After putting together one of the best defenses in the country and coming up just short of a spot in the national championship game, the Oregon Ducks have had a shuffle this offseason. While some key contributors are headed to the pros, a decent chunk of depth skipped town through the transfer portal, making for some new faces on the roster going into spring ball.
Perhaps the biggest departure was linebacker Bryce Boettcher, a Eugene native and former walk-on who led the Ducks with 136 tackles last season and became the heartbeat of the defense. Now, after being promoted to defensive coordinator, a big goal for Chris Hampton this spring will be to find out who can step up in Boettcher’s place.
Senior linebacker Jerry Mixon will take the torch after a breakout fall, posting 65 tackles, five for a loss, and two interceptions in 2025. He could be the linebacker to call plays this season, but the biggest question will be who will stand next to him in the middle of the Oregon defense.
The Ducks haven’t had any issues recruiting talent at linebacker, but it’s all about seeing who is ready to step up and take the open spot. Senior Devon Jackson has been slowly climbing the depth chart and saw the most action of his career last season. There’s also a trio of youngsters to consider, which includes sophomores Dylan Williams, Brayden Platt and Gavin Nix.
Last season, several low-profile players and true freshmen thrived in regular roles. For Hampton, it’s all about being patient and seeing who wants it more.
“I think it’s their time now to take that next step,” Hampton said in an exclusive interview with the Bleav in Oregon Podcast. “Last season, we looked at the secondary, and no one knew Brandon Finney was. No one knew who Aaron Flowers was. He had never played. No one knew who Ify Obidegwu was, and they became three starters for us. I think we’ve recruited really good players. They’ve all got a lot of talent in the linebacker room. Now it’s just time for them to go out there and play and take ownership and understand that their time is now. I think they have, and I like the look in their eyes in the offseason, for sure.”
Jackson made 41 tackles a season ago and was often used in pass coverage because of his speed. That could give him a leg up on the competition, but his production will surely need to scale up this season.
Williams, Platt, and Nix haven’t seen the field much on defense yet, but the Ducks do think highly of them. Platt even converted to running back for the Peach Bowl against Indiana when the Ducks were short at the position. That should say something about how the coaching staff views him as an athlete. All three are former four-star recruits and stand a chance to take a big role in Hampton’s defensive plans this season by putting together a big spring.
“I think they know it’s time for them now to play this,” Hampton said. “There’s no Bryce, you know. So it’s now if someone has to step up, and I think that we’ll have a few guys do that.”
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks hoping for young linebackers to emerge in spring season
