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Cornerback is a deep position in Eugene this fall, with plenty of returning and new talent making some noise in fall camp. The Oregon Ducks have a plethora of options to turn to on the perimeter defensively, and the increasing intensity in practice is giving some of the young depth in the room a chance to show how far they've come.
Na'eem Offord is proving to be a big riser for the Ducks entering year two. The former five-star rotated in and appeared in every game last season for the Ducks as a freshman, but his inexperience showed. Now, with an offseason in the program under his belt, the defense isn't as complicated to Offord as it once was.
“It was just a learning experience," Offord said on Tuesday. "It's okay to sit back and learn from others and see what their preparation is. You know, the speed was way faster transferring (from) high school, so you know it was just a process. I had to just trust my process, just put the work in.”
The work has paid off. Coming into fall camp, Offord is competing for a role in the secondary rotation at both field and boundary corner, as well as in the slot. With more reps in Chris Hampton's defense, Offord is settling in and ready to be a steady contributor in several areas this season.
The transition from high school to college football is often overlooked for high-profile recruits like Offord. The talent is obvious, but the process can sometimes take more effort. Dan Lanning has noticed the extra work Offord has put in between seasons, preparing for a sophomore leap into stardom with the Ducks.
“It’s night and day. Na'eem is a great example of knowledge of the game," Lanning said. "This guy sees the coverage and the play, and there's still plenty to clean up, but he's proving to be a guy that can play significant snaps as long as he continues to improve because his skill set is so unique. He's long, he has great speed, he challenges the ball, he's physical. All those things are really showing up for him so far in fall camp.”
You can't teach athletic ability, and Offord has plenty of it. The Ducks coaching staff can teach the defense, however, but it still comes down to the player to find a process that works for them. Oregon's defense demands plenty of attention, which can be difficult for a college freshman to handle.
Offord has worked to find a balance entering year two in Eugene, and it's paying off early in camp.
“Maturing and time management," Offord said. "Just doing the outside things like putting in the extra work, getting in with the coaches, doing the film, all those types of things. And like I said, maturing because every freshman is different. It ain't gonna be the same for everybody. Sometimes you've got to work your way up.”
Hampton has focused on versatility in Oregon's secondary this season, moving players around to fit into different roles. Offord noted that he is "comfortable anywhere" in the defense, which is a big leap from his freshman year in both confidence and understanding of how the unit around him operates.
There is plenty of time remaining in fall camp to nail down roles and rotations, but Offord figures to be a key member of the secondary again this season, and should be flying around on the back end of the defense when the Ducks scrimmage for the first time in the fall on Saturday.
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Na'eem Offord making 'night and day' improvement for Oregon
Continue reading...
Na'eem Offord is proving to be a big riser for the Ducks entering year two. The former five-star rotated in and appeared in every game last season for the Ducks as a freshman, but his inexperience showed. Now, with an offseason in the program under his belt, the defense isn't as complicated to Offord as it once was.
“It was just a learning experience," Offord said on Tuesday. "It's okay to sit back and learn from others and see what their preparation is. You know, the speed was way faster transferring (from) high school, so you know it was just a process. I had to just trust my process, just put the work in.”
The work has paid off. Coming into fall camp, Offord is competing for a role in the secondary rotation at both field and boundary corner, as well as in the slot. With more reps in Chris Hampton's defense, Offord is settling in and ready to be a steady contributor in several areas this season.
The transition from high school to college football is often overlooked for high-profile recruits like Offord. The talent is obvious, but the process can sometimes take more effort. Dan Lanning has noticed the extra work Offord has put in between seasons, preparing for a sophomore leap into stardom with the Ducks.
“It’s night and day. Na'eem is a great example of knowledge of the game," Lanning said. "This guy sees the coverage and the play, and there's still plenty to clean up, but he's proving to be a guy that can play significant snaps as long as he continues to improve because his skill set is so unique. He's long, he has great speed, he challenges the ball, he's physical. All those things are really showing up for him so far in fall camp.”
You can't teach athletic ability, and Offord has plenty of it. The Ducks coaching staff can teach the defense, however, but it still comes down to the player to find a process that works for them. Oregon's defense demands plenty of attention, which can be difficult for a college freshman to handle.
Offord has worked to find a balance entering year two in Eugene, and it's paying off early in camp.
“Maturing and time management," Offord said. "Just doing the outside things like putting in the extra work, getting in with the coaches, doing the film, all those types of things. And like I said, maturing because every freshman is different. It ain't gonna be the same for everybody. Sometimes you've got to work your way up.”
Hampton has focused on versatility in Oregon's secondary this season, moving players around to fit into different roles. Offord noted that he is "comfortable anywhere" in the defense, which is a big leap from his freshman year in both confidence and understanding of how the unit around him operates.
There is plenty of time remaining in fall camp to nail down roles and rotations, but Offord figures to be a key member of the secondary again this season, and should be flying around on the back end of the defense when the Ducks scrimmage for the first time in the fall on Saturday.
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Na'eem Offord making 'night and day' improvement for Oregon
Continue reading...
