It can be very difficult to get on the field early on as an edge rusher for the Oregon Ducks. The Ducks typically have plenty of depth and recruit well at the position. With Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti established on each end of the line of scrimmage over the past three seasons and growing into two of the best pass rushers in the country, some of that quality depth will have to wait their turn.
Former five-star Elijah Rushing has appeared in only 11 games for the Ducks in two seasons. He took a redshirt as a freshman in 2024 and made just three tackles in seven games last season. A former top-recruit from Arizona, the Ducks still have plenty of trust and belief in Rushing’s ability to be a difference-maker on the edge, and this could be his chance to seize a big role in Chris Hampton’s defense.
The key to unlocking Rushing’s abilities on the field is hidden in the weight room, where defensive line coach Tony Tuioti thinks Rushing has continued to get better during the offseason.
“We had a really good talk with Elijah in the offseason,” Tuioti said. “He’s put on more weight. He’s 285 pounds now. So he’s tall, he’s long, he’s continuing to get bigger and stronger, so he’s able to anchor in the run game a lot better. When he first came in here, he was like 250, so trying to anchor in the run game and get as much knock back, he wasn’t that strong enough to do that. Now he’s growing into his body, which is something that happens with a lot of defensive linemen when they come in; you’ve got to develop to be able to play that position effectively.”
Rushing’s potential as a pass rusher has never been in doubt. As a senior at Salpointe Catholic High School in Tucson, Arizona, Rushing had 13.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss. His blend of speed and power in pursuit of the quarterback has served him well, but it hasn’t always translated to defending the run on the perimeter.
The Ducks have only continued to add competition to the edge rusher room, which includes Nasir Wyatt and Anthony “Tank” Jones Jr. as potential contributors this season. Since Rushing has only gotten bigger and stronger this offseason, there could be more chances for him to get on the field in different spots.
“He always was able to provide some pass rush ability for us, but it was really like, can you improve in the run game and be more stout there for us?” Tuioti said. “And that’s been a point of attack for him, and he’s done a really good job of making that a point of focus, and it’s showing up in practice, which is awesome because he’s another player that has that position flex to play the edge, slide inside, and also be able to rush from the interior. So, I really like how we have our depth in the room, where we have guys that can play outside and play inside. We can use that to our advantage to try to create mismatches.”
No matter how the Ducks choose to deploy Rushing this season, he is in a position to contribute on defense and create noise in opposing backfields this fall, finally reaching the potential many fans hoped for when he first arrived in Eugene.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Elijah Rushing ready for breakout season with Ducks
