Dan Lanning picked up significant steam late in the hiring process for Oregon’s new head coach due to the defensive masterclass he put on at Georgia. Last season, he helped the unit ascend into the nation’s best. And while an immediate duplication of Dan Lanning’s Georgia defense is out of the question for Oregon this season, the hope is that with time, and continued success on the recruiting trail, the Ducks can reach similar heights during Lanning’s tenure in Eugene.
The Ducks’ defense will bear similarities to the Bulldogs’. And there will be schematic nuances largely based on personnel differences, but a host of Ducks defenders could be poised to play vital roles that mirror components of Lanning’s 2021-22 Georgia defense.
Below are several of the biggest difference makers from Georgia’s National Championship winning defense. Accompanying each is the Duck that most closely resembles them, taking into account factors such as physical profile, position and playstyle.
Note: Not every starting defender is mentioned. For some players, there simply wasn’t a direct correlation (see: 6-foot-6 defensive tackle Jordan Davis). The same is true on the Oregon side. The Bulldogs’ defense didn’t have a singularly dominant linebacker the way the Ducks did with Noah Sewell.
Cornerbacks: Kelee Ringo (Georgia) — Christian Gonzalez (Oregon)
Ringo won’t be going pro until next season, but his measurables (6-foot-2, 205-pounds) and plays on the big stage — like his game-sealing interception in the national championship — have him on a fast track to a Day 1 selection.
Both Ringo and Gonzalez (6-foot-2, 200-pounds) — who transferred to Oregon from Colorado — possess above average height for cornerbacks. The size and length is critical in downfield coverage situations, but shows up on the stat sheet in the form of run defense, as well.
“It’s very important to shoot for corners being able to tackle,” cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin said. “[Gonzalez] has a knack for diagnosing plays that are happening behind the ball because of a lot of those things. His tackles for losses weren’t always pressures. They weren’t always corner pressures. It was things were such where we were up defenders and he had the opportunity to pull the trigger and he did.”
With 5.5 tackles for loss, Gonzalez led the Pac-12 and ranked fourth nationally in tackles for loss among true cornerbacks.
Safeties: Lewis Cine — Bennett Williams
Cine is shooting up draft boards because of his run-stopping ability and thumping hits. His skillset as a sound tackler and intimidator on the backend naturally lends itself to a role as a box safety.
“He plays with an urgent, downhill approach, which leads to memorable collisions, but he’s not always under control in getting there,” NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein wrote of Cine. “He doesn’t have desired mass and stopping power for his style of play, but the work gets done.”
Before an early season injury sidelined Bennett Williams for the remainder of the regular season, he was in the midst of a breakout year at the same position. While his three interceptions in four games was the headline, Williams notably improved as a tackler. A move to field safety isn’t out of the question, but given his talent, Williams will likely recapture his starting role around the line of scrimmage.
Off-ball linebackers: Nakobe Dean — Jeffrey Bassa
While some analysts consider Dean undersized for a linebacker at 6-foot, it hasn’t stopped him from becoming into one of the class’ elite playmakers. Dean’s sideline-to-sideline range and coverage chops make him a difference-making three-down linebacker.
The jumbo linebacking duo of Sewell and Justin Flowe have captured fans’ imaginations, as the pair have appeared in just two games together through in as many seasons. It’s Bassa, the former safety, who most resembles Dean. Like Dean, Bassa still has room to improve as a tackler in the box, but by no means did he get pushed around in his first season at the position.
“He’s explosive,” defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi said. “I think as he adapts to the defense, the versatility of the defense. We’re doing a lot of different things that they were doing in the past. You can see a guy that as he processes and starts to diagnose his play, [he] starts to improve, and that’s a really cool thing to see.”
Despite rumblings of a potential return to the defensive backfield, the staff confirmed Bassa will remain at linebacker for the foreseeable future.
Inside linebackers: Channing Tindall — Justin Flowe
If Flowe can 1. Get, and stay healthy and 2. Live up to his recruiting resume, this may end up being an offensive comparison for him. Flowe recorded 14 tackles in his sole game as an active member of the Ducks’ defense.
At times, Tindall struggled in coverage — the same area where Flowe will need to take leaps if he hopes to be a Day 1 or Day 2 NFL Draft prospect. Not dissimilar to Flowe, however, Tindall was known for his excellent pursuit speed and tackling talent.
Elite speed at all three levels was a leading factor in Georgia’s success last season. With Bassa and Flowe, not to mention Sewell’s downhill style, the Ducks linebackers have the talent to replicate the success that Georgia found in the middle of the field.
Edge rushers: Nolan Smith — Bradyn Swinson
Both Smith and Swinson are 6-foot-4 and under 240-pounds, and despite their slight builds compared to an average edge rusher, each has managed to become a disruptor early in their careers.
Smith was a do-it-all rusher alongside Travon Walker for the Bulldogs. He finished the season with 31 solo tackles, 3.5 sacks, three force fumbles and an interception. In nine games for the Ducks, Swinson compiled 14 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble while playing a larger role than expected after Kayvon Thibodeaux sustained an early-season injury.
“I think Bradyn is the next guy up now,” former Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux said. “He’s primed, and I know he’s going to get bigger, get stronger and get faster. I’m excited to see what he does in the future too.”
In Thibodeaux’s wake, Swinson is a leading candidate to become Oregon’s ace off the edge.
Defensive tackles: Devonte Wyatt — Brandon Dorlus
Dorlus’ brilliance was lost amidst the stat sheet last season. He was the glue that held Oregon’s frontline together.
He played inside when needed –– and even kicked outside for stretches as the team dealt with the absence of Thibodeaux. His counting stats were run of the mill, but a deeper look shows that Dorlus was one of the nation’s most effective pass-rushers based on the number of pressures forced.
Zierlein described Wyatt as a “highly active defensive tackle with decent strength,” and said, “Wyatt is made for movement and disruptions.”
It sounds similar to the 6-foot-3 Dorlus, who now finds himself as the tried and true figurehead of the Ducks’ defensive line.
Defensive ends: Travon Walker — DJ Johnson
This one’s a bit of a stretch. Walker is slated to go in the top five of the NFL Draft by a host of analysts. Meanwhile, Johnson hasn’t played a full season at edge rusher in two years.
Johnson transferred to Oregon from Miami as an edge rusher but played sparingly and moved to tight end in the 2020 season. Last season, injuries forced him back to the defensive side of the ball as a part-time edge rusher. Now, with a stacked tight end room, Johnson is poised for a full season back at his natural position.
The comparison here is almost entirely built off frame. Walker is 6-foot-5, 275-pounds and Johnson is 6-foot-4, 273-pounds. No other Ducks’ rotational rusher comes close to matching that height/weight combination.
If there’s one knock on the rapidly-rising Walker, it’s that his production to this point has been largely reliant on his athleticism. His natural skillset as a pass-rusher is still coming along.
“[Walker] won’t be considered a skilled or threatening rusher from any alignment but can plow his way forward to find occasional success,” Zierlein wrote.
Oregon’s front projects as an excellent run-stopping group; however, finding pass-rush production remains a question. Here’s hoping Johnson still has some juice left in him as a pass-rusher.
