Dillon Thieneman Talks about the Upcoming Season at Oregon

Oregon’s efforts to replace the 2024 secondary was greatly boosted by the addition of Purdue transfer Dillion Thieneman to the 2025 squad. Dillon has two years of eligibility remaining but could also be a strong candidate for early entry into the NFL with another solid college season.

Thieneman has gone above 100 tackles in both his freshman and sophomore seasons, both times in only twelve games. After grabbing six interceptions during his freshman year, he registered none his sophomore season. The drop in interceptions was in part due to him moving around to additional spots on the field, from his primary free safety spot (during his freshman year) to both the nickel and strong position. That learning opportunity will benefit him this season and his versatility gives coach Hampton the flexibility to bring in the best of the new talent.

Here are a few of his quotes from 2025 Media Day.

On Oregon and the Oregon facilities

“It’s been really good just getting to know a new system, new players, new team all around. People have been very nice, very inviting and coach has been very helpful getting the system down and the playbook down. I felt like it was good getting into a routine that I could do each day.”

Dealing with the national attention

“Coach Lanning said the other day, “don’t let the noise get to you.” Don’t let the outside noise of what other people talk about change how you feel about yourself and how you feel about what you can do.”

Why come to Oregon?

“Really just looked at the coaches, the scheme, people they had coming back, people they had there and really Oregon. They had really good coaches, really good NFL style scheme with playing all sorts of coverages. I can really develop under the coaching staff and the training staff to get faster and get better.”

Playing multiple safety positions

“Yeah, I like playing different spots. I love doing it. So, last year when I played a little bit strong safety for two games, nickel for another game. I really like doing that and that’s what I hope to do here. Kind of move me around, put me in different spots, maybe deep, maybe I’m blitzing, maybe in the box, kind of stuff like that.”

Being recognized as a leader

“It definitely means a lot that they’re speaking of (my impact) and it means a lot to me, what they’re saying. Coming in here, I felt like I kind of needed to earn my place to the new guys, like kind of prove myself. Then all the experience I have for my past two years, I kind of wanted to use that as a platform to like kind of be a leader, help the younger guys that maybe don’t have as much experience.”

On the competition for the other safety positions

“It’ll be fun. It’ll be fun. It’s definitely going to be a good fight. Just seeing the other guys battle, see what they can do. I think it would be fun to watch and fun to help coach, (see how) your skills compliment those guys. I feel communication wise, letting them know what I analyze pre-snap during the play. What I’m thinking about, using other situations, not just what you see from the offense, but also down a distance, like point of the game, that sort of stuff to play faster.”

On the role of safety

“Communication is such a big part on the back side of the defense, being able to call out shifts and motions from receivers and be able to recognize that and still be able to have everyone covered up and all your patterns recognized. In this scheme it’s definitely very important for the safeties to be vocal. I mean, we got to communicate with the linebackers, the corners, let us let each other know exactly what we’re playing, what we’re doing, how we’re spinning the coverage, doing this, doing that. So, safeties, like as a lot of people say, quarterbacks of the defense. So, you (must) have that knowledge of the game, the communication. Anticipation of: If this guy motions, this is what we’re going to get to. This guy goes away, this is what we’re going to play.”

Being in a new environment

“Just embrace the change. Like know that things are going to be a little different, but I’m in a new place. I’m ready to get out on the field and show what I can do. I know I got two years behind me, but I still got a lot more that I want to do.”

Learning from the past

“I would say learn from your mistakes but don’t let the mistakes kind of take over everything. I had a game last year (vs. Notre Dame), did very bad. In that game I felt in my mind I kind of almost mentally took myself out of the game, instead of just learning from mistakes. (Instead of) going next play mentality and stuff like that. So that’s what I’m still trying to work on, still trying to do kind of that mental side of it.”