Jimmie Swain is the swiss army knife of the Oregon defense.
Swain has taken over every role while the linebacking group has been hit with injuries. Whether it’s the strong side, middle or weak side position, Swain has played it this year.
His versatility is what earned him a chance to play, and it is keeping him there. Coaches and players have called him quick and strong, and against Stanford, he will be vital to stopping a power run game that condenses the field and wins with brute strength.
“[Swain is] a guy that we can move around from week to week, depending on the availability of other guys, and a guy that can play all those positions with confidence,” linebackers coach Don Pellum said.
The junior from Olathe, Kansas, has played in every game this season. His 52 total tackles this season rank third on the team and are a top-15 mark in the Pac-12. Swain broke out against Arizona State when he recorded 13 tackles — nine solo.
Swain got to where he is now from his experience being in the system for two years and working under Rodney Hardrick and Joe Walker, “guys who really knew the system,” Pellum said.
Freshman linebacker Troy Dye is receiving the Pac-12 attention, but he was held out for part of the season with an injury. Senior Johnny Ragin has been a missing piece to the linebacker group. He went down against Washington State and is reportedly out for the season.
With all the injuries, Swain has been moved to every linebacker position this season.
“He can play all three positions and that’s what really helped us out, especially because he’s a big body and he can move,” fellow linebacker Kaulana Apelu. “He does a great job filling in for us when guys are down. … If we don’t have numbers in one position we can just tell Jimmie to move to another.”
So what makes him so versatile?
“It’s just knowledge of different positions, and knowing what everyone is doing that allows you to be inserted in different spots,” Swain said.
Pellum emphasized the importance of learning all three positions when defensive coordinator Brady Hoke installed his new 4-3 defensive scheme. He wanted his players to be mentally versatile, but he cannot deny that Swain’s physical abilities give him an advantage.
“Jimmie’s strength is Jimmie’s strength,” Pellum said. “He’s probably one of the strongest guys on the team.”
Swain’s strength will be essential against Stanford, which wants to play in a phone booth despite running back Christian McCaffrey’s ability to make defenders miss in space. They play with eight offensive lineman on the field at times, so Swain’s ability to challenge blockers with his strength may be just what the defense needs.
“They play old-school, hard-nosed football, and that’s the most fun to play,” Swain said.
Arizona State often ran in between the tackles, and that was his best game.
Follow Jack Butler on Twitter @Butler917
