Kobe Savage: "We all know what's at stake and what we need to do"

Oregon’s safety play has been up and down in recent years, but Chris Hampton has brought in a number of players this offseason that should greatly elevate the secondary.

Former Kansas State safety Kobe Savage was an All-Conference selection and projects to play a big role in the defense this season.

He met with reporters on Friday to discuss his development this offseason as well as what he’s seen from the defense. Below you’ll find some of the highlights from his press conference, and some analysis.

Question: You were here in the spring, you’re here in the fall now, how have you adjusted to the system, how do you feel like fall camp is going for you?

Savage: “I feel like I’ve made a big leap from spring ball obviously coming in this fall. I know I was a vet, but just trying out this different scheme, trying to figure out all the different terminologies that Coach Tosh (Lupoi) and Coach Hamp (Chris Hampton) are using. But I feel like I’ve got a lot of air under my wings going into fall camp and it’s been a pretty productive fall camp.”

Question: You got dinged up in the spring game, how’s it been recovering from that, what was that, what’s that process been like for you?

Savage: “It just lasted for a day, a little concussion I had knocked myself out. But other than that haven’t had any symptoms since then. I’d done it before but it was nothing big to be worried about.”

Question: What excites you about just your unit, your defense right now?

Savage: “Really just the physicality I’d say and the relentless effort that we’re trying to develop with our defense. I’ve never seen a front seven run to the ball like that ever. You got Jeff Bassa, Jestin Jacobs, Bryce Boettcher, Jordan Burch, even the young freshmen like Matayo (Uiagalelei) all those guys coming around just hustling to the ball. It’s crazy I’m ready for y’all to see it.”

Question: With a bunch of new transfers kind of in your same position how have you guys kind of helped each other come along to kind of find that connection that I know is preached in the program?

Savage: “I feel like just hanging out outside the facilities. Coach Lanning and Coach Tosh do a good job bringing us all together to do extracurricular activities at their house. We all have a lot in common, we got one goal and that’s to win a national championship for Oregon. So I feel like we all know what’s at stake and what we need to do.”

Question: There’s been a lot discussion, excitement, hype in a good way about the offense. What’s it like going against that group? What stands out to you?

Savage: “What stands out the most to me, I’ve never been at a practice where there’s a difference between 1s and 2s, there’s always a bigger difference but here you don’t even know who you’re going against that’s gonna drop off with talent. You got Tez, Evan, Traeshon, Gary, Justius Lowe, Kyler Kasper, it’s just a tremendous amount of talent that you’re going against. And then you got elite level running backs Noah Whittington, Jordan James, Jayden Limar. It’s just elite level of talent at offense and very highly explosive.”

Question: Aaron Flowers is a guy that got a lot of hype after the spring going into fall camp. What have you seen from him?

Savage: “I feel like I’ve seen tremendous growth in Aaron. Coming in as a freshman and being able to pick up the scheme that fast—him and Peyton Woodyard also, they’re very smart guys. I feel like they’re gonna come in and play for us.”

Torres’ Take

Savage has been one of the biggest additions to this year’s squad and one the team really needed. Bennett Williams, Bryan Addison and Steve Stephens IV all move on from the team and if we’re being honest secondary play has not been at the level it’s needed to be the past couple of seasons. That’s not to say it’s been poor, it just hasn’t been up to the standard the coaches have set, and that’s evidenced by the additions of Savage, Brandon Johnson, Peyton Woodyard, Aaron Flowers and Kingston Lopa.

Savage and Johnson will bring some much-needed leadership and production to a relatively young room. We didn’t get to see a whole lot of the former Kansas State Wildcat in the spring game after he got injured, but it appears he’s locked and loaded for the season.

Some of the remarks from Savage that caught my eye was what he had to say about Flowers and Woodyard.

#Oregon safety signee Aaron Flowers pic.twitter.com/9eF6vb66Fr

— Max Torres (@mtorressports) January 2, 2024

Courtney Crutchfield vs Peyton Woodyard pic.twitter.com/3hFibgkw9I

— Max Torres (@mtorressports) January 3, 2024

Flowers was a top performer all week when I covered him at the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, and Woodyard has been one of my favorite defensive backs I’ve seen in Southern California entering my third season living in the West Coast talent hotbed.

I’ll be interested to see which safety plays more this year, but right now I’d probably give the edge to Flowers.