Football Practice Recap: April 25

The Spring Game is up next for the Oregon football team, after the Ducks held a spring practice on Thursday inside the Moshofsky Center, wearing shells.

The program will hold it annual Spring Game on Saturday in Autzen Stadium, beginning at 1 p.m. and with coverage from Pac-12 Networks. Spring practice will then conclude with a wrap-up workout by the Ducks on Monday.

Following Thursday's practice, defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi met with local media, as did senior defensive lineman Jamaree Caldwell, junior punter Ross James, junior receiver Evan Stewart and sophomore receiver Jurrion Dickey. Video of those interviews is embedded below.

Some highlights from coach Lupoi …

On areas where the defense has improved this spring: "I hope everywhere; that's the goal. So, we really we dove in deep in our self-scout and really try to recognize who we have, so we can attack spring ball with who we can be — not necessarily who we want to be. So again, it starts with assessment of the personnel and then adapting that to the wrinkles that we've experimented with from a professional development standpoint postseason of where we could get better. And so you know, I hope the answer is everywhere."

On what he hopes to see in the Spring Game: "We want to play with relentless effort. We want to attack the ball at a high level, and I want to see those guys playing for each other. That's what I think. I would like to say, holistically from a whole spring standpoint, these guys have done that. They have played with each other, played with a lot of passion. I'm really excited to be a part of this group. So when you get to wake up and go to work, and you're going into a building from a coaching staff and a player's standpoint where you have a bunch of like mindsets, that makes work really, really fun."

On leadership for the UO defense: "It all starts with Jeffrey Bassa. … I really challenged him that he's a draftable prospect. He's one of the best in the country as far as coverage in space and to take his game to the next level of what he's doing on first and second down, consistent basis of his fundamentals and technique, physically striking blockers, shedding off blockers tackling in space, that's exactly his improvement plan this spring. And he's answered that on a consistent basis."

Defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi

Senior defensive lineman Jamaree Caldwell

Junior punter Ross James

Junior receiver Evan Stewart

Sophomore receiver Jurrion Dickey