This is the type of defense we expected the Oregon Ducks to be playing at the start of the season.

Suffocating pressure, aggressive play in the secondary, and sound tackling at the second level. It took longer than anticipated, but as the pressure has grown on the Ducks' defense to perform, they have risen to the occasion. So, what changed?

Oregon has been dealing with struggles on offense with Dante Moore on the sideline in concussion protocol. It has been anything but smooth sailing with Dylan Raiola and Brock Thomas trading snaps against UCLA and Nebraska, but the Ducks were in a position in the fourth quarter of both games to win, thanks to the defense creating opportunities.

Sophomore edge rusher Nasir Wyatt is one of several players on Oregon's stopping unit who have taken a massive step forward recently. Wyatt picked up his first sack of the season against the Cornhuskers, while also managing three tackles, two for a loss, and a pair of pressures. Wyatt isn't being deployed as a mercenary on third down anymore, rather developing into an every-down player, and the increased role is making a difference.

For Wyatt, nothing has changed for the players, but the coaching staff has figured out what is working and is sticking to it. The Ducks on the field aren't second-guessing any of defensive coordinator Chris Hampton's decisions and are playing for each other on every snap.

"I just feel like everybody is playing the call," Wyatt said. "Everybody's not really playing for themselves, and everybody's playing for something bigger than just them and their own personal goals, including myself. Not playing to make sacks or make plays. Just everybody playing within the scheme of the defense, and then letting the plays come to them. I feel like everybody's learning that now. If we just stay together and stay as one, and we just play our fabric of football, we're gonna continue to look how we've been."

With so much uncertainty surrounding the Oregon offense with different quarterbacks cycling in, the defense has needed to step up. Wyatt said the Ducks have often discussed the 2000 Baltimore Ravens team, which won a Super Bowl after backup quarterback Trent Dilfer took over midseason. Dilfer didn't play the cleanest football, tossing 12 touchdowns to 11 interceptions that season, but the defense made up for the offense's mistakes.

The Ducks have played with a similar mentality the past two weeks. It didn't result in a win over UCLA, but the Ducks forced a turnover and three sacks against Nebraska, often setting the Ducks' offense up in good position to score. When Raiola entered the game in the fourth quarter, Oregon played complementary football and prevailed at home.

"Ray Lewis, all he talked about was scoring on defense, stopping them on defense, nobody. passing the 50," Wyatt said. "That's all we talk about. When we go out there, and the offense may do whatever they do, get stopped, turnover; that's our mindset. They don't pass the 50, and we put out the fire."

Nebraska's final drive to attempt to get into field goal range began with Wyatt forcing an incompletion by getting pressure on Colandrea. The Cornhuskers did get just beyond midfield, but the clock expired before Colandrea could get another snap off.

For 45 minutes of game time, the Oregon defense answered the call. Five of Oregon's drives on offense started at or beyond the Ducks' 35-yard line, twice starting drives in Nebraska territory. While the Ducks failed to come through on some of those drives, it can be frustrating and demoralizing for a defense playing its tail off.

Still, the Ducks understand the limitations on offense without Moore, and the defense is relishing the opportunity to lead the team into battle, shouldering the responsibility to put up points or keep the team in the game for all four quarters.

"Coach Lanning talks all the time about passing the torch," Wyatt said. "As soon as we get off defense, we pass the torch to offense. If it doesn't go right for them, they pass the torch back to us. Once we get those moments, we've got to just put out the fire."

Wyatt and the Oregon defense will carry the torch once again as the Ducks hit the road this week to face Illinois, still without a clear answer offensively. But the trust in Hampton and the rotation defensively will push the Ducks forward into a road matchup against an unknown entity at quarterback for the Illini.