I brought former Ducks defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti on the Bald Faced Truth radio show (12-3p weekdays on 750-AM and 102.9-FM) on Monday to talk about the Ducks defense and upcoming season. But also, to get Aliotti's take on the latest arrest of one-time Ducks star Colt Lyerla.

Aliotti said, "I feel very bad for Colt. Colt Lyerla was a tremendous football player and there's no doubt in my mind that he would be playing in the National Football League if he was able to keep his life in check... it really hurts me when I hear a young man, or any person, a young man or woman who has so much talent and just for some reason doesn't see it enough to give something up to reach that greater goal. So I'm sorry to hear that."

He talked, too, about the efforts that former Oregon coach Chip Kelly and current Ducks coach Mark Helfrich made in trying to keep Lyerla around.

"There were many many people who tried. I know I even tried and he was on the other side of the ball. I saw greatness in the man. I tried in my own little way. Many of us did, I tried to tell him what he had ahead of him and what he had to do. I've never had that kind of addiction... he had so much ahead of him it's sad to see him continue to down spiral like this."

Aliotti said it haunts him.

"Some you just don't change. You feel bad that you let that happen, but at some point that person does have to take some ownership."

On another matter... lots of curiosity about how Brady Hoke's defense will play this season at the University of Oregon. How will it line up? What kind of identity will it have?

"You're always trying to strive for greatness," Aliotti said. "The enemy of 'great' is 'good.'... I like what Brady stands for and what he's trying to get out of that group. Obviously that last scrimmage... it sounded like it didn't go very well."

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