered his body fat percentage, he’s increased his muscle mass, he’s a leader on the field the way he runs in and out of drills, it’s been really, really impressive.”

Table set for a record-setting season at Oregon

Ferguson will have a shot at several all-time records once the 2024 season starts against Idaho on Aug. 31.

He is tied with Blake Spence for fourth in all-time receptions by a tight end with 91. Dickson (124), Josh Wilcox (103) and Rosario (94) are ahead of him.

With 947 career receiving yards, Ferguson is close to becoming the ninth Oregon tight end with 1,000 yards. Dickson holds the record with 1,557.

He is tied with Jacob Breeland, Pharaoh Brown and Tim Day for third with 13 career TD catches. Wilcox holds the record with 15 and Justin Peelle has 14.

“I didn’t even know (I was) remotely close to any of those,” Ferguson said. “I’m just blessed, honestly, to be able to play here at an amazing school for that many years to be able to be close to something like that.”

Ferguson appears to have an ally in second-year offensive coordinator Will Stein, who last month said, “I need to get him the ball more. He’s a fantastic receiver.”

He’ll also have a new starting quarterback, as Oklahoma transfer Dillon Gabriel is poised to replace Nix.

“He’s amazing, man,” Ferguson said. “He’s really good, a good dude off the field, easy to get along with. He’s really particular about his craft. He goes out and works in the offseason a ton, day in and day out. … He wants to be perfect and strives for it.”

As does Ferguson, who has big goals for the upcoming season — and beyond.

“I have my biggest dream ahead of me of going to the NFL,” he said. “I think that will always be there and God has blessed me with being able to be here.”

Follow Chris Hansen on X @chansen_RG or email at chansen@registerguard.com.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Oregon Ducks tight end Terrance Ferguson returns with records in sight