Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal praises linebacker Mase Funa

Oregon linebacker Mase Funa was the highest rated linebacker commit in school history when he signed with the Ducks in the class of 2019.

The highly-touted linebacker prospect is entering his junior season in Eugene and head coach Mario Cristobal can’t stop saying enough good things about him.

After Oregon’s scrimmage on Saturday, Cristobal gushed about his uber-talented linebacker.

“Just keeping in really good shape,” he said. “You know he’s down to 260 pounds, [he’s] heavy-handed. He’s always been a great striker and it’s showing up really well. He sets the edges like few people do.”

One of Funa’s roles in defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter’s scheme will be setting the edge and making sure offensive playmakers stay inside, allowing other Oregon defenders like Noah Sewell and Justin Flowe to make plays.

Another part of Funa’s game that Cristobal is impressed with is his versatility. Cristobal noted the talented linebacker can handle a wide variety of assignments on the defensive end. Cristobal was also impressed with his pass rushing abilities.

“He can get hands on a tight end, he can take on double teams with tackles, tight ends,” the Oregon head coach said. “He’s slippery in the pass game; [he’s got a ] great power rush. He’s really developed his speed and explosiveness.”

Cristobal raving about his pass-rushing skills after the Oregon scrimmage should really excite Duck fans, since Funa didn’t have any sacks in last season. As a freshman, Funa had 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

Cristobal didn’t stop with just praising Funa for his on-the-field work but praised him for buying into the values and culture of his program, too.

“He’s had a great camp so far,” he said. “So, as always, [he’s] just a great human being. He’s done a great job with our principles and the value of our culture.”

Mase Funa is part of a loaded linebacking corps

The Ducks’ linebacker room is one of the very best in America, boasting a four-star in Mase Funa, and two five-star prospects: Noah Sewell and Justin Flowe. Another four-star prospect just joined the Ducks this fall.

Oregon also added freshman linebacker Keith Brown this off-season, another four-star recruit. Brown was a member of the 2021 recruiting class and attended Lebanon in Lebanon, Oregon.

You can look at the Oregon depth chart of linebackers here.

Funa was the highest rated linebacker commit in Oregon history, that was until Sewell and Flowe came along in the class of 2020.

Sewell was the second ranked inside linebacker in America, according to 247sports.com. Flowe was the top rated inside linebacker in America, according to 247sports.com.

Sewell was highly productive as a freshman last season. In seven games, he racked up 45 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and one forced fumble.

Sewell earned Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year honors for the Ducks.

Defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter couldn’t stop raving about his phenom of a linebacker.

“I think Noah is practicing as good as anybody on our defense right now,” DeRuyter said after practice. “Every time we turn that tape on — whether it’s guys making strip attempts to take the ball away; whether it’s guys pursuing the football; whether it’s guys finishing a tackle — he’s almost always on the example tape.”

Justin Flowe’s high school highlight tape is one of the more dominant highlight reels of any prospect, ever. On tape, his combination of vicious tackling and sideline-to-sideline speed are jaw-dropping.

He suffered a season-ending injury in the season opener last season against Stanford, but he’ll be back for the 2021 campaign.

Needless to say, the 2021 version of the Oregon Ducks are absolutely loaded at the linebacker spot.

The Ducks’ front seven figures to be one of the most dominant fronts in all of college football.