Oregon Defensive Players to Watch vs. California

Some of Oregon's starters on defense could be turned loose against a talented Cal offense.

The No. 9 Oregon Ducks' defense allows the most yards per game out of any team in the Pac-12. They are due for a lockdown performance to get the Autzen crowd riled up on Friday night.

Cal's offense has had a rather up-and-down start to the year but is coming off of a game in which it scored just six points at home against Washington State in Week 5. This is a golden (no pun intended) opportunity for the Ducks to bring some juice on the defensive end and disrupt the offensive rhythm for Cal.

Here are some of the top candidates to do just that on Friday.

1. Mykael Wright - Cornerback

Mykael Wright against Stanford :: Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest

There's no denying that Mykael Wright is one of the best cornerbacks in the country. He's quickly rising up NFL draft boards by the week. The rangy corner has fantastic instincts and ball skills, and he will need to show those attributes against talented receivers like Jeremiah Hunter, Kekoa Crawford, Nikko Remigio, and Trevon Clark. 

Clark averages over 20 yards per catch to lead all Pac-12 wide receivers, and Crawford (second with 18.3 yards per catch) and Hunter (fourth with 15.9 yards per catch) are also in the top five among Pac-12 receivers in that category. 

Wright has done a great job in the past few weeks of preventing big passing plays and playing excellent man-to-man coverage. The Ducks are in the bottom 20 in the FBS in passing defense in terms of giving up yards, and only UCLA and Oregon State have given up more passing first downs than the Ducks.

Oregon needs a big day from its cornerbacks against a talented receiving corps that can do a lot of damage from all over the field.

2. Bradyn Swinson - Defensive End

Bradyn Swinson celebrates the win over Ohio State / © Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

The Ducks get back one of their young studs in freshman defensive end Bradyn Swinson. A lot of the attention along the Cal offensive line will be focused on stopping Kayvon Thibodeaux, and rightfully so, which leaves room for Swinson to attack.

Swinson may not start on the edge right away, as Brandon Dorlus has played well at defensive end as well. Swinson is listed as the second-string outside linebacker behind Thibodeaux, who won't play in the first half against Cal due to a targeting call in the fourth quarter in the loss to Stanford.

Oregon could really use some help in the pass rush department. There were signs of life against Fresno State and for some of the second half against Stanford when Tanner McKee was under constant pressure, but the Ducks have yet to string together an entire game of controlling the line of scrimmage on defense.

Swinson has shown that he can help bring pressure, recording a tackle for loss and a sack in each of his two games this season. He hasn't played in five weeks, so there may be some rust, but the Ducks will need plenty of production from him, at least in the first half.

3. Jamal Hill - Safety

Jamal Hill against Stony Brook :: Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest

Mario Cristobal said this week that Jamal Hill is beginning to get into "football shape" and is looking like the player that was arguably the MVP of the Pac-12 Championship Game win over USC in 2020. 

Bennett Williams is out for the year after undergoing surgery, and Hill steps in as the starter at the STAR position. Williams has been one of the Ducks' best defensive players all year, and his presence and leadership will be missed.

But now it's time for Hill to re-establish himself as one of the best safeties on this team after an off-the-field incident earlier this season.

Hill will need to be stout against the aforementioned Cal receivers, especially the taller targets like 6-foot-4 Clark, 6-foot-1 Crawford, and 6-foot-5 tight end Jake Tonges.

If the Oregon safety is on the field on special teams against Cal as well, the Ducks will need his hard-hitting ability and sound tackling to limit a Golden Bears team that averages 29.0 yards per kick return — good for 16th in the FBS. Nikko Remigio is particularly dangerous in the return game, as he took a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown in Cal's lone win against Sacramento State. 

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