Redshirt Review: Popo Aumavae

Duck Sports Authority is proud to present our annual series of Redshirt Reviews, a post-spring analysis of the players that redshirted the prior season. Today we start things off with Stockton (Calif.) St. Mary’s defensive tackle Popo Aumavae.

Before Oregon: Aumavae was a high three-star prospect who chose the Ducks over 20 competing scholarship offers. During his senior campaign with 10-1 St. Mary’s, he totaled 25 tackles, 4 sacks and 3 quarterback hurries. A two-way starter for St. Mary’s, some schools offered on the offensive line, others on the defense. When he arrived in Eugene in December of 2016, Oregon was far-deeper on the OL than the defensive line, and so defense it was for Aumavae.

“Popo is a guy that we are counting on to provide immediate depth and contribute at the nose tackle and defensive tackle positions. When he came in he had a couple of physical issues that we had to fix and they are fixed. By the middle of spring he was already playing.

“You see flashes of ability. Popo needs what all young defensive linemen need, they need to have a great, great offseason in the weight room. He has done a good job of packing it, but the lower body, the core, has to continue to develop to get stronger. His upper body has got to become more of a stout guy in the trenches to be able to hold the point of attack better.

“But he’s doing all the right things to get there. He has got a great attitude and he’s doing a great job in school. We are very pleased with Popo’s development.”

Aumavae has a lot going for him both athletically and with his knowledge of the game. Watching him practice this spring, it does seem that he is hit-or-miss on his technique, sometimes making the moves flawlessly, other times needing corrections. Now that he is working with the DL on a full-time basis, he will be able to advance much-quicker than in high school, particularly with a technician like Joe Saleve’a as his position coach.

He has definitely not stopped getting stronger and with some hard work between now and August in the weight room, has the opportunity to continue to get his body right where Coach Feld and the staff want it.

Aumavae will have trouble dislodging nose tackle Jordon Scott and defensive tackles Austin Faoliu and Jalen Jelks from the starting lineup. What he will provide is quality minutes at all three of those positions.

Juniors Gus Cumberlander, Gary Baker and Drayton Carlberg along with senior Malik Young will be the players he will be competing with directly for playing time.

The most likely scenario for him in 2018 will be second-team nose tackle with rotation into defensive tackle as necessary. Averaging 10-20 snaps per game is a distinct possibility for the 6-foot-3, 310-pound defender.