Oregon’s linebacker room is shaping up as one of the most interesting parts of camp, and the Ducks are putting a clear number on what they want from that group: havoc.
With the No. 2 Ducks working through fall camp in Eugene, the focus has fallen on a linebacker unit that has to replace major production while also pushing the defense toward a more disruptive identity in 2026.
Inside linebackers coach Brian Michalowski is tasked with filling the void left by the team’s leading tackler from last season, Bryce Boettcher, who finished with 136 total tackles before moving on to the Indianapolis Colts. A lot of that burden is expected to land on senior inside linebacker Jerry Mixon, who is being counted on for a national breakout season.
On the outside, Oregon is leaning on experience and improvement. Kamran Araghi’s group is built around senior standouts Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei, and Uiagalelei has trimmed 25 pounds this offseason. Araghi said the change has shown up right away in how he moves and works.
"It's helping every facet of this game, whether that's run game, pass rush, dropping in space, or finishing on the quarterback. Everything's been so much better because of it. I'm really proud of him."
Araghi also singled out sophomore outside linebacker Nasir Wyatt as a player who can do a little of everything. The Mater Dei product from Santa Ana, California, is being viewed as a versatile piece with a growing command of the defense.
"Nas (Wyatt) is a Swiss Army knife," Aragh said. "I think the biggest thing he's done is really enhance his football intelligence.
He wants to know the ins and outs of every single defense. What's the strength?
What's the stressor of each call? Where can I take my shot in the pass rush?
When can I not? When do I really have to be conscious of level rushing?
As a result, he's making more havoc plays and creating more havoc. It's a product of the work that he's put in."
That word keeps coming up for a reason. Araghi said Oregon is tracking havoc rate early in camp, with a goal of getting above 20 percent so the defense can become more disruptive in the 2026 season. The Ducks have already felt the sting of third-down struggles, including against Indiana in 2025, and that’s part of why the staff is making disruption such a central point of emphasis.
There’s also fresh talent pushing into the mix. Freshman defensive lineman Anthony "Tank" Jones, a five-star recruit from Mobile, Alabama, is being brought along with the idea that he can make an immediate impact on the edge.
The St. Paul’s Episcopal standout in the Class of 2026 posted 100 tackles, including 68 solo stops and 15 tackles for loss, along with 11 sacks, nine passes broken up and a forced fumble touchdown in his senior season.
Defensive line coach Tony Tuioti said on Aug. 17, coming off the previous weekend’s scrimmage, that Jones has made a major physical jump since arriving as an early enrollee in January. He said Jones has added nearly 60 pounds and has reached the 300-pound mark.
Still, Tuioti made it clear the Ducks are not getting caught up in outside noise.
"I don't even listen to the hype. We just talk about each and every day.
How can we keep getting better? It's out there, okay.
But we can't have that be a distraction." Tuioti continued, " The most important thing for us is to focus on what we can do to get better.
And today, we got better."
While the current roster keeps grinding toward the regular season, Oregon also added to its future with a major recruiting win. Four-star linebacker Brayton Feister committed to the Ducks on Aug. 14, according to Rivals' Hayes Fawcett on X.
The 6-2, 245-pound linebacker from Washington High School in Massillon, Ohio, chose Oregon over Georgia, Ohio State and California. Feister was the top-ranked available recruit remaining in the 2027 class, making him a significant pickup for Michalowski and the Ducks.
He now joins four-star linebacker Toa Satele and four-star linebacker Brandon Lockley Jr. in a 2027 class that On3 currently ranks No. 4 nationally and No. 1 in the Big Ten.
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