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Senior defensive tackle Wade Keliikipi ranks second on the Ducks with three tackles-for-loss and is tied for second in sacks with two.

(Thomas Boyd/The Oregonian)

The first time Oregon defensive tackle Wade Keliikipi came to Eugene, he was on a recruiting visit, and it marked the first time he left the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

He remembers wearing shorts, a t-shirt and flip flops.

It was January.

“It was not good,’’ Keliikipi said, laughing at himself. “People were wondering how could I stand the cold, and I just didn’t have any clothes for it.’’

Five years later, much has changed. Keliikipi has a closet full of warm clothes, a college degree, and is a captain and starter on one of the nation’s hottest defenses.

He is also coming off perhaps his best performance with the Ducks. In No. 2 Oregon’s 45-24 victory over No. 16 Washington, Keliikipi had four tackles, including 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss.

“He has been a solid player for us all year long,’’ defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti said.

For the season, Keliikipi is second on the team in tackles-for-loss (three) and tied for second with defensive lineman Taylor Hart in sacks with two. Tony Washington leads the team in both categories, with seven tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

Like most on the Ducks, Keliikipi deflected the spotlight in the wake of his standout performance. He said he was able to record his sacks, and make tackles behind the line of scrimmage because the defensive backs and linebackers were stellar in their coverage, giving the defensive line time to penetrate into the backfield.

But head coach Mark Helfrich said Keliikipi’s performance Saturday speaks to the daily effort he makes in practice.

“He’s a stud. Wade is such a, he’s just another one of the guys who’s one of our best practice guys,’’ Heflrich said. “He’s had a couple of nicks and dings here and there but has refused to miss a rep of practice. Just such a big statement for our team, for our younger players to watch a guy like that. He drew a couple double teams (at Washington) and probably got held a few times and busted through a couple of those but just kept churning.”

Keliikipi said he feels obligated to motivate the defense because he senses this group can be special.

“Being a captain, I’ve taken on the role of pushing the guys and keeping up tempo and finishing to the ball,’’ Keliikipi said. “With this group, we have a culture. It’s a tight-knit group that trusts and respects each other.’’

It helps that the core of the defensive line has been together for years. He said “we know how to play together.’’ But there has also been a bond established within the defensive line, some of which has been enhanced, Keliikipi says, through an offseason of training and socializing as a group, including barbeques at Taylor Hart’s house. Stetzon Bair would bring the hamburgers and meat, and everyone else would bring what they could.

“I remember hearing the linebackers saying they hold barbeques, and we started doing the same thing as the defensive line,’’ Keliikipi said.

Hard to argue with the results.

The links:

Oregon's

running backs to be a factor so quickly.

Watch

with the media.

from the team by coach Mike Leach.

like Cal did.

The Daily Emerald recaps

at Tuesday's practice.

The

.

Gregg Doyel of CBS Sports gives some

, which has Marcus Mariota at the top.