Back to the Oregon Ducks Newsfeed

Instead of rebuilding, Oregon Ducks are now tinkering in Year 2 of Jim Leavitt's defense

EUGENE -- One of the biggest stories following Willie Taggart's departure to Florida State spoke with the media for the first time since before the Las Vegas Bowl on Wednesday.

And on the surface, not much felt different with Oregon's second-year defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt.

The coach, who signed a contract extension that will pay him $1.7 million annually through 2021, arrived quickly to his first media availability of the spring and breezed through a couple questions about Keith Simms' rise to the No. 2 spot on the depth chart at middle linebacker. Then, he was asked about his return to Oregon.