Oregon Ducks and Dan Lanning looking to lean on key returning pass rushers ahead of 2024 college football season

Much of the defense for the Oregon Ducks will include contributions from freshman and from transfer portal additions, but at pass rush, the Ducks will welcome back key talent from last year. Keeping that continuity could be huge in anchoring their defense in 2024, but they'll need more production out of their pass rushers this year.

Oregon, like many programs, use a hybrid defensive system that blurs the lines between linebacker, pass rush, and run support. While the offense is getting most of the attention , we'll look at some of the roles and players that are returning on defense.

Defensive End: Jordan Burch

Jordan Burch returns as one of the best players on the Ducks roster. Burch finished last year with 34 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. He's stout in run defense and his pass rush continues to develop.

His size (6'6" 290 lbs) stands out, with great length and athleticism. Burch will continue to anchor one of the defensive bookends as he looks to take another step forward in his fifth college season and second with the Ducks.

Jack Linebacker: Matayo Uiagalelei

As a true freshman, Matayo Uiagalelei (brother for former Oregon State and now Florida State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei) didn't exactly fill the stat sheet, but he showcased plenty of traits for Ducks fans to be excited about.

The Jack linebacker position, a bit of a hybrid between a linebacker and a pass rusher, is a position that requires strength and athleticism. At 6'5" 280 lbs, Uiagalelei has that in spades. He's long and athletic (sensing a trend here?), and has plenty of moves to wreak havoc in the backfield. As the former two-way athlete continues to develop, he has the abilities to draw plenty of attention from opposing offensive lines. For my money, I think Uiagalelei is a massive breakout candidate in his sophomore season.

It won't just be Uiagalelei slotting in at the Jack position. Ducks fans will see a rotation of young and athletic players with Teitum Tuioti and Jaeden Moore factoring in.

Oregon will need to replace production lost to 2024 NFL Draft

The Edge and Jack positions are going to need to step up in 2024. On the interior of the defensive line, Brandon Dorlus logged 5.0 sacks last season, while cornerback Evan Williams got to opposing quarterbacks 4.5 times. They were the two leading sack contributors on defense for the Ducks, with no other player logging more than Burch's 3.0.

Heading into a new season, how the Ducks will get after opposing quarterbacks has to be considered one of the biggest questions for a team that is being discussed as a national championship contender. Burch on one side and a rotation on the other will have to find ways to get home.

Follow along all year for more Oregon Ducks coverage on A to Z Sports. You can find me on X @JonHelmkamp , as well as follow our main page @AtoZSportsNFL for all the latest news.