Football Practice Report: Oct. 6
By Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com
Venue: Outdoor practice fields
Format: Full pads
After a light workout Monday, the Ducks were encouraged to get after it Tuesday in full pads. The defense obliged during the one period in which the travel squad went head-to-head in an 11-on-11 format.
Senior linebacker Joe Walker set the tone, stopping Jalen Brown after a minimal gain on a screen, then stuffing Tony Brooks-James on a run play. Tyson Coleman later made a tackle in space against Kirk Merritt, and Johnny Ragin III stopped a receiver 1-on-1 as well.
That tackling display came on the heels of a generally encouraging night last weekend at Colorado. Missed tackles were a huge factor in some explosion plays the Ducks allowed early in the season, but the defense has progressed in that area.
“We’ve addressed it in practice,” Walker said. “We haven’t changed too much, but I think we’re getting better.”
Oregon’s tackling was also an issue at the start of last season, and seems to have progressed on about the same timeline. That’s despite the fact the Ducks do zero full-speed hitting in practices during the season.
Most drills are conducted at “thud” tempo, even in full pads. Players are encouraged to make contact and wrap up, but not subject ballcarriers to potential injury by dragging them to the ground.
“You’re constantly teaching the fundamentals of it – you’re constantly teaching the fit, wraps and finishes,” UO coach Mark Helfrich said. “You’re just not going live to the ground.”
Leverage is a watch word for the UO defense. They want to gang-tackle as often as possible, and defenders can increase the odds of that by taking an appropriate angle, one that puts them in position to make a tackle themselves while also feeding the ballcarrier in the direction of a teammate.
The UO coaching staff keeps two stats regarding missed tackles – the number missed, and how many yards are gained after a miss. Against Colorado, Helfrich said, the yards after contact surrendered by the Ducks were about half what they were in games earlier this season. Meaning, even if a guy was missing a tackle, a teammate was there to clean it up.
“There’s never been a football game without a missed tackle,” Helfrich said. “We love perfection, and we’re chasing it like heck. But the position, the leverage we’ve played with, it’s getting better.”
Other highlights: The “varsity” also went head-to-head in 1-on-1 passing drills, an area where the offense usually has the advantage, but a bunch of defenders made plays in that period too. Darren Carrington couldn’t shake Ugo Amadi on one route, and Glen Ihenacho similarly stayed on Brown’s hip later in the drill. Malik Lovette added a pass breakup, as he continues to make the adjustment to defense. Vernon Adams Jr. lived up to his reputation for throwing a great deep ball, dropping beautiful passes just over defenders into the hands of Kani Benoit and Zac Schuller. …
Lockie hit Carrington for a long touchdown against the scout team. On the other field during that period, DeForest Buckner batted a pass at the line that a diving Henry Mondeaux nearly caught for an interception as it fluttered to the ground. Rodney Hardrick also nearly came up with an interception, an encouraging sign as the Ducks prepare to face a WSU passing offense that figures to attack Oregon’s linebackers.
Other observations: Helfrich liked the Ducks’ intensity after he dialed it back Monday, but wants to see more from some of the younger guys. “You’re either building confidence or bad habits,” he told the team. “We want confidence.” … Byron Marshall has always been one of the Ducks’ most spirited practice players, and that doesn’t change while he’s sidelined. Today Marshall was on the sideline when receiver Alex Ofodile jogged by, in a No. 9 scout-team jersey. “You’re looking pretty good in that 9,” said Marshall, who of course wears No. 9 himself. … Freshman defensive end Canton Kaumatule got some work with the first unit today. As much as anything, could be a means of opening his eyes to how hard Buckner and Alex Balducci go in practice.
