EUGENE -- A cynic could view the No. 3-ranked Oregon Ducks' season opener Saturday against South Dakota as essentially the third scrimmage of fall camp.

The relatively low-stress environment in front of 59,000 at Autzen Stadium (for the Ducks, anyway) should allow UO to evaluate almost all of its eligible players ahead of the bigger tests of the season, beginning with No. 8 Michigan State's visit to Eugene one week later.



It should be noted that the point overlooks two essential rules -- and the FCS Coyotes -- for how Oregon constructs its rotation. First, it reserves the right to makes changes at any point. As tight end Johnny Mundt said last week, "the depth chart is written in pencil."



Second is that though "starter" is not a distinction given out without heavy consideration, it can tend to be devalued by Oregon's high-speed rotations. Accordingly, they teach their backups to view themselves as starters and backups can play almost as often depending on the game.



The lack of certainty at several positions on Oregon's depth chart, first released on Monday, suggests there are still many decisions to be made, however, and that the chart for Michigan State might have a more finished feel to it. Saturday's opener should provide the opportunity to create clarity for those players who seize it.



If you haven't seen the depth chart:

Here, then, are 10 thoughts about Oregon's initial depth chart:



1. Oregon's praise for freshman running back Royce Freeman wasn't bluster. Freeman is tied with sophomore Thomas Tyner and junior Byron Marshall on the depth chart. When Oregon considers a position too close to call, it lists "OR" next to the players' names. So it could be Freeman, the best running back recruit on the West Coast in 2014, or Tyner, who rushed for 700 yards and got stronger as his freshman season went on last year, or Marshall, the Pac-12's returning leader in rushing yardage, who trots out for the first series on Saturday. The aforementioned credentials of Tyner and Marshall, players ahead of Freeman when he entered fall camp, make it all the more impressive that he's apparently equal with them at its conclusion.



2. Like running back, tight end was described as a race too close to call throughout camp. So, no the fact that the depth chart reads Pharaoh Brown OR Johnny Mundt OR Evan Baylis isn't a surprise. I believe that starting job will eventually go to Brown as he works back from an injury that cost him his spring and some of fall camp. He has the best blend of pass-catching and blocking of the three, though Oregon wouldn't go wrong starting any of the trio.



3. I'm not surprised that the receivers slated to start are Keanon Lowe, Dwayne Stanford and Devon Allen. Allen had said he was practicing with the first team last week. Lowe is the leader both emotionally and in terms of returning catches (18) of the unit. Stanford brings some experience as a true freshman in 2012 and a 6-foot-5 frame. I was surprised, though, that Jalen Brown didn't show up on the two-deep while Charles Nelson did. Nelson is listed as the backup to Lowe despite the fact that he's only been on campus since the summer while Brown graduated early to get to Eugene in time for spring drills. That extended time was expected to give Brown a leg up but Nelson's elusiveness -- he's said to be a candidate to play the "Tazer" role De'Anthony Thomas used to own -- has trumped that so far.





4. The starting offensive line is one of the nation's best and most experienced but the backups behind them are another story. Backup left tackle Matt Pierson has appeared in 10 games in his first two seasons, left guard Haniteli Lousi is a JUCO transfer, center Doug Brenner is a redshirt freshman and right tackle Tyrell Crosby has been on campus for two months. If sophomore Cameron Hunt -- who is listed as tied at right guard with redshirt freshman Jake Pisarcik -- regains his starting spot, it means Pisarcik is another lineman without any game experience. The backups have long been praised for their talent and sponge-like ability to learn, and they'll only get better this season as they rotate in. Still, they're mostly new faces at crucial spots.



5. On special teams, Ifo Ekpre-Olomu's name jumps out at starting punt returner. Ekpre-Olomu was a prep terror at running back before becoming an All-American corner for the Ducks, and said he's lobbied UO to become a full-time returner for the last season and a half (he did return two punts as a freshman). Still, he's putting himself at increased exposure for injury and that might be hard to stomach for some fans who remember when Walter Thurmond, an All-American corner, injured knee ligaments in 2009 and missed the final three-quarters of his senior season.



6. With his combination of sprinter's speed and big body, Thomas Tyner makes for a most interesting kickoff return man. While there should be concerns about his habit of being injured, and how this will open him up to more hits, there seems to be more upside to this than not because of what he's liable to do in the return game. He didn't return any kicks as a freshman but does own the Oregon prep record in the 100 meters, at 10.43 seconds. If he finds a crease, he can go for the home run return.



7. Sticking with special teams, it appears Matt Wogan wasn't successful in starting at both place-kicker and punter. Instead it's redshirt freshman Ian Wheeler who will punt, a development that shouldn't be a shock. Doing both the punts and kicks isn't unprecedented; just last season Alejandro Maldonado started at both until November, when Wogan took over the kicking duties. Maldonado averaged 39.9 yards per punt in 2013 and was praised by special teams coach Tom Osborne for his consistency. He didn't kick it a mile, but allowed UO's coverage team to negate big returns. Wheeler has the same makeup, Osborne said. After a strong redshirt season, Wheeler struggled in the spring but has since rebounded this month.

8. Stetzon Bair is a name I didn't anticipate seeing on the defensive line's two deep. The massive 6-foot-9, 290-pound junior and brother of former Duck Brandon Bair is tied with T.J Daniel (6-6, 270) as the backup to defensive end DeForest Buckner (6-7, 290). Here's one fairly obvious observation about that rotation -- it's enormous. Bair's play makes it even deeper, which wasn't expected to be the case. Praise for Daniel has been constant since he converted from tight end one year ago, and a continuing position battle between him and Bair could bring out the best in both as UO rotates its linemen in and out.



9. Though the linebackers have undergone considerable attrition this offseason with three players dismissed, when the dust settled the two-deep for opening day is exactly as one would expect. Tyson Coleman and Tony Washington are starting at outside, while Derrick Malone and Rodney Hardrick are inside starters; the latter three also started last season, too. Where Johnny Ragin fits in might be a development worth watching as the season progresses. The Wilsonville native won his appeal to play immediately after transferring from Cal in January, and could play early on special teams. If he excels there, he might work into the rotation behind either Hardrick or Malone.



10. And finally, the holder position retains its Eugene connection. Former South Eugene High quarterback Dustin Haines held in 2013 and now the job belongs to Taylor Alie, the former Sheldon High star. Alie did not make the two-deep at quarterback, however; the role of Marcus Mariota's backup is Jeff Lockie's for the moment.

-- Andrew Greif | @andrewgreif