In Oregon’s victory over Utah last week, a first-half drive from the Utes brought them near Oregon’s goal line with a chance to tie the game. Utah failed on its first two attempts at the end zone and faced a 3rd-and-5, and that’s when Oregon safety Brady Breeze blitzed. He came unblocked around the edge and had a free shot at the quarterback, who only saw him right before Breeze pummeled him.
The throw sailed wide, and Utah walked away with only a field goal.
For Breeze, it was an opportunity to show one of his best talents — his physicality.
“I made it count,” Breeze said.
Breeze is a redshirt freshman from Portland, Oregon, who saw the field early this season on special teams. He made plays, and he showed he is a physical player who loves to punish opposing players with big hits. Now he’s making plays on defense, and he even started last week against Utah.
“I thought I did good,” Breeze said. “I feel like mentally I didn’t really have many mistakes, and then physically, I was definitely trying to bring the wood, so I definitely thought I did good.”
He had another big hit on a Utah running back later in the game, further proof of how he seeks out physicality. It was the way that Breeze was taught how to play.
“That’s just always the way I’ve been playing since I was a little kid,” Breeze said. “My dad and my uncle both taught me the most physical guy on the field is always going to come out with the win.”
Head coach Willie Taggart has praised his effort on special teams this season, stating that he even gets mad when the stadium announcer announces the wrong name on the tackle, giving credit to someone else. Special teams was a place to channel his natural physicality.
“I think playing on special teams really helped him just understand the speed of the game and getting confidence in himself, and now it’s starting to pay off for him as he plays the safety position for us,” Taggart said.
Breeze knows that being physical is an important attribute for a safety. When he plays, he wants the wide receivers to know that he’s lurking in the middle of the field, waiting for them to cross him and get hit.
“Definitely puts a little fear in the receivers’ eyes,” Breeze said. “I feel like being a physical safety is one of the most crucial parts of the game because you don’t want receivers catching the ball across the middle knowing that, ‘Oh, nobody is going to hit me. I can make this for sure catch.’”
It’s important for Breeze to continue to develop as he gets more playing time. He may not start every week or see most of the snaps, but he’s earned the trust of his teammates.
“He’s understanding, and he’s been a great enforcer for us back there in the secondary,” senior safety Tyree Robinson said. “For me, if I can’t go on a blitz … Brady is definitely the guy to come in and set the tone.”
Follow Jack Butler on Twitter @Butler917