Blake Purchase Aiming to Become a Complete Player in Year 2
One of the biggest goals for Oregon’s defense ahead of the 2024 season is evolving its pass rush. The Ducks brought down the opposing quarterback 34 times last year, as Brandon Dorlus led the way with five of his own.
Maintaining, and more importantly elevating that mark won’t be easy for a group that loses four veterans along the defensive line. Fortunately for Tosh Lupoi and Tony Tuioti, the Ducks return a trio of rising edge rushers that flashed plenty of promise almost instantly after seeing the field.
True sophomore Blake Purchase is one third of that trio (Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti) that got a taste of the action as a true freshman, playing in all 14 games and recording five total tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack.
Now entering his second year with the Ducks and Oregon’s first year in the Big Ten, he’s honing in on one key area of his game as he makes strides toward becoming a more complete player.
“I think playing the run,” he told reporters after Thursday’s practice in Eugene. “That was probably my main area of focus going into this offseason is trying to be more than just a third-down guy. Be able to play first and second down, just trying to play the run a lot better.”
Purchase said he’s now in the neighborhood of 255 to 260 pounds after flying around his freshman year between 250 and 255 pounds. Adding some good weight and logging extra reps has helped him become more of a force against the run.
“Really just striking the sled. Really trying to put on muscle,” he said of how he’s attacking improvement. “I think I was kind of smaller last season, so just kind of getting bigger, being able to strike the run a lot better. Being more willing to do it to a point and just wanting to strike a block and make a play.”
His added muscle appears to have made a difference, at least around the halfway mark of spring football.
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“It definitely feels a lot different striking blocks,” Purchase said. “You don’t gotta throw your whole body into it. I feel like last season I wasn’t strong enough to really do it, so now being able to actually strike a block, I’ve definitely seen a difference.”
Oregon’s defense allowed just north of 100 yards per game on the ground (102.6 YPG) per game last season, with opponents averaging 3.6 yards per carry.
Since the end of last season, Dan Lanning’s squad has been one of the best in college football when it comes to acquiring top talent from the high school and transfer portal ranks. Oregon practices are fueled by competition, with an ‘iron sharpens iron’ approach expediting the development of budding stars like Purchase.
Going against both of Oregon’s bookend tackles, Josh Conerly Jr. and Ajani Cornelius, has been no small task, but it makes Saturday’s a lot more manageable during the season.
“That definitely helps a lot. Playing against two of the best tackles that you’ll really see in the whole country. Going against those guys everyday, if you can play good against them and do stuff against them, you know on gameday that you won’t see too many people that’s better than them.”
Fans will get a better feel for how Purchase has improved on the annual spring game come April 27.
