After the scrimmage yesterday Dan Lanning said linebacker Devon Jackson was a full participant, the 6-2, 235 redshirt junior from Omaha, Nebraska who started one game in 2024.
The Ducks need Jackson or one of his position mates to have a breakout year this season. They're a starting linebacker short after sending Jeffrey Bassa to the NFL. Even with Bassa, last year's defense ranked 38th in the nation against the run on their way to the conference championship, giving up 181 yards or more four different times, including 292 and two touchdowns to Penn State, 181 and two scores to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.
This week after practice linebackers coach Brian Michalowski said he wants every one of the linebackers to think and train like a starter. "We do a great job of having rotations at practice. Splitting the team green/yellow. A lot of guys get different experiences with each other. So they’re building that cohesiveness, there’s gonna things that happen during the season. There’s gonna be guys that go down," he said.
Extra-year senior Bryce Boettcher is a proven guy, 94 tackles last season, but the position next to him in the base 4-2-5 is unsettled after Jackson's injury and Bassa's graduation. The Ducks need to identify a playmaker who won't get caught in the wash or blocked out of the play.
It's especially important because their two toughest road games of the year are against PSU and Iowa, two teams that feature a physical running attack. The goal is to hold them below 150, force as many passing situations as possible. A defense feasts on second and long and third and long, or should.
Brayden Platt, Kamar Mothudi and Dylan Williams were all four-star prospects in the class of 2024, and they've matured physically after a redshirt year to the point you'd expect them to be ready for the Big Ten. Platt's 6-2, 235, a former fullback and a shot put champion at Yelm High School in Yelm, Washington, named to the Polynesian Bowl and All-American Bowl.
Platt won medals in the javelin and discus. He rushed for 928 yards as a high school junior and averaged 10.7 yards a carry with 50 tackles on defense.
And second play of the game, Brayden Platt runs in a 45-yarder for a touchdown pic.twitter.com/w088LrEVSa
— Brandon Huffman (@BrandonHuffman) September 29, 2023
The redshirt freshman told Max Torres of On3 Sports, "I think I’m ready to step into the role that the team needs from me."
Dylan Williams of Long Beach Poly is similar in size and athleticism, 6-2, 230. Kamar Mothudi is even bigger at 6-3, 244. Along with junior Jerry Mixon and true freshman Gavin Nix, there's enough athletic ability to be competitive in the Big Ten, but someone has to prove they can stand up Nicholas Singleton or Kaytron Allen in the hole. That hasn't happened yet.
A junior from Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep in San Francisco, Mixon's appeared in 19 games over two seasons and made eight tackles. He's got good size at 6-2, 240.
Oregon LB signee Dylan Williams with a big hit to stop Michigan RB signee Micah Ka’apana here at the @polynesiabowl. Fellow future Ducks LB Brayden Platt in on the stop as well. pic.twitter.com/vRV0uOqAr2
— Matt Moreno (@MattRMoreno) January 20, 2024
In the offseason Michalowski made the decision to go with this group rather than mine the transfer portal. "If I'm having to go to the portal, you know, what's that say about me as a coach when it comes to development," he said in spring.
That's a big commitment, but now they have to make it work as a unit. It does help also that the Ducks are bigger and more physical in the secondary. Safeties Dillon Thieneman, Kingston Lopa and Peyton Woodyard are hitters that can come up and take on a running back.
👀 Peyton Woodyard pic.twitter.com/fKPjw3nOvX
— stefonhaha (@stefonhaha) August 15, 2025
The "iron sharpens iron" principle applies here. If you can tackle Makhi Hughes, Noah Whittington and Dink Riggs, you can tackle anyone. Hopefully the Ducks are getting enough work in fall camp to sharpen their tackling without beating each other up. Coaches mix in drills with the dummies and donuts to reduce the physical toll.
In two weeks, it becomes live and real. "I told the guys today 'Don't worry about Montana State yet," Lanning said. "I'll tell you when it's time to worry about Montana State, when it's time to worry about game one'. We've still got a lot to fix for us. "
"We've got to go evaluate what just happened in the scrimmage, and then from that, where we need to improve and adjust as needed. The intensity in my mind should be the same. It should continue to be heavy focused, and yeah, it's getting closer. They know we're two Saturdays away from being out there in Autzen."