Kobe Savage 'Productive' in Ducks' Camp, Pursuing 'National Championship for Oregon'

How the senior defensive back looks at the breadth of talent displayed during Oregon Duck Football’s fall camp and how he’s approaching the 2024 season after suffering a concussion during this years’ spring game.

Oregon defensive back Kobe Savage meets with the media during 2024 preseason camp. / Olivia Cleary

Entering his final season for the Oregon Duck football team, senior defensive back Kobe Savage had a brief scare during the spring game. The athlete collided with running back Jordan James during the first quarter before leaving the field during the second. Savage confirmed the injury was a concussion, though he was nursing his shoulder on the sidelines. However, he says he moved beyond the injury fairly quickly to be back and ready to compete for his depth slot in fall camp.

“It just lasted for like a day, a little concussion,” Savage said. “I had knocked myself out. But other than that, any symptoms since then. I've done it before, but it was nothing, nothing big to be worried about.”

Since his recovery, Savage says that he’s improved beyond his status at spring practice. A transfer from Kansas State, Savage was on watch-lists for the Jim Thorpe Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and the Chuck Bednarik Award. Though the back showed immense promise last year, there’s always a learning curve when entering a new program.

“Yeah, I feel like I made a big leap from spring ball, obviously coming in this fall. I know I was a vet but just trying out this different scheme, trying to figure out all the different terminologies that coach Tosh Lupoi and coach Chris Hampton are using,” Savage said. “But I feel like I've got a lot of air in my wings going into fall camp. And I feel like it's been a pretty productive fall camp.”

Oregon running back Jayden Limar attempts to break a tackle by defensive back Kobe Savage during practice with the Ducks Thursday, April 11, 2024, at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Speaking of fall camp, Savage acknowledged the level of physicality hitting the turf at the Moshofsky Center. With Savage tying for third on the Wildcat’s team for tackles at 57, he is one to talk about the grit you can see when fall camp becomes physical.

“It is a physical fall camp, whether we're doing sideline tackle or position or Mod bracket, it's a very physical fall camp," Savage said. "I feel like that's a good characteristic for a defense like us to add that physicality, especially moving into the Big Ten Conference.”

Savage says that physicality can be seen throughout position groups, and Oregon’s defense is a great example.

“Really, just like the physicality, I'd say, and the relentless effort that we have, or that we're trying to develop with our defense,” Savage said. “I feel like it's, I've never seen, like a front seven run, like, that's the ball ever. Like you got Jeffery Bassa, Jestin Jacobs, Bryce Boettcher, Jordan Burch, even the young freshman like Matayo Uagialelei, all those guys coming around, just hustling to the ball. It's crazy. I'm ready for y'all to see it.”

Oregon defensive back Kobe Savage wraps up wide receiver Traeshon Holden during spring camp for the Oregon Ducks Thursday, March 14, 2024. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

And that’s not where Savage’s praise for his teammates ended. Like many other athletes we’ve heard from regarding fall camp, Savage expressed that the level of talent competition for depth spots at Oregon is simply different from other programs across the nation in terms of sheer talent. He spoke to the talent he spars with across the line, on the offense.

“What stands out the most to me is like, I've never been at a practice where, like, there's a difference between the ones and twos. Like, there's always a bigger difference. But here it's, like, you don't even know who you're going against is gonna, like, drop off in talent. You got Tez Johnson, Evan Stewart, Traeshon Holden, Gary Bryant Jr., Justius Lowe, Kyler Casper. It's just a tremendous amount of talent you're going against. And you got elite level running backs, Noah Whittington, Jordan James, Jayden Limar. So it's just elite level of talent on offense and very highly explosive,” Savage said.

To keep that level of talent working together instead of focusing solely on position role competition requires a lot of bonding. That can be seen through coach Dan Lanning’s use of the African word Ubuntu, meaning “I am because we are,” to bring the team together. The coaches also provide several opportunities to their players to get essential bonding time.

“I feel like just hanging out outside the facilities,” Savage said. “I mean, Coach Dan Lanning and coach Tosh Lupoi do a good job, like bringing us all together to do extracurricular activities at their house. But, yeah, we all have a lot in common.”

One of those teammates Savage feels close to is senior defensive back Tysheem Johnson.

“That's my guy. I feel like that's one of the closest guys on the team that I'm close to. He's a vet. Came from Ole Miss, had a lot of experience there in the 335, and different defenses like that. So it's really cool to be back there and just trust the other safety that I got next to me,” Savage said.

Oregon wide receiver Jurrion Dickey attempts to dodge a tackle from defensive back Kobe Savage during practice with the Oregon Ducks Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

The two have built a bond of trust during the off-season that Savage thinks translates in the way they work together on the field that reflects on the defensive back room as a whole.

“Really, just like going to practice every day, and then we'll have, like, meetings after and seeing on film, like knowing that he can trust me, seeing me make plays, seeing him make plays, and just having that, uh, veteran mentality that we got each other's back no matter what. Uh, if we're all wrong, we're all right,” Savage said.

There’s also young defensive back Aaron Flowers, whom Savage says has shown quite a bit of growth.

“I feel like I seen a tremendous growth in there. I mean, coming in as, like you said, as a freshman, and being able to, like, pick up the scheme that fast. Him and Peyton Woodyard, also, they're very, very, very smart guys. I feel like they're going to come in and play for us. But, yeah, I'm really excited for Aaron and Peyton and just seeing their development,” Savage said.

Currently, the starters for the secondary are a majority of transfers, which isn’t necessarily a negative, but Oregon has struggled in the past with transfers not transitioning to Oregon’s program quick enough for the season. Savage pushed that this problem won’t affect this years’ group.

“I mean, it's just showing up daily at practice. I feel like there's always some more that we can learn from coach Chris Hampton and coach Tosh Lupoi. They do a really good job of that. But yeah, the veteran experience is definitely like showing up with guys like Brandon Johnson, myself, Tysheem Johnson, Jabbar Muhammad, being able to extra talk and communicate, and knowing that we need to communicate and be on the same page. So I feel like it's showing up a lot of practice, but definitely needs to show a lot in games,” Savage said.

At the end of the day for Savage, every athlete on the field has the same goal that bonds them and prepares them for the season ahead. 

“We got one goal, and that's to win a national championship for Oregon. So I feel like we all know what's at stake and what we need to do.”

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