More Tales From the Stat Sheet

The Ducks play swarming, opportunistic team defense, and the evidence is all over the stat sheet.

The Forty-Tackle Club

Most teams have one or two players that dominate the tackle sheet, but the Ducks have a gang. Spencer Paysinger, Casey Matthews, Eddie Pleasant, John Boyett, and Talmadge Jackson all have 40 or more tackles, followed closely by active, tenacious linemen Brandon Bair and Kenny Rowe with 35 and 32 each, healthy numbers for defensive linemen. Next year’s linebacker corps, Michael Clay, Josh Kaddu and Bo Lokombo come next, with 25, 24, and 24 tackles. Kaddu has 4.5 tackles for loss, and Lokombo has 3 fumble recoveries, one for a touchdown. At their current pace, the Ducks could have 11 players with 40 or more tackles by the end of the year, a testament to their pursuit and effort on defense.

Swarming Trojan Crushers

For the USC game, seniors Paysinger and Matthews led all tacklers with 12 and 10 respectively. Lokombo had five and a fumble recovery. Talmadge Jackson, playing one of his best games in coverage, had 7 tackles and a couple of pass breakups, doing a creditable job in a secondary that contained Matt Barkley and his talented receivers. John Boyett continued his tough play with a solid game against the Trojans, seven tackles and an interception, very active in pass defense.

Kash Carries On

In other categories “Kash” Harris leads the Ducks with 12 passes defended and 5 interceptions. Nationally, he ranks 3^rd in passes defended, 5^th in punt returns, 4^th in interceptions, and first on the team in temporary trips to the doghouse.

Tenacious With the TFLs

Kenny Rowe leads the team with five sacks, and he now has 21.5 for his career. Bair has 13 tfls and Rowe 10. Among other loss leaders: Matthews, 5.5, Pleasant 5.0, Zac Clark 5.0, Kaddu and Terrell Turner 4.5.