Oregon Ducks' Tosh Lupoi: Defense ‘Playing With Hunger’ As Spring Ball Wraps Up

EUGENE — It’s a big week for the Oregon Ducks. Not only is the team preparing to host its annual spring game, but the NFL Draft kicks off Thursday, and Oregon’s coaching staff is expecting a record number of Ducks to hear their names called.

Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Derrick Harmon forces a fumble from Idaho Vandals quarterback Jack Layne as the Oregon Ducks host the Idaho Vandals Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard/USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi prepares to watch his former players hear their names called during the draft, he is also focused on developing Oregon's defensive talent so that they might be in the position to take their talents to the NFL.

On Tuesday, Lupoi discussed the progress of Oregon’s defense, the competition within key position groups, and what’s next as the Ducks look to finish spring ball strong.

What Tosh Lupoi Said on the Defense's Development, NFL Draft, and Competition:

Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi runs between drills during practice for the Ducks on Tuesday, April 5, 2022.O40522 — Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi runs between drills during practice for the Ducks on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. O40522 Eug Football Practice 3 | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

On the development of Oregon’s defense:

"I've been impressed with them, of the attention to detail. And I think it goes back to really our evaluation process, and recruiting and signing as many alike mindsets as we can from a player and coaching staff standpoint. So bringing in the right guy that loves ball. You're not going to make it here too long if you don't like ball. So more of an obsession of these guys. And I think what reflects our defense right now is we've got an inexperienced in the Oregon system slash young defense. That's potentially dangerous."

"We've got a lot of good players there, and that's our job, to coach these guys up, put them in the right position and have them playing fast and violent. And I think we're certainly taking steps towards that direction."

Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi watches over practice with the Ducks Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, in Eugene, Ore.Lupoi — Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi watches over practice with the Ducks Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, in Eugene, Ore. Lupoi | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

On what excites him about Oregon’s defense:

"We've got a talented group again, and I'm thankful to be here and be coaching them, so I would imagine that the fans are getting fired up to see some of that talent. Let it rip. We've brought some young men here, and we're going to continue to recruit best of the best, and all starts in high school, and continue that trend. And then if there's an absolute necessity, we feel like we'll consider the portal."

"But I think just that talent that we've brought in here, that's been developing, and I really see a group too, as a lot of these guys move on from this last season. There's quite a few guys with hunger that are knowing that they're not going to receive anything given to them, but they're in the mindset that I gotta go take this. I want to get on the field. I want to play. So I think seeing, of course, a talented group, but a group playing with hunger."

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, left, talks to defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi during practice with the Oregon Ducks Tuesday, April 2, 2024 in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

On the depth of Oregon’s linebacker room:

Dec 7, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton (10) is tackled by Oregon Ducks linebacker Bryce Boettcher (28) during the second quarter in the 2024 Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

“I love what I'm seeing out of that group. The first practice where we had shoulder pads on, they weren't told by any coaches to be tackling, but they were tackling out there, which we had to hold them back. And I would much rather have to hold back a group than tell them to sick them. And so this is a hungry group. There's talent in that room, and it's just tapping into it."

"The more and more guys that—you know how guys are going to separate themselves in that group is again, their communication pre-snap, getting us in the right call, and continuing to just own the defense."

Ohio State Buckeyes running back Quinshon Judkins (1) runs through Oregon Ducks defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei (10) and linebacker Dylan Williams (20) during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"All the attention to detail, the anticipation, how we're going to handle motion adjustments and formation changes. Those will be the guys that will separate themselves. But I think, I love going in that room and you look left to right, and you see some hungry guys that certainly look the part.”

On what stands out about Oregon's safeties:

“Again, the way we practice here, and the way we work here is constantly trying to develop the guys. So that doesn't stop. Some programs choose to do it differently, and we're going to constantly at least be going through the mental aspect of the game, preparing the guys."

"So great example, I thought last season was Kingston Lopa really had a starting role in the Big 10 championship, to attempt to erase Tyler Warren, which I thought he did a pretty darn good job at. So that was a guy—the only reason we could be in position to do that is a guy that's been repping all week, all year, and gaining some confidence there."

Dec 7, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Tyler Warren (44) catches a pass as Oregon Ducks defensive back Kobe Savage (5) defends during the first quarter in the 2024 Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

"So that's a really healthy competition there. As you guys know, they've been to our practices. There's not a single person sitting around the field when we practice. So there's multiple fields going, multiple drills going, and we get a really good feel on evaluating these guys through that."

"So I think the progression has been good. We got a long ways to go. But again, you've got hunger there, and you've got talent there, and it all starts there.”

On the next steps for Oregon’s defense after the spring game:

Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi directs practice March 29, 2022.Tosh Lupoi — Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi directs practice March 29, 2022. Tosh Lupoi | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

“Well, we're going to continue to try to establish patterns of detail and discipline. That's what we want to do. So when we go out recruiting, ball doesn't stop there. And we're blessed and thankful to have an elite both staff and so-called support staff here. So within the body of the rules, we're constantly challenging the guys, how can we continue and not take a month off and then press the reset button, just continue to progress?"

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"So it's a reasonable expectation for us. The guys that have played for us, we expect them to be going to the next level. The guys that are coming in new, got their feet wet in the climb, the Kim board here in late December, early January, right? Spring ball, we stepped that up. Some of the errors right there from the past—we're fine to not repeat those. It's okay to make a mistake. We want y'all to make new mistakes."

Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, CA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back Quinshon Judkins (1) runs against Oregon Ducks linebacker Devon Jackson (26) in the second quarter in the 2025 Rose Bowl college football quarterfinal game at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

"So we're going to constantly keep that culture going. And I think if we do that, then we'll evolve in the camp and be in a position that we want to be. And get opportunity to compete and try to create the best version of us. "

On the upcoming NFL Draft:

Oregon defensive backs work out during the Oregon football’s Pro Day Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Yeah, I think it embodies this program and that growth mindset. So we landed here, I was afforded this opportunity to come over with Coach Lanning. We rode on the same plane after he just won the national title and we just knocked the Colts out of the playoffs, and we landed here in January. We signed 99% of our class in December, so we missed that signing class. So got to roll our sleeves up and go to work. Try to plug and play with a couple portal guys."

"This is 2022—the year before us, we had one single human drafted in the Oregon draft. So our first season here we had six players drafted. The second season here we had eight players drafted, which broke the Oregon record. We'll have no less than 10 players drafted in this draft."

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, right greets inside linebacker Jeffrey Bassa as the team walks off the field as the Oregon Ducks face the Ohio State Buckeyes Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in the quarterfinal of the College Football Playoff at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"So I think just the growth in everything we're doing. And the goal is—whatever the number gets set, want to try to reset that and break it the following season. So I think applying that mindset to everything we do, how we wrapped up last season from a defensive standpoint, and being one of the top defenses."

"That's the expectation, is to bump that up now. And not accept being a top defense. Let's strive to be the best defense. And that's the standard that's set here. And we're going to continue to challenge each other to try to climb to that direction."