EUGENE -- Kaulana Apelu walked off of Oregon's practice field Tuesday morning wearing a white tank-top. Across its chest was written, "Ducks Overcome."



He would know.



In high school, Apelu tore the anterior cruciate ligament in both knees, one as a junior, the other as a senior. With little exposure in front of recruiters, walked on at Oregon.



Three years after arriving, he was practicing in Autzen Stadium last August when a prerecorded message played on the stadium's video board: On the screen was his mother, telling him he'd earned a scholarship. Teammates mobbed him. When the season began, Apelu was starting at inside linebacker.



It felt like reaching the summit after a long climb.



But five games into the season, the junior broke his fibula, against Cal. Now it felt like hitting bottom -- and he questioned whether he wanted to restart a long climb back from injury once again.



"It makes you question if you even want to play, you know?" Apelu said Tuesday after Oregon's 16th practice of preseason camp. "That's one of the thoughts that I had."



But here was another thought: "I never give up on anything."



As a result, Apelu is back and part of a loaded competition for playing time at "Mike" linebacker in defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt's 3-4 scheme entering his senior season. The 5-foot-10, 204-pound native of Aiea, Hawaii, likened his past year to an emotional "roller coaster" -- the kind of unpredictable ride with rushes upward and blind, stomach-dropping dips.



"Having him on the field is good because he has a knack for the ball, somehow, some way," cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. said. "He could be in the wrong gap and he end up in the right gap, making a play."





Kaulana Apelu

Players rehabilitating an injury often feel a strained connection to a program's daily churn, and Apelu was no different after breaking his fibula after 20 tackles, three for loss, in five games last season. His injury occurred in the same game that quarterback Justin Herbert and running back Royce Freeman were hurt, too, and Oregon fell from 4-1 to 5-5 in its next five games.



"It was rough to see what we could have been, especially seeing Justin Herbert going down," Apelu said. "The hardest part for me was being on the side and watching."



Once Apelu committed to returning he understood all too well the long road back to the field after a serious injury. The scar would heal, eventually. He was less certain his confidence would return unscathed.



"Just not being able to be 'in' and grind with your boys, it's tough," he said. "Rehab can only do so much. You've got to actually get back out there."



His breakthrough began in one Autzen Stadium end zone during April's spring game, and ended in the other, 100 yards away. His interception of quarterback Justin Herbert on a tipped pass, and the subsequent return the length of the field, counted not only as a touchdown but as personal affirmation that his decision to return was right.



"That's when I fully came to my senses that, I'm OK now," Apelu said. "I'm back. I get to play football again. I can do everything again."

Gimme that! Kaulana Apelu picks it off and takes it 100+ yards to the house. Team Lightning takes a 17-13 lead with 1:33 left in the first #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/fvEJ1IoRDh — Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) April 21, 2018

That was a good sign for a defense seeking depth entering its second season under Leavitt's direction. At inside linebacker, in particular, there is plenty of it. "Jack" 'backer Troy Dye, UO's leading tackler each of his first two seasons, has been named to preseason All-America lists and is a lock to start his third consecutive season. But behind and next to him, the depth chart could change quickly.



"Usually when you have someone else come in there's a fall-off," Graham Jr. said. "But at that position, there's not."



Playing at "Mike," Apelu has often been paired with Dye during practices this month but the Ducks have any number of combinations to choose from. Coaches wanted to play Isaac Slade-Matautia last season as a freshman but opted to protect his redshirt, and has consistently earned praise since the spring. Sampson Niu has experience after appearing in six games as a freshman. Freshman Adrian Jackson "is "physically probably the most athletic, built, fast, strong, freshman I've seen, probably ever," Apelu said. And his classmate MJ Cunningham has also been called a quick learner.



"Something a lot of people get caught up in is just starters," Apelu said. "You need depth. You can't have two guys play the whole season or 11 guys on defense."



Based on practice rotations, Apelu appears in the running for a starting job for a second year in a row -- a best-case scenario for him considering his injury 11 months ago.



Considering that, Apelu flashed a broad smile.

He was healthy. The Sept. 1 season opener is just days away.



Said Apelu: "I think I'm on the highest of high of that roller coaster right now."



-- Andrew Greif

agreif@oregonian.com

@andrewgreif