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Kamp focused on getting more looks

The way Mesa (Ariz.) Mountain View's defense is designed, defensive end Sam Kamp is supposed to push running backs to the outside so linebackers can make the tackles.
Kamp deals with double teams too but still put up big numbers last season - 68 tackles, eight sacks, two fumble recoveries and an interception. He plays with what he calls "aggressive meanness" and so far it's worked out well for him.
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"The defensive end position is all about aggressiveness, just trying to get after the ball, knowing the ball is the most important thing on the field," Kamp said. We just have to get it back and not let them get any forward progress.
"What our coaches teach us is we have to play to the way of our team. It's not always about getting past the guy, sometimes you just have to hold that hole or take on a pulling guard just to help out your linebackers, anything to make them go horizontally up the field because we don't want them to score or get any yards."
It has to be frustrating every Friday night to deal with two blockers, getting chipped, having to get past a tackle and a tight end or a back coming down to block but Kamp, a 6-foot-5, 237-pound recruit, takes it all in stride.
He's much more concerned about the success of his defense than his personal stats, even though those are pretty solid as well.
"I see a lot of double teams especially from tight ends when I play on the strong side," Kamp said. "The thing with a double team is you have to learn how to sacrifice yourself and push through it and hold it and not try to get around it and make the tackle for yourself. If the linebacker makes the tackle I feel good about that too. I don't always have to make direct contact.
"With my team especially, the point of our defensive line is to try to get linebackers tackles so when I get a tackle it's usually because someone messed up. Our defensive line is designed to force the running backs to go outside basically so that our linebackers can make tackles on the outside."
Recruiting has picked up recently for Kamp, who said he's hearing a lot more from Oregon and that's a good thing because he likes the Ducks a lot. San Diego and California have also reached out but Kamp said Oregon is on him the hardest as the spring continues.
"I love Oregon's fan base," Kamp said. "They're the coolest thing in the world to me because they're so crazy and they have a lot of speed and intensity when they play. I love the way they play. I don't know how serious they are about me but I hope they're serious."
With no offers yet, Kamp said he plans to target a bunch of Pac-10 and Mountain West schools this spring and summer for junior days and camps. A trip to Oregon could be in the works.
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