'Competitive stamina' the difference for Oregon's young cornerback depth

The Oregon Ducks had one of the best pass defenses in the country last season, but like many areas of the team in 2025, the secondary had some lowlights against top-tier competition.

>Indiana found ways to let Fernando Mendoza pick apart the Ducks on two separate occasions — with the notable exception of a Brandon Finney Jr. pick-six in the first matchup. USC found similar success in losing fashion, and the Ducks had to take it on the chin.

>Some of the struggles could be attributed to the inexperience the Ducks had. Finney, a true freshman at the time, and Ify Obidegwu, a redshirt freshman, both started on the perimeter all season long. While both played well beyond their years, there were bound to be some lapses that come with playing young players in the system.

>Defensive coordinator Chris Hampton isn't reinventing the defense this offseason, allowing stars like Obidegwu and Finney to continue to develop and use their early experience to their advantage. Still, Obidegwu's biggest goal for the room is not only to step up against the toughest foes on the schedule, but to play a full 60 minutes.

>“We call it competitive stamina," Obidegwu said. "Just being able to go longer and harder. In the offseason, we know we’re going to have a long season, so we’ve got to push ourselves in the offseason. Push ourselves to maximum effort, to exhaustion, basically.”

>Finney and Obidegwu both have changes they want to make to their game this season. Finney has focused on improving his mobility and perfecting his stride when running downfield. Obidegwu, now in his third season in Oregon's defense, has prioritized his knowledge of the field around him.

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PICKED by Ify Obidegwu 🦆 @oregonfootball

📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/Fey1PB9awQ

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) November 22, 2025"The mental side of the game, just understanding what everybody’s doing," Obidegwu said. "Understanding the defense as a whole. It’s our second year going into it, so getting the feel for the defense and knowing everybody’s job and having a feel for what the coaches are going to call on the field.”

>The Ducks have plenty of guys hoping to do the same, but with less experience in Hampton's system. The transfer portal saw additions of Ohio State's Aaron Scott Jr. and Baylor Carl Williams IV to the secondary, and freshman Davon Benjamin flashed in the spring as a candidate to play early in the nickel.

>Competition breeds excellence, and while the Ducks have a unit overflowing with talent and potential, the overflow can redirect how the eventual starters play on Saturdays. Fall camp will see the youngsters battle for spots on the depth chart, undoubtedly making everyone just a little bit better heading into the season.

>“Knowing you’ve got good people, good competition, it just makes everybody go harder," Obidegwu said. "It pushes the room because if you don’t go hard, if you don’t go 100%, you’re going to get left. You don’t want to be left, you want to be out there playing, competing with the guys. So I think it’s great having a deep room we got.”

>Obidegwu took time to grow into the starting role he absorbed last season, while Finney pounced on a shutdown role as a true freshman. Benjamin presents similar potential in a couple different spots in the secondary, particularly in the nickel. So far, Obidegwu enjoyed how the freshman defensive back played in the spring, and fall camp could move the needle even more.

>“Davon’s doing a great job," Obidegwu said. "He came in ready to learn, ready to take on what you’ve got to do. He’s going to be a great addition to our team, so I’m excited for him. … For coach (Hampton), if you’re good enough, you’re old enough, you’re going to play."

>Oregon will begin fall camp on Wednesday, with Finney and Obidegwu teaming up on opposite ends of the field once again to form one of the top duos in the country in the secondary. No longer the young pups on defense, the Ducks have stacked talent on the perimeter and are counting on Finney and Obidegwu to lead the charge into 2026.

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>This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: 'Competitive stamina' the difference for Oregon's young cornerback depth