Defensive Coordinator Don Pellum talks about 2015 defense
Despite losing six starters on the defensive side of the ball, the Oregon Ducks seem well positioned to improve upon their 2014 performance.
Oregon's defensive coordinator Don Pellum, who is entering his second season on the job, recently sat down with The Oregonian's Andrew Greif to discuss his defensive plans for the 2015 season. The entire article is worth a read, but here are some highlights.
On the team's biggest strength heading into the fall:
"Based on paper it would be the front seven because there's a lot of experience. There are four senior linebackers and three senior defensive linemen and then a ton of juniors who've played a ton. I'm not sure who's going to start so I'm not going to say seven starters, but I know there's a wealth of experience. The two-deep at the front is really deep with guys that have played a ton. It should be a real strength this year."
On the unit's biggest challenge:
"How fast we can bring this group, gel this group and this chemistry and how fast can we really get this tightened up ... and you never know that till you get on the field and have everyone out there. Here it is: To the degree that we can start where we finished in the spring and then get everyone really moving on the same page, because fall camp is different than spring; it's real. To the degree we can do that and the degree we can get off to a good start I honestly believe we can get off to a good start, we can play a lot better earlier and consistently that we did a year ago."
On getting better as a defensive coordinator:
"Studying us. The number one thing is every team is different. Our defense is unique from a lot of different perspectives and the number one thing we've been doing as a staff and I've been doing as a coordinator is studying us and how people have tried to attack us and what was different than in previous years and then what we can anticipate. I think we have a pretty good "book." There's always going to be some different approaches to attacking us but I think we have a pretty good idea of what offenses see in us and where they believe they have an advantage."
(h/t The Oregonian)
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