When talking about the head coach who started Oregon on its winning ways in the modern age, people often think of Chip Kelly — he is the one who built the program, many would proclaim. While Kelly did certainly have a lot of success at Oregon, Mike Bellotti is the man who first set Oregon on course with a culture of winning. …
Mariota Looking to Buck Trend of Ducks Busting in the NFL
Former Ducks football players can be found across the NFL. Oregon even had the distinction of having more former players starting in last year’s Super Bowl than any other college team with three. Over the last 20 years, 71 Oregon players have been selected in the NFL Draft, including nine first-round picks. In the 2015 draft, Marcus Mariota became the …
Oregon’s Turn-Around — The Beginning
“The Pick” by Kenny Wheaton is one of, if not the most memorable and iconic plays in Oregon football history. However, as great as it was, it did not necessarily signify the turning point of the program. That notion belonged to Joey Harrington, and to our delight, it was also the downfall of the Washington Husky program. Before Marcus Mariota, …
Historically Incomparable Mariota Will Set New Standard for NFL Quarterbacks
Every spring when the NFL Draft rolls around, scouts and analysts look to compare the best collegiate players to established professional stars. This makes sense to a certain extent, as it provides a level of comfort and perspective for teams deciding between different prospects. The problem is that this process assumes every player entering the draft is comparable to someone …
As Marcus Mariota Moves Forward, It’s Time We Look Back
Marcus Mariota is the greatest Oregon quarterback to play at the school. That is a well-accepted statement around Eugene these days. But with Mariota headed for the NFL, it’s about time to remember some other Oregon quarterbacks who have made it to the big stage. Mariota has a chance to be the highest Duck drafted in the Common Era if …
Multiple Ducks Drafted in the First Round?
2014 was a historic year for the Oregon football team. The Ducks finished the season with 13 wins, a Rose Bowl victory and a berth in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Now it appears the success might transfer to the next level, too. We know the NFL Draft has its surprises, but could we see multiple Ducks …
The Day the Ducks Stunned Nick Saban!
From Video It was a critical point in the rise or fall of Oregon football. The Ducks had clawed their way out of mediocrity (or worse) to gain berths in two high profile bowl games, lost them both and then fallen back to two mediocre five-loss seasons in a row. Would our Ducks backslide to the truly bad old days of two-win seasons, …
Biggest Key to Akili’s Smith’s Success: Michael Klews
The Akili Smith Era was a special time at Oregon. Many fans remember Smith for his arm as well as amazing ability to scramble. Aside from Smith were also great rushers such as Reuben Droughns, Saladin McCullough who rumbled past opponents. However, such success never could have been achieved without one of the most under rated offensive line units in …
Viva Las Vegas: Oregon Lights up the Strip in Air Force domination
Beloved stars Akili Smith, Pat Johnson, and Saladin McCullough shined brightly among the glit of “the strip” of Las Vegas at this time fifteen years ago. To this day, no game in Oregon football history compares to the explosive opening of the 1997 Las Vegas Bowl. Despite their success over the past two decades, no other Oregon game began with …