Nasir Wyatt's elite technique, quickness creates pivotal moment for Oregon

The Ducks recruited Nasir Wyatt of Mater Dei high school in Santa Ana, California, about an hour drive from the USC practice field, part of the same 2025 class that brought them Jordon Davison, their bruising freshman running back.

Wyatt's played in all 11 games as a freshman, contributing on special teams and coming into the game on passing downs because of his quickness rushing the passer. He's posted seven tackles, a quarterback hurry, a sack against Montana State.

In the second quarter against the Trojans Tosh Lupoi and Tony Tuioti brought him into the game on 3rd and 13, the Trojans driving near midfield with the score 21-14.

Wyatt put a spin move on the SC right tackle, knifed past him and got right in Jayden Maiava's grill. Maiava threw a floater off his back foot, picked off by redshirt freshman Ify Odidegwu at the Oregon 44.

Oregon drove 56 yards in 12 plays to take a 28-14 lead just before halftime, controlling the game the rest of the way. The visitors never got closer than eight points.

Elite recruiting, pressure and strength in numbers highlighted in one play

The play illustrated three things.

First, Wyatt is going to be a great player. His quickness and elite technique have steadily increased his playing time. He can be a potent weapon against a quarterback like Demond Williams, with the ability to track him down and keep him from breaking big plays on passing downs.

Williams stresses defenses with his escapability. A little smaller and quicker than many of the Ducks' pass rushers at 6-2, 228, Wyatt's agility makes him a good counter for the 5-11, 190 Williams.

Pressure creates disruption. The Ducks' speed-rush package on an obvious passing down forced Maiava into a hurried, off-platform throw and a critical mistake, one that swung the ball game.

Oregon's depth allows them to attack offenses with a variety of looks and pressures. Against Iowa they went heavy with three tackles at times and five-man fronts. On Wyatt's critical hurry they brought speed. Lupoi and his assistants do a good job of mixing it up, forcing the offensive line to adjust and giving quarterbacks more to think about.

Wyatt's technique, driving the tackle up field, forcing him to open up his hips set up his timely, well-executed spin. He didn't get a sack but he created a big-play opportunity for Odidegwu.

A mistake like that gets in a quarterback's head. Later in the game Maiava floated another pass on a critical fourth down, picked off by Jadon Canaday. Early in third quarter, this one is set up by a speed rush by Matayo Uiagalelei.

The Ducks found a way to exploit a blocker with weakness in his pass sets. That's good film study, used to maximum effectiveness.