When you feature a preseason All-American linebacker in Troy Dye and sophomore Isaac Slade-Matautia and junior Sampson Niu have received the full support of the position coach, Oregon's inside linebacker position could appear to be all figured out as the Ducks near the end of fall camp.

But speaking with linebacker coach Ken Wilson, one will quickly see that the Ducks still have plenty of work to accomplish at this position before the season-opener against No. 16 Auburn on the 31st of August.

"Well, we still got we still got a ways to go," Wilson said about the depth behind the trio above.

Wilson said freshmen MJ Cunningham and Ge'Mon Eaford, junior college transfer Dru Mathis, and walk-ons Nate Heaukalani and Nick Wiebe have done some good things through the first two full weeks of camp. Wilson ideally would like to have six linebackers that he could use on the inside at any given point in a game. He has three and now it's all about finding those next three who can help the Ducks.

"We're playing, hard practicing hard, you know, still worried about us," said Wilson. "They still got some time to get better, but we're running out of it. So the urgency is picking up out there."

Wilson said he's looking for the players fighting for playing time to show better resolve knowing their assignments, being able to read the keys for the position, and then react and play hard.

"And you got to work well with the guys next to you," said Wilson. "So when they'll communicate and line up and play and be in the right spots, that's when we'll put them out there more."

The Ducks haven't fully begun prepping for Auburn, but Wilson did note that time is running out for guys to make an impression and secure a spot as a full-time player within the defense before the start of the season. He hopes the lack of time before the game will help push the position group to crack up their production even more.

"Yeah, so they got to take the urgency and we take the urgency and every practice has got to be their best practice now, and it has been the whole fall," said Wilson. "So I think as you get into it, there's a little bit more urgency, but they just got to get better and better and getting in better shape and everything will work out well for us.

"So if they keep working as hard as they're working, we'll be ready for the season. But right now, we're just worried about tomorrow's practice."

Oregon will be back on the practice fields on Wednesday with a morning practice as the Ducks continue to get closer to starting full preparations for Auburn.