During Oregon’s media day Monday, the first day of fall training camp, depth was the primary point of discussion about the defense. Replacing six starters — including NFL fourth-round draft pick Casey Matthews, and all-conference performers Matthews, Talmadge Jackson III, Brandon Bair and Kenny Rowe — could prove difficult for the Ducks, but it hasn’t lowered the expectations of defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti.”I expect us to grow and be better as a defense than we were last year, if that’s possible, and I expect us to run like heck,” Aliotti said.
Aliotti admitted that his defense’s “biggest concern” heading into camp was trying to fill the voids left by three-year starters Matthews and Spencer Paysinger.
“Casey and (Paysinger), because of their knowledge of the system and the years that they spent here and their leadership, will be missed,” Aliotti said. “I don’t know if we’ll be as deep at those positions, but I feel good about (Josh) Kaddu and (Boseko Lokombo), who played a lot, Kiko Alonso and Dewitt (Stuckey) have got to step up, and Michael Clay has played a bunch.”
Clay is poised to fill Paysinger’s role as an outside linebacker this season, and he has significant game experience to call upon. Even as a reserve last season, Clay finished eighth on the team with 42 tackles and recorded a 64-yard run and an interception in the Civil War against Oregon State last season.
“We shouldn’t miss a step,” Clay said. “Those guys are big, but it’s a new year, a new league, and I think we’ll do just fine.”
Oregon also has to replace Matthews, and Alonso and Stuckey are the two who are in line to fill his shoes. Alonso will be suspended indefinitely — at least for the Ducks’ first game against LSU — after allegedly breaking into a woman’s house while intoxicated during the offseason.
The other major depth concern for the Ducks is along the defensive line, where starters Rowe, Bair and Zac Clark all graduated after last season.
“I feel pretty good about the D-line, because even though we lost three starters, Taylor Hart, Wade Keliikipi, Ricky Heimuli, Dion Jordan, they played a lot of football for us,” Aliotti said. “Even though they weren’t starters, they played a lot of football, they played every game, they played in the National Championship Game, so I’m not at all worried.”
Senior defensive end Terrell Turner is the lone returning starter for the front four, but he is confident in the considerable experience of his teammates along the defensive line.
“I feel that, although I’m the only starter returning, the guys that are helping out — Wade Keliikipi, Taylor Hart, Dion Jordan, Brandon Hanna — those guys played a lot last year,” Turner said. “We’re going to be ready no matter what, because we have a strong defense.”
“I’m just excited to play, I feel they ain’t even no starters on the D-line. We rotate so much, it’s just fun to do,” Turner said as offensive lineman Darrion Weems was making fun of him from across the table. “It helps going up against our fast offense. Darrion Weems is a great blocker, you know. You just never know what’s going to get thrown at us.”
Hart, who played as a reserve defensive tackle last season, is in position to help fill the void left by Bair and Clark in the middle of the defense.
“We’re going to be out there practicing and competing every day, so it’s not locked in or anything, but if I have a shot to compete for the starting spot, I’m excited for that,” Hart said. “We’re all going to go out there and work as a D-line on the practice field and see how it works out.”
The aggressive rotation of defensive linemen last season allowed players at the bottom of the depth chart to get experience; the Ducks consistently played nine defensive linemen, rotating them regularly to keep as many players fresh as possible. Head coach Chip Kelly said in his press conference that the rotation will help with filling the starting lineup along the defensive line.
“What we really need to find is seven-eight-nine in the defensive line rotation,” Kelly said. “Even though guys didn’t start, they still got quality snaps in every game we played.”
Oregon’s secondary is the spot on the defense with the least question marks. Though it lost Jackson to graduation, the presumed starters — Anthony Gildon and All-American Cliff Harris at cornerback, all-conference selection John Boyett at free safety and Eddie Pleasant at rover — each have significant starting experience. However, like Alonso, Harris faces an indefinite suspension that will at least run through the LSU game — his for driving more than 110 mph on Interstate 5 in June.
“I think our secondary should be really good,” Boyett said. “We’ve got four guys who’ve got solid playing time, from myself to Eddie Pleasant to Anthony Gildon to, obviously, Cliff Harris.”
Despite his team’s youth — according to Kelly, 43 players on the Ducks’ roster are true freshmen or redshirt freshmen — Aliotti seemed upbeat about his defense’s potential for growth in the upcoming season.
“I think these kids will come along fine,” Aliotti said. “I think we’ll be great.”