A goal for coach Dan Lanning in fall camp is to build some versatility in the backend of the Oregon Ducks’ defense.

Lanning has talked before about being able to play versatile football — almost positionless defense — and about being able to get their 11 best football players on the field, regardless of what that might look like. In pursuit of that goal, Oregon is cross-training pretty regularly in the secondary.

“Coach Lanning is big on cross-training guys, getting guys to play multiple positions,” cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin said after practice on Wednesday. “We’re going to continue that trend with all of the guys, working them at different spots, whether it be STAR, safety, boundary, or at corner.

“Most of those guys can all do it. We recruit guys to be defensive backs, not just a corner, a safety, or a STAR. All those guys have the qualities to be able to do that.”

A guy like Christian Gonzalez, a transfer in from Colorado this offseason, has even taken some reps at STAR. He’s primarily a corner — and Oregon’s hoping he can be the lockdown kind — but learning all around the defense. Oregon is getting good reps out of Dontae Manning and Trikweze Bridges. Bridges said he’s bouncing back and force between corner and safety. Avante Dickerson is in the mix at corner. Martin said Khamari Terrell is cross-training as much as anyone. Jalil Tucker and Jahlil Florence are in the picture as well.

“I would agree with (Coach Lanning’s) sentiment that we have a good mixture to pick from with those young guys,” Martin said. “You’ve got a lot of guys there but it’s just force-feeding them the information so that their athleticism can show up.”

For those young guys looking to work their way into the rotation, Martin wants to see them respond when their number is called — wherever that might be.

“That’s all about timing and right place right time and that type of stuff,” he said. “When that number is called it’s about who shows up. They’ve all had their negatives and they’ve all had their positives both in practices and scrimmages. We’re just going to keep pushing.”