Elijah Rushing bulked up, ready to anchor defensive line for Oregon
After a couple of seasons working as a backup, Elijah Rushing appears poised to be a contributor for the Ducks this fall.
It can be very difficult to get on the field early on as an edge rusher for the Oregon Ducks . The Ducks typically have plenty of depth and recruit well at the position. With Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti established on each end of the line of scrimmage over the past three seasons and growing into two of the best pass rushers in the country, some of that quality depth will have to wait their turn.
Former five-star Elijah Rushing has appeared in only 11 games for the Ducks in two seasons. He took a redshirt as a freshman in 2024 and made just three tackles in seven games last season. A former top-recruit from Arizona, the Ducks still have plenty of trust and belief in Rushing's ability to be a difference-maker on the edge, and this could be his chance to seize a big role in Chris Hampton's defense.
The key to unlocking Rushing's abilities on the field is hidden in the weight room, where defensive line coach Tony Tuioti thinks Rushing has continued to get better during the offseason. “We had a really good talk with Elijah in the offseason," Tuioti said. "He's put on more weight.
He's 285 pounds now. So he's tall, he's long, he’s continuing to get bigger and stronger, so he's able to anchor in the run game a lot better. When he first came in here, he was like 250, so trying to anchor in the run game and get as much knock back, he wasn't that strong enough to do that.