Key Quotes From Oregon Defensive Coordinator Tosh Lupoi on Thursday
The Ducks held their fourth spring practice on Thursday and Defensive Coordinator Tosh Lupoi met with reporters after practice.
He knows that his group fell short of expectations last year and there's a lot that needs to change between now and the season opener against Portland State on September 2.
Below you can find some of the key quotes from Lupoi's media availability, including some thoughts on new additions Jestin Jacobs, Jordan Burch and Connor Soelle.
Question: Who takes on some of those on-field communication roles that Noah and some players in the secondary had?
Lupoi: "We're gonna make it more of a position responsibility. Some of the guys that played with us last season and certainly some guys that are competing now. More so gonna start completely clean and fresh. Nobody here has a guaranteed job and we're gonna be competing every single day for it. Trying to improve every single day."
Question: Where do you feel like marked improvement can be expected from your group this year?
Lupoi: "I truly believe everywhere. At the end of the day (it's) awesome to be a part of a 10-win season and to have that senior class go out the way they did with a victory at the end. However, starting with me, we have tons of improvement and things that we can get better on and we're really attacking. Obviously didn't play well enough pass defense. Didn't effect the passer well enough. A lot of things that we try to attack and know that we're not gonna probably master everything in year one, however we can continue to climb, to improve and that's what we're doing right now."
Question: When you did a self-scout, why wasn't the defense able to achieve more? Why weren't the results there?
Lupoi: "You're either gonna get worse or get better. We're not gonna maintain, be in between. We're gonna highlight the things that we improved a lot here and then really attack the things that we hadn't. That's what we're doing right now."
Question: What were the qualities you liked in Jordan Burch and what can he do to this defense?
Lupoi: "He obviously has some special qualities, some measurables there. I think as he adapts to the system, and he's been studying hard, he's been working hard to do that. As he gets more confident within the system I think that's where he's gonna be playing at his best. He's a versatile guy that you can move him around and excited about his future."
Question: What's been your experience working with Chris Hampton and his addition to the staff.
Lupoi: "Excited and pumped to have Coach Hamp. He's done an awesome job. There's a lot of similarities with the system that we've ran that they did both at the last place he was at and in his past so I think the adaptability was really smooth there. He's done a great job of holding guys accountable coming in and coaching with great effort and demanding a lot out of the guys."
Question: What do Jestin Jacobs and Connor Soelle bring to that inside backer room?
Lupoi: "It's been awesome to see that group rise. I think there's some opportunities there. Starting from a clean slate these guys are attacking it with the right mentality and demeanor. Studying and getting the system down. Seeing the physicality they brought from that group--satisfied is not the case but please the way they did that."
Question: What type of value does Tysheem (Johnson) bring to this defense what did you like from him bringing him in from the portal?
Lupoi: "Young man, just showed up. I know one thing he's not gonna fear contact. He's told me that already. After seeing him out there for two days I think he has a versatile skillset, so he's somebody that can move around in the secondary. He's really played dang near every position back there. We got some ground to make up cause he hasn't been around here but I know he's gonna attack what we ask of him."
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