Utilizing his extra year of eligibility due to COVID, and entering his fifth season, Oregon Ducks defender Jamal Hill will be undertaking a major change. After being recruited as a safety, and playing in that role for the last four years, Hill is transitioning up in the box to play inside linebacker.
The decision to change positions was made this past winter when Hill was looking for ways to modify his game to help the team. Head coach Dan Lanning and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi suggested that he try a move from the secondary to linebacker.
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It’s important to note that for the 2023 season, the Ducks have brought in four high-quality safeties — two out of high school in the 2023 recruiting class, and two from the transfer portal. In addition, 4-star linebacker Keith Brown announced that he is entering the transfer portal, depleting that position more than it already was. The added depth at safety and the newfound hole at the linebacker position could be a reason for Hill’s change in position.
So far, Hill seems to have embraced the change.
“It’s been fun, honestly,” he said. “I kind of wish I did it earlier.”
One of the reasons for his enthusiasm is that he is “close to all the action.
“I feel like I’m gonna be able to play a lot faster,” Hill said.
Stopping the run and bringing down ball carriers has been a strong suit of Hill’s in the past. In 2022, he logged 50 total tackles, grabbing 35 by himself, which should hopefully translate well to playing down closer to the line of scrimmage.
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While Hill is enjoying the transition, it has challenged him.
“Everybody’s bigger. I’m used to kind of being the bigger person outside. Now everybody is bigger than me,” he said.
In an effort to combat this, Hill has adopted a new daily pushup routine, which has been assisted by teammate and Ducks running back, Bucky Irving. The two bust out 300 pushups per day. This has led to a roughly 15-pound weight gain over the offseason for Hill.
While Hill believes there are adjustments to be made this spring, he isn’t too worried about his ability to get to where he needs to be by the time fall rolls around.
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“I mean, yes, it’s growing pains here and there. But I mean, it’s just football for me. So I don’t really think nothing is too hard,” he said.
Looking toward next season, ESPN’s Football Power Index has placed the Ducks at 13th in the country before the start of the season. Some of the defensive struggles we saw last season could be why the Ducks aren’t ranked higher. Hopefully, Hill can use his veteran experience to make the Ducks’ front seven more consistent this spring and in the 2023 season.
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