Justin Flowe Previews Oregon Linebacker Room, Playing with Brother
Step into an opposing quarterback's shoes for a minute. Imagine dropping back to pass and two linebackers bouldering toward you and crushing you to the ground for a sack. You turn around and see that both of them have the last name Flowe, one wearing No. 10 and the other wearing No. 25.
Justin and Jonathan Flowe will be teammates once again in college after playing together in high school in Upland, a suburb of Los Angeles. The Ducks landed Justin in the 2020 recruiting cycle and picked up his younger brother the following year.
Justin said that he and his brother had long dreamed of playing on the same team in college, and they get to live out their dream at the University of Oregon.
"It's unreal," Justin said. "It felt like a real dream to see my brother just playing on the same team with me in college, and playing inside backer. I dreamed about this. We both did, so it's happening."
Justin gave the rundown on Jonathan's game and what he brings to the table.
"He always brings it. He's doing his part on that, and now he's gotta focus on the plays and just knowing his assignments and everything will come together for my brother.
"I think we're really similar. He always played outside linebacker, but now he's an inside backer, and he's doing his job."
The Flowe bros both play at inside linebacker, and Justin is expected to be a starter after missing nearly his entire freshman year. The Ducks took a big hit when Isaac Slade-Matautia suddenly entered the transfer portal after spring football, and Justin said that everyone in the linebacker must step up to be leaders.
"We're all trying to lead the group together. It's all one big backer group, so we're all trying to lead it and just do our assignments right, bring it every time we go out there and bring that intensity."
Playing with intensity and juice has never been an issue for the Flowe brothers. Mario Cristobal highlighted Justin's motor and playmaking ability after the fourth practice of fall camp.
"He's doing a really good job learning everything and learning it fast," Cristobal said. "He has a tremendous attitude and great effort. We feel that our linebacker room is just getting better and better and better, and he's a big reason why."
The linebackers are always a big piece in Tim DeRuyter's schemes, as he's coached the likes of Von Miller and Evan Weaver in his career. Learning the defense in a more regular offseason is a huge plus for the young linebackers.
"I feel like it's 100% easier because now we're getting more time to meet with our coaches and learn the playbook," Flowe said. "DeRuyter's a really smart guy when it comes to the plays and his scheme. I look at him and follow his lead, and he's bringing us to a good place."
The inside linebacker spot is going to be quite an exciting one, with the elder Flowe likely lining up alongside Noah Sewell in the starting lineup. Dru Mathis, Keith Brown, Jackson LaDuke, Nate Heaukulani, TJ Gilbert, and Jonathan Flowe will likely see playing time in the middle of the defense as well.
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