Defense Dominates Oregon's First Scrimmage

Junior place-kicker Matt Evensen capped the scoring with a successful 47-yard field goal.

Dixon completed two of six passes for 49 yards but added 41 rushing yards on four carries. Photo: goducks.com

EUGENE - The Oregon defense has benefited in the early going this spring by not having to grasp a new system and the results were evident Saturday in the first extensive scrimmage of spring practice.

The defenders allowed only a pair of short touchdowns to the second and third offensive units, as well as one field goal, as the Ducks concluded their seventh off-season workout with a 55-minute controlled scrimmage.

The Ducks’ offense operated out of a no-huddle formation for the majority of the afternoon and struggled to gain much consistency, with touchdown passes from back-up quarterbacks Brady Leaf and Cody Kempt culminating 25-yard scoring drives.

Leaf threw a one-yard scoring pass to Cameron Colvin on the next-to-the-last offensive drive of the day while Kempt connected with Terrell Robinson from 11-yards out on the final drive.

Five Oregon quarterbacks combined to connect on seven of 24 passes for 81 yards, with more than half of that yardage coming on a 45-yard completion from Dennis Dixon to Jaison Williams.

Dixon completed two of six passes for 49 yards but added 41 rushing yards on four carries.

But the majority of the 68-play scrimmage was all about the defense.

“I was very proud of our defense,” head coach Mike Bellotti said. “They’re not learning a new system but their focus and concentration was on becoming an elite conditioned status – to help us play faster, harder, and dig deeper. The defensive line is an area where we don’t have a lot of depth but I thought they played excellent today. They controlled the line of scrimmage, they dominated.

“In general I was pleased with our front seven. Our linebackers and defensive lines are working very well together and have a sense of confidence. I was pleased with Will Tukuafu and Brandon Bair. I thought that our corners – (Walter) Thurmond and (Jairus) Byrd – played very well simply because I didn’t see our receivers do very much.

Tukuafu, a sophomore junior college transfer who joined the Ducks in January, led all tacklers with three unassisted tackles and four assists, while Bair tallied three unassisted tackles and three assists along the defensive line after redshirting last season.

“I also feel that our offensive line needed to play much, much better,” added Bellotti, who is preparing for his 13th season as the program’s head coach. “I didn’t see the pride or the passion I needed to see and right now we’re not ready to play at that position.”

Despite the offensive inconsistencies, Bellotti indicated that Dixon has made strides in regaining the form he maintained the first half of last season when Oregon won five of its first six games.

“I was pleased with Dennis Dixon, obviously his scrambling is a difference-maker for us,” Bellotti said. “But that’s also a concern in terms of our defense because often times, we lost contain on our quarterback. He’s working a lot on his technique and using his feet. I thought he rushed a couple of passes today but overall, I have been pleased with Dennis’ leadership, his decision-making, that type of thing. Certainly he is a weapon in terms of what we do, we just need to keep him healthy and keep him going.”

Returning starting wide receiver Brian Paysinger led all receivers with two catches for 10 yards while Williams’ one catch for 45 yards paced five receivers who each finished with one reception.

Seven Oregon ball carriers accumulated 113 yards on 39 carries, with redshirt freshman Remene Alston’s 29 yards on eight attempts second to Dixon’s rushing total. Veteran returnees Jeremiah Johnson and Jonathan Stewart each ran for three yards on three and one carry, respectively.

“I don’t need to see them,” Bellotti explained of his top running backs’ limited play. “Both Jonathan and Jeremiah have proven they can play at this level and what I really need to see is the young guys. I thought both Andre (Crenshaw) and Remene did some really nice things. They weren’t as consistent as I would like but they showed a knack for tucking the ball, getting it up in there and seeing the holes, and I was pleased with that.”

Junior place-kicker Matt Evensen capped the scoring with a successful 47-yard field goal.

The Ducks will return to practice Monday in addition to working out Tuesday, Thursday and Friday of next week.

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