The start of fall camp is sometimes about shaking off the rust and settling in new guys. It's about nailing down the playbook, setting the basics in stone, and building the team's structure in the lead-up to the season opener.
Oftentimes, the start of fall camp can be full of procedural mistakes or slow-moving while the team strives for organization. So far, that's not the case for the Oregon Ducks
.The defense has hit the ground running and is "ahead of the curve," defensive coordinator Chris Hampton said Thursday. The Ducks have successfully carried over the foundation that was laid in the spring and are clicking at the start of fall camp.
From the moment a recruit signs, or the moment Oregon's season ends, the next season begins. Recruits are
handed playbooks, and returning players are given offseason tasks. Thanks to the university's quarters system during the school year, the Ducks were able to keep players on campus a little longer after the spring season ended.
"A big piece of it is our process and how we operate," Hampton said. "We start installing with these guys as soon as they get on campus in January. Our analysts do a lot of bonus meetings with the guys, and then we have time during the offseason when we can work on football. The way we are set up on the quarter system is an advantage for us. Our guys are here a little longer than players at some other schools and do not have as much of a break during the summer. We have a little more time to meet with them and get them acclimated."
Hampton has a veteran group of defensive linemen returning and a young but experienced secondary shutting down the perimeter as he transitions into his new role leading Oregon's group of stoppers. While Hampton's defense won't be a complete overhaul of what already worked under Tosh Lupoi, he does have a few wrinkles to install during fall camp.
However, the stress isn't on Hampton to make sweeping changes. The players leading the charge for the Ducks defensively know what to expect. Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti are in year four in the system. Brandon Finney Jr. is a preseason All-American. There is no shortage of talent or experience that Hampton needs to work around.
Better yet, some freshmen are standing out just two practices into fall camp. When asked about the vacant slot corner position, true freshman Davon Benjamin was the first name Hampton mentioned, as well as Baylor transfer Carl Williams IV.
The Ducks don't need to catch many players up to speed, especially if the players are the ones setting the pace.
"I think we do a great job organizing our summer and creating football time around player-run practices," Hampton said. "Our guys are ahead of the curve. The amount of defense we have installed by day two would have been unheard of at some of the places I was seven years ago. Being able to do this much this early in fall camp is impressive."
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon defense 'ahead of the curve' with early fall camp install
