Depth Chart Deep Dive: Oregon Safeties
With spring ball in the rearview, and the transfer portal closed, we’re beginning to get an idea of what Oregon’s depth chart might look like in 2023.
Since the end of the 2022 regular season, Dan Lanning’s program added 14 players via the portal while 30 former Ducks opted to seek opportunities elsewhere.
As we near the start of fall camp, the ScoopDuck staff is taking an in-depth, position-by-position look at the Oregon roster.
Next up, the safeties.
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Spring Synopsis
Oregon will have a difficult task on its hands this fall as it aims to replace do-it-all defensive back Bennett Williams, who led the Ducks in tackles last season and signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent following the NFL Draft.
Williams and Jamal Hill split time at nickel and boundary safety last season. Both positions will be up for grabs this fall as Hill has transitioned to inside linebacker ahead of his final college season.
During the offseason, Dan Lanning and Tosh Lupoi landed Evan Williams (Fresno State) and Tysheem Johnson (Ole Miss) via the transfer portal. Both are physical, versatile players who could potentially help the Ducks at multiple positions in the secondary.
Lanning and Lupoi will also have the luxury of leaning on veterans Steve Stephens IV and Bryan Addison. The pair of redshirt seniors played 596 and 336 defensive snaps last season, respectively. While Addison operated in a situation role at times, he ultimately delivered the best season of his Oregon career.
Stephens split time at both safety spots and will likely do so again in 2023.
A pair of ’23 signees — Tyler Turner and Kodi Decambra — enrolled early for the Ducks and each had some nice moments during the spring. Meanwhile, former 4-star signee Daymon David is back for his third season with the Ducks but was sidelined with an injury for most of spring ball.
Projected Starters
Projecting Oregon’s two-deep throughout the secondary is a difficult task at this point because of the sheer versatility of the program’s defensive backs.
The majority of the Ducks’ defensive players spent the spring repping at multiple positions.
But in terms of projected starter, Addison might be the safest bet to start at field safety. The 6-foot-5 sixth-year senior flashed tremendous playmaking ability in 2022 and has the skillset required to thrive in the role.
“I think (Addison) has got tremendous length first of all,” Oregon safeties coach Chris Hampton said in April. “He’s got excellent ball skills from his wide receiver background. I think he can really play in the post and make plays from sideline to sideline on deep balls. That’s what we’ll need him to do.”
Evan Williams is probably the most likely candidate to replace his brother, Bennett, as Oregon’s starting boundary safety.
Williams’ versatility will enable Lanning and Lupoi to chop and change lineups.
“I’m somebody that you can throw out there and fit into any puzzle piece you need and is out there to make plays,” Williams said in April. “I pride myself in being able to come up and fit the run and make some crucial tackles if necessary. If I’m in the post, man-to-man, I feel like I’m pretty versatile with those aspects.”
Other than injury, what can change?
Johnson and junior JJ Greenfield will likely be competing for playing time at nickel during fall camp. But both have plenty of experience at safety, too.
Greenfield, in particular, could prove to be an X-factor in the secondary next spring. He split time at boundary safety and nickel last season and has drawn heavy praise from the Ducks’ coaching staff since re-joining the program as a walk-on last spring.
“He’s really instinctive. He understands the game,” Hampton said of Greenfield. “He understands what we’re doing on defense. He’s a smart football player. I think he loves the game. That’s probably the first thing. He really loves football. He takes great notes each and every day. I like him. He’s kind of a Swiss army knife. He can do a lot of different things.”
Ultimately, Oregon is going to lean on the versatility and experience of its veterans. Looks for them to chop and change lineups throughout the fall in order to create matchup advantages.
“We’re training our safeties at both spots — field and boundary,” Hampton said. “We’re training guys at STAR and corner, and we’re training guys at STAR and safety. Just so when the season comes they’ve had reps at it. If someone gets injured, they’ve at least done it before. So, we can plug and play the best guy and not just the next guy.”
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