EUGENE -- Energy is infectious, Arrion Springs says.

But it can also be an illusion, merely smoke and mirrors.

So yes, before Jim Leavitt first met with Oregon's players after he was named the team's defensive coordinator in December, most players on the team had seen the energy, at least the online energy.

"After four days with no sleep and 10 Pepsis a day, I feel good where we are at," read Leavitt's first tweet at his new job.

"Couldn't sleep all night. Just excited to build this defense," read the next.

Leavitt's bravado brought a certain level of curiosity to his first meeting with the Ducks. Does this guy really not sleep? Does he really drink all those Pepsis?

Can he really be this excited about Oregon's defense? The one that allowed 41.4 points and 518 yards per game in 2016?

Jim Leavitt

But when players walked out of that first meeting, a wave of enthusiasm rushed over the unit. They had been hit by the Leavitt whirlwind, one that outlined where he wanted the defense to go and how it was going to get there.

This was no smoke and mirrors, players said.

"It was very easy to understand his passion and energy," Springs said. "He's so knowledgeable with his ideas and his high aspirations for us, his foot was on the gas pedal."

Few doubt that Leavitt can eventually turn around Oregon's defense -- his past successes and a $1.15 million a year paycheck are to thank for those expectations.

But one of the biggest questions heading into the 2017 season surrounds the current defensive roster. How much can really change in just one season?

"He told us that we can be special," Springs said. "That we have a lot of talent and he expects great things. We can't go anywhere but up from last year."

Oregon's defense ranked 126th in the country in 2016. The offense in Mark Helfrich's final season as head coach still ranked in the nation's top 30, but the 35.4 points scored per game did little to offset the extra touchdown per game the defense allowed.

Only Cal and Texas Tech allowed more points per game, and the Golden Bears put up a 52-spot in their double-overtime win over the Ducks in October. Oregon's defense has never been considered a force, but the Ducks' results in 2016 made the team's 2014 defense, the one that was considered to be squeaky wheel when compared to the Marcus Mariota-led offense, look like an SEC monster.

That 2014 defense allowed 17.8 fewer points per game than UO in 2016.

Since then, the Ducks' defense saw a downtick in 2015, saw Don Pellum demoted and Brady Hoke hired and has since seen both fired, along with the rest of Oregon's coaching staff, following last season's 4-8 finish.

It's what inspired Oregon president Michael Schill's viral comments at Willie Taggart's introductory press conference in December.

"One bit of advice, which probably everybody in the state of Oregon can give him," Schill said. "Go find a great defensive coordinator."

Taggart landed on Leavitt, a former head coach who led South Florida to a 75-44 record from 1996-2009. When he became Colorado's defensive coordinator in 2015, the Buffaloes dropped from 39 points per game to 28 in his first season. Last year, Colorado's defense allowed just 20 points per game.

That sort of improvement in that amount of time was what immediately flashed for Taggart. The Ducks know they have some pieces on offense with quarterback Justin Herbert, running backs Royce Freeman and Tony Brooks-James, and receiver Charles Nelson. If the defense can come around at a similar pace, improving by 10 points per game in 2017, Oregon could be formidable.

"We want a defense that is fundamentally sound and technically sound and plays with a lot of passion, and that's what he's all about," Taggart said. "Those things that win and allow you to play good defense aren't necessarily schemes. If you're not technically and fundamentally sound, then schemes don't matter. We stress that with our guys and coach that every single day, and you start to see some improvement in them."

GRASPING THE DEFENSE

If you step onto Oregon's practice field, close your eyes and listen, Khalil Oliver swears fall camp sounds different.

The Ducks are still far from being ready for the 2017 season and Leavitt's work is still in progress, but the redshirt junior safety said the biggest difference so far is the sound. Put the Ducks into an 11-on-11 drill with the offense and Oliver said you'll hear defensive players calling out plays before they happen, identifying routes, downs and distances, and whether a screen pass may be coming.

The players on this defense aren't much different from a year ago. The defensive line, ravaged by injuries in 2016, is healthier and a few freshmen like Thomas Graham Jr. and Jordon Scott have injected energy and talent into the mix, but overall, this group bears a strong resemblance to Hoke's.

The difference, Oliver said, is comprehension. Too many times last year, the Ducks didn't know what to do or where to be.

"It was guys not having a full grasp of the defense," Oliver said. "As an entire unit, we didn't understand the 'why' very well. We wouldn't be anticipating as much as we should have been.

"We know the reason why we're running what we're running. We understand where our help and leverage is. It makes playing a lot easier."

"Good defense" for the Ducks this year will be graded on multiple factors. The Ducks want fewer missed assignments and miscommunications. They would like to increase the number of takeaways -- in 2016 the Ducks forced 12 turnovers, down from 22 in 2015 and 34 in 2014.

Mostly importantly, according to Leavitt, the defense will be graded on one big stat.

"Wins," he said. "If we play good enough to win and get the ball back to our offense. Our offense has a lot of weapons, and we got to get the ball back to those guys and let them perform magic, because they're tough to slow down. They have some weapons over there."

In the future, there will likely be more weapons on Oregon's defense. Some of the key cogs of the unit are young. Troy Dye is a sophomore. Brady Breeze is a redshirt freshman. Scott and Graham are both true freshmen and, as of mid-August, the Ducks have the No. 1 recruiting class in the country heading to Eugene for the 2018 season.

But Oregon has a season to play here in 2017, and because of Leavitt, some of the old faces on this defense have lofty expectations for what they can do this year.

"I want to be the best defense in the Pac-12," Oliver said.

"We can be really special," added Springs.

"Just to improve on ourselves, compete every day and hopefully get to the Pac-12 title," Dye said.

And why, after what happened a year ago, do the Ducks believe in themselves so much? Because that's the expectation that Leavitt set forth from Day One.

"We're going to take it as far as we can," Springs said of his defense. "The team is on us this year."

-- Tyson Alger