One of the most exciting things about this upcoming season for the Ducks is the thought of the unmatched talent that they will have on the defensive side of the ball.
Not only can we expect big things from freshman linebacker Justin Flowe, but there are also two game-changers lining up alongside him in both DE Kayvon Thibodeaux and LB Noah Sewell.
As a trio, they are three of the top five overall recruits in Oregon history, respectively. It’s exhilarating to imagine the type of destruction that they can bring on the defensive line.
“I’m really excited about that, and I feel that me and Noah are going to always bring it, every game that we have, every rep, and everything,” Flowe said on Tuesday. “That’s how we feel.”
One of the major benefits that the Ducks have this year as well is working under new defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter. Though it was tough to lose Andy Avalos in the offseason after he took the head coaching job at Boise State, his alma mater, Oregon isn’t skipping a beat with DeRuyter, who most recently transformed the Cal Bears defense.
“His system just ties the back-end and the front seven together very well, which is something that we really need,” said coach Mario Cristobal. “His linebackers have been very productive, and our linebackers here have been really productive.”
“I feel like we’re getting really into the playbook, so I feel like we’re cutting it more loose now,” Flowe said. “People are playing more free, and I like the way it’s going. With the defense and how Deruyter is calling his plays and everything, everything is going really good.”
When all of the players are in shells, and there is no taking anyone to the ground, it is tough to tell just how dominant a defense really is. They are playing with one hand tied behind their backs in order to keep everyone healthy.
Once Week 1 rolls around against Fresno State, though, it might be jaw-dropping to see just what this unit is capable of.
[vertical-gallery id=4903]