High-flying offense, extravagant uniforms, and one of the best mascots in college sports are just some of the things that come to mind when discussing Oregon football. The Ducks have carved out a clear identity for themselves and have become one of the most exciting teams in college football history. Although they haven't won a national championship yet, they are a consistent threat and are bound to break through someday.
With such a consistently strong team, many great players have played their home games at Autzen Stadium. Today, we're going to be ranking the top five Oregon football players of all time.
An important disclaimer before we get started: we are only judging these players based on their careers at Oregon. For instance, Dan Fouts is an NFL legend and would undoubtedly make the list if we were considering his NFL career. However, his college stats weren't that great even at the time, so he just gets an honorable mention instead. We will still mention their pro careers, but they won't factor into the rankings.
5. DT Haloti Ngata, 2002-05
Haloti Ngata was fantastic in his time at Oregon and could have been even higher on this list if not for injury. Ngata had a strong freshman season in 2003, finishing with 3.5 sacks and earning freshman All-American honors. He, unfortunately, tore his ACL in the season opener in 2003 but came back even stronger in the following years.
In 2004 and 2005, Ngata recorded 107 tackles, 17.5 for loss, and 6.5 sacks across both seasons. His 2005 season was particularly special, as he was the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and a consensus All-American. Ngata was also a monster on special teams, blocking seven kicks in his three-year career.
Ngata's Oregon career laid the foundation for his stellar NFL career, as he played 13 seasons and won Super Bowl XLVII with the Baltimore Ravens.
4. RB Mel Renfro, 1961-63
Mel Renfro was a true Swiss Army Knife player in an era where such players were extremely rare. He could run, catch, block and everything else one could ask of a running back. Renfro even became the team's backup quarterback in 1963 and ran track at Oregon as well.
Across his three-year career, Renfro rushed 269 times for 1,540 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also added 41 catches for 644 yards and five touchdowns as well. Renfro was a consensus All-American in 1962 and a second-team All-American in 1963.
Renfro then played 13 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, winning two Super Bowls in the process. However, Renfro primarily played safety instead of running back in the NFL, but did see some time at running back too. This fact only adds to Renfro's remarkable versatility, that he showed at Oregon.
3. WR/RB Ahmad Rashad (formerly Bobby Moore), 1969-71
Ahmad Rashad, originally known as Bobby Moore, was another extremely versatile player at Oregon. He began his career at wide receiver in 1969, catching 54 passes for 786 yards and 10 touchdowns, still the second-most touchdowns in a single season at Oregon. Rashad also rushed for 171 yards and 5 touchdowns that season, and then switched to running back in 1970.
Over the next two seasons, Rashad ran for 2,135 yards and 13 touchdowns. He continued to be a threat in the passing game too, with 779 yards and eight touchdowns receiving in that time. When he left Oregon, he did so as the Ducks' all-time leader in rushing yards and receptions. A 2007 College Football Hall of Fame inductee, Rashad has more than earned his place among Oregon's greatest.
2. RB LaMichael James, 2008-11′
LaMichael James is easily the most electric rusher in Oregon football history, and one of the most electric in college football history too. In each of his three seasons as a Duck, James rushed for over 1,500 yards and 14 touchdowns. James earned many accolades throughout his career, including the Doak Walker Award and two first-team All-American selections.
Arguably James' best season came in 2010, when he rushed for 1,731 yards and a school-record 21 touchdowns to lead Oregon within seconds of a national title. He then followed up with 1,805 yards and 18 touchdowns on over seven yards a carry in 2011. Although he didn't have much NFL success, James' accomplishments at Oregon definitively earn him the penultimate spot on this list.
1. QB Marcus Mariota, 2012-14
Marcus Mariota is the greatest Oregon football player ever without question. His hardware collection, which includes the Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Award and plenty more, dwarfs that of any other Duck. Although, Mariota did far more than just collect trophies in his time at Oregon.
To this day, Mariota is still Oregon's all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns. He did this in just three seasons, while it took Justin Herbert four to earn second place. His 134 total touchdowns blow also blow any other Duck out of the water, as the next closest player has 77.
Mariota's 2014 season made him truly legendary, as he accounted for 5,224 total yards and 57 total touchdowns to lead Oregon to the National Championship Game. Even with how many great players have come through Oregon, it's hard to see anyone passing Mariota any time soon.
Follow Us
Subscribe