Time is flying for the Tuiotis in Eugene
Oregon's defensive line coach and returning outside linebacker have important roles in 2025.
EUGENE — Tony Tuioti usually has his coaching cap on. This spring, Oregon’s defensive line coach has been busy breaking in a new-look front after the departures of Jordan Burch and Derrick Harmon — both likely to hear their names called in this week’s NFL Draft.
The Ducks have guys to replace them — they’re especially fond of Bear Alexander, the 6-foot-3, 315-pound tackle the Ducks took in from USC who Tuioti describes as “twitchy, powerful and strong.”
“We got talent,” Tuioti said. “But just experience is what we need.”
It helps having Matayo Uiagalelei and his 10.5 sacks in 2024 returning to anchor the defensive line. And it certainly doesn’t hurt having Tuioti’s son, Teitum, in the front seven.
Teitum, an outside linebacker, tallied 5.5 sacks, 8 tackles for a loss and forced a fumble during his sophomore season with the Ducks, and it’s here, in Teitum’s first spring as an upperclassman, that Coach Tuioti has to take a moment to enjoy these days from a different perspective.