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As one of the most talented players at your position in the nation, and someone who undoubtedly has a future at the professional level should success continue to come your way, the idea of going through a coaching change before what is expected to be your final year in college could be unsettling.
For Oregon Ducks’ standout linebacker Noah Sewell, the prospect of getting for Georgia Bulldogs defensive coordinator Dan Lanning as a coach could be better described as invigorating.
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Lanning comes to the Ducks as one of the best defensive coaches in the nation, and a bona fide guru when it comes to coaching the linebacker position. After the hire was made and Sewell got the chance to watch Lanning’s defense play against Alabama in the national championship game in January, the former Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-Pac-12 linebacker knew he was in for something special.
“Just seeing them boys running around, I’m like ‘wow, we’re really about to get this coach,'” Sewell said. “We’re really about to… I’m not going to say anything else, I’m going to cut myself off right there.”
Georgia held the Crimson Tide to just 18 total points and 73 yards rushing, running away with the championship victory in the end. The performance went along the lines of the dominant season Georgia’s defense had, where they gave up on average just 10.2 points per game.
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Now Lanning is working with new defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi, who spent the last several years in the NFL following a successful stint at Alabama, to try and bring that defensive success to Eugene.
According to Sewell, the early returns are promising.
“We’re always competing, always trying to better each other, you know,’ Sewell said. “Day in and day out, in the weight room, in the film room, competing always.”
We won’t get a great look at how dominant this new defense can be until the Spring Game on April 23rd, and even then it will likely take until the first game of the season against Georgia to display what the ceiling really is.
However, I had to ask Sewell if after all of the hype with Lanning coming to Eugene…
Has it lived up to expectations?
“Yes. Yes, above and beyond”
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