The dog days of summer have arrived. And while there’s little cause for celebration during this portion of the calendar, there is good news to report:

WFOD’s 2019 Fall Camp Preview has arrived as well!

As fall camp fast approaches, WFOD will be rolling out an in-depth series of position-by-position previews to help you fully prepare for the upcoming season.

Our Fall Camp Preview series continues Saturday with a breakdown of Oregon’s defensive line.

As always, you can find the most up-to-date look at the Oregon depth chart by visiting our Living Depth Chart page.

The Headliner

Excluding Justin Herbert, there may not be a player who is more vital to Oregon’s overall success than junior Jordon Scott. Not only is the 6-foot-1, 329-pounder from Largo, Fla. an immovable fire hydrant who routinely gets incredible push from his nose guard position (just ask Washington), but Scott is also one of the most respected and beloved players in the Ducks’ locker room. His passion for the game and the camaraderie he engenders amongst his teammates is infectious, providing an impact for his team that is felt well beyond the field of play.

Statistically, Scott doesn’t move the needle a ton, as his 29 tackles – including 3.5 for loss and one sack – are somewhat pedestrian, but it’s what he does at the line of scrimmage that makes him so valuable. Scott is a master at jacking back guards and centers and disrupting the development of running plays, in addition to clogging running lanes and occupying blockers who have a tough time handling a player with his rare combination of size and athleticism. Scott has also proven to be ultra durable over the course of his Oregon career, logging over 1,000 snaps in 26 games for the Ducks. Entering what could be his third and final season in Eugene, look for Scott to challenge for first-team all-conference honors in 2019.

The Supporting Ensemble

The Duck defensive line may be light on all out star power, but this unit is stacked with lunch pail players who understand and own their roles in the defensive trenches. Austin Faoliu, Drayton Carlberg, and Gary Baker are the embodiment of that sentiment, as each of these players possess the experience and versatility to fit in anywhere along Oregon’s defensive front. Of the three, Faoliu has the most star potential, as he’s an active body who excels against the run en route to tallying 42 total tackles last season. Nagging injuries have kept the Santa Ana, Calif. native from reaching his full potential, though despite that, Faoliu has played in 23 of 26 possible games for the Ducks through his career and comes into the season with the chance to have his most productive year to date. Meanwhile, Carlberg and Baker are two of the final vestiges from the Helfrich era, as both players have improved little by little each and every season. Last season in particular was a breakout year for both players, as each appeared in all 13 games registering 37 and 19 tackles, respectively. Entering the twilight of their collegiate careers, Carlberg and Baker should be primary cogs in Oregon’s deep defensive line rotation.

Joining Faoliu, Carlberg, and Baker in the rotation up front is senior Gus Cumberlander, a 6-foot-7, 254-pound pass rusher who had somewhat of a coming out party in 2018. Though he only made nine tackles last season, Cumberlander made the most of them, as he tied for fifth on the team in tackles for loss (5.0) while ranking second among all Duck defenders with 4.5 sacks. His two sacks and late fumble recovery were particularly instrumental in Oregon’s 31-29 victory over Arizona State. It won’t be easy for the Georgia native to push past old standbys such as Faoliu, Carlberg, and Baker, but considering Cumberlander is playing some of the best football of his career as of late, it may prove impossible to keep him off the field.

Sione Kava, Popo Aumavae, and Andrew Faoliu – Austin’s younger brother – round out the list of veteran reserves the Ducks have along the defensive line.

The Intriguing New Cast Member

The influx of quality defensive line talent could prove to be the biggest win stemming from Oregon’s historic 2019 recruiting class. Not just because the Ducks signed five players last cycle to help replace the four seniors who are set to graduate at season’s end, but because each and every one of those players arrives in Eugene as highly-touted prospects. That’s particularly true in the case of Kayvon Thibodeaux, a five-star recruit and the no. 2 overall player in the country who comes to Oregon as the highest rated prospect in program history. At 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, Thibodeaux is an absolute pass rushing nightmare for opposing offensive linemen. Equipped with an array of devastating pass rushing moves, Thibodeaux is built to play immediately and could even challenge for a starting job should he parlay a strong spring into an impressive August.

Accompanying Thibodeaux as members of Oregon’s 2019 defensive line recruiting haul are four other freshman in Brandon Dorlus, Kristian Williams, Keyon Ware-Hudson, and Sua’ava Poti. Versatility is the primary calling card with this foursome, as each has the ability (aside from maybe Williams) to play either end or tackle depending on the Ducks’ defensive alignment. Climbing the depth chart won’t be easy for this group, but early reports from summer conditioning suggest that perhaps one or two of these players could find their way into the rotation at some point this season.

The Stirring Subplot

With so much depth in talent, how much playing time is there to go around?

It’s a great problem to have if you’re Oregon defensive line coach Joe Salave’a. Entering his third season with the Ducks, Salave’a has undoubtedly his best collection of talent along the defensive line since he arrived in Eugene in January of 2017. Now comes the challenge of figuring out a rotation. For now, you can lock in Jordon Scott, Austin Faoliu, Drayton Carlberg, Gary Baker, Gus Cumberlander, and Kayvon Thibodeaux as your primary rotational guys. That alone provides Oregon with some of the best defensive line depth in the conference. But what about guys such as Sione Kava, Popo Aumavae, and Andrew Faoliu, not to mention the four true freshman the Ducks signed this winter? The battle for those final one or two spots in the rotation figures to be cutthroat.

Furthermore, Salave’a has the difficult task of determining who earns the the bulk of the starting reps from week-to-week. Certainly bumps and bruises will play a role in those decisions, but assuming generally good health across the board, it’s hard to say which players – beyond Scott – will emerge as coach Joe’s “go-tos” in the starting lineup.

WFOD’s 2019 Fall Camp Preview – The Quarterbacks
WFOD’s 2019 Fall Camp Preview – The Running Backs
WFOD’s 2019 Fall Camp Preview – The Wide Receivers
WFOD’s 2019 Fall Camp Preview – The Tight Ends
WFOD’s 2019 Fall Camp Preview – The Offensive Line