Preseason Camp Preview: LB

Assessing where things stand for the Oregon football team entering the start of preseason camp July 31.

LINEBACKER

Who's back: The face of Oregon's defense is the returning team MVP on that side of the ball, Troy Dye. As a freshman playing off the edge last season, Dye led the Ducks with 91 tackles, with 13 tackles for loss that included 6.5 sacks. He's long and athletic, with an aggressive nature and a nose for the ball. Recognizing those traits, new UO defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt shifted Dye to an inside position during the spring, making him the focal point of the UO front seven. With a full year of ballcarriers funneled to his gap in the defense, Dye could be in store for some monster numbers as a sophomore. Alongside Dye for most of spring drills was senior A.J. Hotchkins, an undersized weight-room warrior who looks to compensate for his undersized frame with brute force.

The backups inside were walk-ons Kaulana Apelu, who is among the most competitive Ducks on either side of the ball, and Blake Rugraff, who took advantage of his opportunity in the spring game by leading all defenders with 11 tackles. After playing outside in the spring, Jimmie Swain will move back inside to open preseason camp. On the outside, Jonah Moi showed flashes in the spring of playing to his big-time potential, not uncommon for a junior-college transfer entering his final season. Justin Hollins is back in the mix after rehabbing an injury in the spring. Other veterans at the outside spots in April included converted inside linebacker Keith Simms, and converted defensive ends Gus Cumberlander and Bryson Young, looking for new homes in Oregon's new 3-4 defense.

Who's new: Depth was perilously thin at the inside spots in April, but that was mitigated by the summer arrival of incoming freshmen Sampson Nui and Isaac Slade-Matautia. They'll of course look to add size and strength over the next couple years, but the Ducks have a need at inside linebacker, so the potential should be there for each to have an immediate impact should he earn it this August.

ROB'S TAKE

Projected depth chart
OLB: Jonah Moi, Sr.; La'Mar Winston Jr., So.; Gus Cumberlander, So.
ILB: Troy Dye, So.; Kaulana Apelu, Jr.; Isaac Slade-Matautia, Fr.
ILB: A.J. Hotchkins, Sr.; Jimmie Swain, Sr.; Blake Rugraff, So.; Sampson Niu, Fr.
OLB: Justin Hollins, Jr.; Keith Simms, So.; Bryson Young, So.

What to watch: Dye looked more than comfortable with his transition in April, so the expectation will be for more of the same in this preseason camp. It will be intriguing to watch the sense of urgency seniors Moi, Hotchkins and Swain bring into their final collegiate season. All undoubtedly want to go out with a bang this fall, and to have a major impact in the Oregon defense's efforts to rebound. Then there will be the question of what the Ducks have in their new inside 'backers, Nui and Slade-Matautia. Their body types would seem to make them strong candidates to play on kickoff coverage and other special teams. What sort of roles will they be able to carve out defensively?

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