With continuity among the coaching staff and enough depth to allow experimentation with personnel groups, the Oregon defense is optimistic about what's in store this fall.

Venue: Outdoor practice fields

Format: Shells

The depth chart is fluid. The coaching staff has continuity. All of that hopefully will lead to another season of improvement for the Oregon defense in 2018.

After taking a big step forward under first-year coordinator Jim Leavitt last fall, Oregon's defense is looking to do what Colorado did in its second year with Leavitt calling the defense, in 2016. That is to say, improve year over year, to the extent the Buffaloes made it all the way to the 2016 Pac-12 championship game.

To aid in that process, first-year head coach Mario Cristobal elevated two other returning defensive assistants, Joe Salave'a and Keith Heyward , to co-coordinator roles. Together, they helped the Ducks improve from 115th to 28th in yards per play allowed last fall, and from 126th to 81st in points per game allowed.

"I think everybody knows where their place is," said Salave'a, who joined the UO staff as associate head coach and defensive line assistant last season. "We're just trying to coach our guys up by position, and get them to that level to where they're confident enough to take ownership. To have that continuity is critical."

Heyward, who coaches safeties, said he sees his players carrying what they learn in meetings over into practice. And when he coaches up techniques in position drills, he sees them being applied when the safeties match up with the offense in 1-on-1, 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 scenarios.

"I think we've got a really good team," he said. "We're still putting everything together, but guys are definitely carrying over a lot of things we're doing with the culture; effort, and just being disciplined with what we're asking them to do. It's been very, very encouraging."

Heyward's group opened camp Friday with senior Ugochukwu Amadi and sophomore Nick Pickett getting the first reps. But prior to practice Monday, he cautioned against reading too much into what he called the Ducks' "organizational chart" for practices.

That proved to be sound advice once practice got going. At one point during the workout, the nickel package on the "first-team" featured freshman Jevon Holland and veteran walk-on Sean Killpatrick at safety.

"We have guys practicing different positions, with different people, so they're forced to communicate with each other," Heyward said.







It was the same story with Leavitt's inside linebacker group. For one set of reps Monday, the "first-string" had Kaulana Apelu and Isaac Slade-Matautia together; two-time team defensive MVP Troy Dye isn't in any danger of losing his job, but this early in the camp the staff wants to see how various parts might fit together.

Leavitt's assessment of 2017 defensively was that "the guys did a good job;" even a disappointing Las Vegas Bowl loss featured some glimmers of hope, with two defensive touchdowns. So, will the Ducks take another step forward in year two?

"We'll see as we keep going through camp," Leavitt said. "We've only had one day in pads. We're installing a lot of stuff right now, and it's still a challenge. And I'm adding some new things. I'm doing some things that are different than what we did last year."

Other highlights: Holland continues to generate turnovers. He had an interception in 7-on-7 and another in a team period, keeping alive his streak of a forced turnover in every practice so far. … For the most part, though, the offense had a slight edge in team passing situations. The first play of the first 11-on-11 period was a long bomb from Justin Herbert to Dillon Mitchell ; later, Cam McCormick got free up the sideline for another big gain, each of about 60 yards or so. … It was another story in 1-on-1 drills though. Deommodore Lenoir ran step for step with Mitchell to break up a pass, and Thomas Graham Jr. broke up a ball intended for Johnny Johnson III . …

The freshman receivers struggled a little with the blocking in Sunday's 3-on-2 perimeter drill, but on Monday, wideout Isaah Crocker had a couple solid reps holding off defensive backs for teammates. … There was good give-and-take in the run game at one point, with Popo Aumavae dropping a running back who hit him head on, and on the next rep Taj Griffin busting free for a long run behind a Sam Poutasi block. … CJ Verdell used a Jeremiah Johnson-esque stiff-arm to hold off a safety and extend a run into the second level during that same period.

Other observations: Safety Steve Stephens looks like a guy who could help right away this fall. He was with the first unit for kickoff coverage drills, and with the second group for kickoff return. … With that latter group, the first duo back deep to receive kicks was Tony Brooks-James and Jaylon Redd , followed by Griffin and Daewood Davis . … Freshman Dawson Jaramillo , who has played primarily right tackle but got some reps at left guard Sunday, is also snapping during warmups. That's quite the versatile freshman. … DT Sione Kava seemed to turn a corner Monday, having his best practice since the start of camp. …

Couple light moments between players and staff to pass along. Early in the day, a snap with the No. 3 offense on the field sailed over the quarterback's head, and right into the arms of running backs coach Jim Mastro . Representing his position group well, Mastro took off with the ball, and even managed to hold on despite a defender punching it loose. Later, in 1-on-1 drills, Redd made a catch despite tight coverage from Holland, who immediately dragged him down for a short gain. "That's OK," defensive graduate assistant Tre Watson said. "We'll take a four-yard route." The reply, from an offense player standing nearby: "That was third-and-three, bro!"

Pre-practice interviews:

'Co-defensive coordinator Joe Salave'a

Co-defensive coordinator Keith Heyward

Up Next: The Ducks will be in full pads Tuesday for a practice at Nike headquarters in Beaverton, before taking their first day off since camp began, on Wednesday.