It was a momentous day in Autzen Stadium history. Televisions nationwide tuned in to see the carnage ensue, expecting #4 BYU to showcase their dominance over the up-and-comers Oregon in sleepy Eugene, OR. But what they got was something far different, as what should have been a celebratory time in the spotlight for BYU’s superstar quarterback Ty Detmer instead became …
It was one of those days where by the end the masses can do little more than shrug and lament, “what else could possibly happen?” A game where the improbable and unfathomable becomes commonplace, where those who walked out early would regret it for a lifetime. A game that would be talked about for years to come, and for those …
Part 3: Going Their Separate Ways — Friends Struggle to Succeed On Separate Paths For The First Time For friends Jaiya Figueras and Kenny Wheaton, their first couple of years at the University of Oregon had seen the pendulum swing wildly. After their redshirt season in 1993 watching their teammates struggle to win, the two roommates had spearheaded the improbable …
Part 2: Jaiya Figueras: The hero’s coming out party arrives early in 1995 The 1994 season was special for the players and fans alike. The sting of losing seasons had been washed away with an improbable run to the Pac-10 title and Rose Bowl berth. It was a huge surprise to everyone, except roommates Jaiya Figueras and Kenny Wheaton, who …
Part 1: Jaiya Figueras and Kenny Wheaton: Freshmen Roommates Driven to Succeed Every Oregon Duck fan can probably recite verbatim the infamous Jerry Allen call of Kenny Wheaton’s interception versus Washington in 1994, or fondly remember Joey Harrington hitting Samie Parker in stride for an 80 yard touchdown in the 2002 Fiesta Bowl, or Marcus Woods flattening BYU quarterback Ty …