‘Football serious;’ Koi Perich poised for big role with Oregon Ducks
· Yahoo Sports
It's never an easy task to replace a defensive leader like Dillon Thieneman, but that's exactly what the Oregon Ducks must do to make a seamless transition to the 2026 season. That job starts now, as the Ducks kick off spring practice.
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Fortunately, the Ducks believe they have found a capable candidate for the role. Minnesota transfer safety Koi Perich checks the boxes of what head coach Dan Lanning was looking for in the transfer portal once Thieneman decided to enter the 2026 NFL Draft. An eager tackler with tremendous ball skills and some Big Ten experience.
Perich was the top-rated safety in the transfer portal, making it the second year in a row that the Ducks acquired such a player after Thieneman transferred to Eugene from Purdue. After two seasons with the Golden Gophers, Perich swapped into the green and yellow for a chance to win with one of the country's premier programs.
Lanning, donning his doctor-approved shades, fueled the expectations when he likened Perich to Thieneman at his first media availability of the spring
"He was football serious," Lanning said. "Let's start there; the guy is infatuated with ball. That stuck out even when he came on his visit here. He wasn't really interested in seeing where he's gonna live or what that looks like. He was ready to watch some film. So, I think that carries over and [is] very similar to the standpoint of how Dillon operated and what he wanted to create while he was here."
Perich made 128 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions and forced two fumbles during his two seasons with Minnesota. The Ducks expect him to be a key part of the team's pass coverage unit taking another step forward this season, and potentially contributing on special teams as well. He returned both kickoffs and punts for the Golden Gophers and might continue to do so with the Ducks.
We will have to see as the spring progresses how Perich fills the big shoes he is stepping into, as well as how he fits into new defensive coordinator Chris Hampton's adjustments to the defense.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon's Koi Perich ready to replace former Ducks star, per Lanning