Fast, exciting and always well-dressed, Oregon football has been one of the stars of the modern era but who makes it onto the Ducks’ Mount Rushmore?
Oregon football doesn’t necessarily have the prestige that other Power 5 programs that we’d consider powerhouses do. However, when you think about the modern era, specifically since the turn of the 21st century, it’s hard to talk about college football without thinking about the Ducks. They have been the talk of the country and for good reason, with the brand of football, they’ve played.
Whether it was the excitement of the Chip Kelly era or their endless uniform combinations or the perpetual climb to the top of the Pac-12, Oregon has been at the forefront of the college football world. As a result, they have not only grown in popularity but have also brought in some elite talent over the years.
As we look back over the modern era of Oregon football, though, it’s worthwhile to determine who the best of the best were. That’s the goal here as we try to build the Ducks’ modern-day Mount Rushmore with the four best players since 1980.
But before we get to that quartet of greats, these three players deserve an honorable mention.
There are rightful critics of Justin Herbert and his time in Oregon as he never reached superstar status. However, he was consistently good, finishing his career second all-time in passing yards (10,541) and in passing touchdowns (95). He doesn’t crack a great list of quarterbacks but deserves his own recognition.
Over his four years in Eugene, Royce Freeman did nothing but produce. He’s Oregon’s all-time leader in rushing yards (5,621) and rushing touchdowns (60) while adding 814 career receiving yards as well. While not as spectacular at times as some, his consistency and the overall body of work speak for themselves.
While he may not be as celebrated as some, there’s no defensive force as great as Haloti Ngata. A standout on both defense and special teams for Oregon, Ngata was the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 and was voted a First-Team All-American that year as well, the Ducks’ first in over four decades.