Early Departure Ducks Legacy: Who’s The First Duck To Leave Early for NFL?

Early Departure Ducks Legacy: Who’s The First Duck To Leave Early for NFL?

Originally posted on CampusAttic.com on January 8th, 2014

Oregon CB Terrance Mitchell has decided to enter the NFL draft.

 

    ‘Tis the season, that time in the postseason before the January 15th deadline when college athletes can decide if they want to leave school before their eligibility is up and declare for the NFL draft.

     As Oregon has steadily improved, so too have the early departures, an inevitability in today’s big money football for some to choose to jump the ship early. For a few it makes total sense, having proven everything they possibly could at the college level and being 100% NFL ready, like Kenny Wheaton or Haloti Ngata.

     For others it has raised an eyebrow, appearing as a move to leave before losing their job their senior year to a younger player, like Javes Lewis and Darron Thomas. Considering the rough and tumble game of football and injuries that can and will occur, it’s understandably a matter of making a living while the body still holds up for some.

     Regardless of the motivation, this is the time of year when fans worry, checking message boards constantly for the latest rumor on this player or that, who said what, which twitter or instagram post might maybe hint at their decision (and about DAT’s now infamous instagram post of a Campus Attic image–let us reiterate once more that he just liked our drawing of him, it wasn’t an announcement of ANYTHING, as was proven by his departure).

     While fans held their breath about news of Ifo Ekpre-Olomu as the next potential player from the UO to also declare for the draft following Terrance Mitchell and De’Anthony Thomas both deciding to leave this year, there is also great comfort in knowing that at least Marcus Mariota and Hroniss Grasu are returning for the 2014 season. And now with official word from Ifo Ekpre-Olomu that he is returning for his senior year, barring a last-minute change of heart, fans can breathe easy this week.

    Kenny Wheaton, Onterrio Smith, George Wrighster, Igor Olshansky, Haloti Ngata, Jonathan Stewart, Jairus Byrd, Javes Lewis, Darron Thomas, LaMichael James, and now Terrance Mitchell and De’Anthony Thomas after their recent decisions to test the NFL waters–what was once the rarest of occurrences is now an almost annual event, somebody leaving Oregon early for a shot at the pros.

Kenny Wheaton left Oregon after the 1996 season,
taken in the 3rd round by the Dallas Cowboys.

    Kenny Wheaton in 1996 was the first Oregon player in recent history to make the leap to the NFL, foregoing his senior season after being a two-time 1st team all-Pac-10 selection and All-American, most famous for his 1994 interception vs. Washington. Wheaton had led Oregon in tackles in 1996, the only in team history to do so from the cornerback position, becoming one of the most feared and respected cover men in Pac-10 history.

     A third round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys, his career was derailed by a severe knee injury in 1999 that ended his NFL career, but he continued playing for a decade thereafter in the CFL before retiring. Regardless of how his pro career went, Wheaton remains a legend in Eugene.

    But contrary to popular belief, Kenny Wheaton was not actually the first Oregon Duck to leave school early for the NFL. That came nearly half a century earlier, when Norm Van Brocklin forgo his senior year for the NFL draft in 1949. He would go on to become the first University of Oregon player inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.

     Van Brocklin established a legacy of providing great NFL talents to the pro leagues…whether or not they had actually finished school. Let’s take a look back at where the trend began, Norm Van Brocklin — the player who established Oregon’s early departure legacy.

THE FLYING DUTCHMAN IS THE FIRST TO GO

     Nicknamed “The Flying Dutchman,” Norm Van Brocklin grew up in Walnut Creek, CA by way of South Dakota, serving in the US Navy during WWII. Joining the University of Oregon football team after being discharged from the military, Oregon coach Tex Oliver didn’t think much of the young halfback/punter, barely using him in 1946.

Norm van Brocklin was the first Oregon Duck to leave school
early for the NFL draft. ©University-of-Oregon-Libraries-
Special-Collections-and-University-Archives

 

    “He’s only a fair runner, and can’t block,” was Oliver’s assessment. Van Brocklin had been known more for baseball in high school than football, and wasn’t recruited heavily, but perhaps Oliver should have taken a closer look at the talent. He wouldn’t get a chance to, however, resigning after a 4-4-1 season in 1946.

    In 1947 a new head coach took over, Jim Aiken, and with the fresh face came a new opportunity for Norm Van Brocklin after being moved to quarterback. Oregon had an All-American candidate in halfback Jake Leicht, who had been an All-American prior to joining the war effort, but amidst a switch in offensive philosophy to the T-formation in 1947 under Aiken, Van Brocklin outshined Leicht as the young team leader.

    In the first game of the year, Van Brocklin connected for a touchdown pass to Dan Garza on just the fifth play of the game, a great start to a season in which he would throw for nearly 1,000 yards and nine TDs, huge numbers in an era when throwing the ball was rare. Leicht meanwhile led the Pacific Coast Conference in rushing yards and scoring during his senior campaign, returning to his All-American form.

    Oregon would finish that season 7-3, ending the year on a six game winning streak once Van Brocklin and Leicht found their stride–a marked improvement from the 4-4-1 record under Tex Oliver while Van Brocklin sat on the bench for most of the year, out of position.

Jake Leicht was an All-American at Oregon before and after WWII.
©University-of-Oregon-Libraries-Special-Collections-and-University-Archives

    If the 1947 season made Van Brocklin big man on campus, the 1948 season would make him a national superstar. With John McKay replacing Leicht in the backfield (McKay later becoming a hall of fame coach at USC and the first coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Oregon lost only one game in the regular season, finishing 9-1, dropping a tough battle to national champion Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI, 14-0.

     Thanks to Van Brocklin efforts, Oregon would make its first ever appearance in the AP Poll, climbing as high as 9th by season’s end.

    Van Brocklin led the PCC in passing in both 1947 and 1948, and also led the league in punting, becoming the first Oregon player to throw for more than 1,000 yards in a season (1,010 yards in 1948), but the Ducks would be denied a chance at roses. In one of the most atrocious underhanded blows from Washington adding to the already bitter rivalry, despite Oregon being a perfect 7-0 in conference the Huskies lobbied other schools hard to pick Cal over Oregon to represent the conference in the prestigious Rose Bowl.

     The Washington politicking worked, the vote going 7-3 in favor of Cal (Oregon and Cal didn’t play each other in 1948, so there was no on-field tie-breaker to settle it). When Van Brocklin learned of the news of being denied a trip to the Rose Bowl, he openly wept at the team banquet.

Action from the 1949 Cotton Bowl – Oregon vs. SMU. ©University-of-Oregon-Libraries-Special-Collections-and-University-Archives

    Denied a shot at the Rose Bowl by those bad dawgs to the north, the season instead earned Oregon a trip to the Cotton Bowl on January 1st, 1949, to play SMU–led by the legendary Doak Walker. In the game Van Brocklin was spectacular as usual, bringing Oregon back from a 14-0 deficit, but eventually lost to the Heisman Trophy winner Doak Walker and SMU Mustangs, 21-13.

    Norm Van Brocklin earned All-American honors in 1948, and many coaches and writers alike agreed that Van Brocklin was clearly the best quarterback in the country. Having earned his degree in only three years, Norm Van Brocklin did the unthinkable–he left Oregon with a year of eligibility remaining to enter the NFL draft.

VAN BROCKLIN IN THE NFL

    Norm Van Brocklin was selected in the 4th round of the 1949 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams (37th overall), as a quarterback/punter. He would play in eight games his rookie year, starting none but throwing 58 passes and kicking two punts, but by the 1950 season it was Norm’s team, leading the Rams to a playoff victory. The next year, he would lead the Rams to the NFL championship.

Norm Van Brocklin led the Los Angeles Rams to a NFL Championship in 1951.

    Over the course of a 12-year NFL career with the Rams and Philadelphia Eagles, Van Brocklin was one of the biggest stars of the NFL. Nine times selected to the Pro Bowl, the 1960 NFL MVP, he led both the Rams and Eagles to National Football League Championships. His greatest game came September 28th, 1951, when Norm Van Brocklin threw for an astounding 554 yards vs. the New York Yanks, a record that still stands after 62 years.

     Three times he led the NFL in passing, and twice in punting, also giving the Green Bay Packers the only playoff loss ever suffered during Vince Lombardi’s tenure.

   Rather than continue his playing career after his NFL MVP season in 1960, Van Brocklin again made an interesting career move, becoming the first head coach of the new expansion NFL franchise Minnesota Vikings. He coached the Vikings for six years (1961-66), followed by a seven year stint with the Atlanta Falcons (1968-74).

A CHANCE TO RETURN HOME

    A 1966 College Football Hall of Fame inductee and 1971 NFL Hall of Fame inductee, Norm Van Brocklin wanted to come home to Eugene to end his career, lobbying to take over the University of Oregon head football coach position in 1977 after the university had fired coach Don Read following a 4-7 season.

   Van Brocklin wanted to finish his career back at Oregon, but that final year of eligibility from 28 years prior wouldn’t be put to use, the university choosing instead to hire Rich Brooks as the new head football coach, an Oregon State graduate. Van Brocklin coached one year at Georgia Tech as the running backs coach in 1979, and died due to complications of a stroke in 1983 in Georgia. He was posthumously inducted into the inaugural University of Oregon Hall of Fame class in 1992.

Ad in 1977 promoting Rich Brooks’ hire as new head coach, picked over Norm Van Brocklin as Don Read’s successor.

    Today Norm Van Brocklin’s mark is permanently placed on the University of Oregon, for those adventurous and savvy enough to go exploring to seek it out. Along the path of old campus in the area once known as “Hello Walk,” in front of one of the entrances of Deady Hall, is an old bench by a tree. Like many of the benches on campus, it at initial glance has little distinction, other than a quiet place to rest in a part of campus rarely visited by students, but at its foot is a plaque marking the place where Norm Van Brocklin first met his wife.

The plaque next to the Van Brocklin bench outside Deady Hall.

The plaque reads:

It is here we met
and here we will always be
Gloria Schiewe – ‘46
Norman Van Brocklin – ‘49
——————-
Placed in loving memory
by their children

    Despite missing out on his senior year, Van Brocklin remains arguably Oregon’s greatest player in history, alongside some of the other legends who have chosen to leave early–Kenny Wheaton, Haloti Ngata, LaMichael James. Of the six NFL Hall of Famers though with UO ties, only Van Brocklin left early for the NFL, while Emil “Tuffy” Leemans transferred to George Washington after playing the 1932 season at Oregon. John Madden, another NFL hall of famer, played on the Oregon freshmen football team before transferring.

EARLY DEPARTURES TODAY

    Of the other Ducks who have answered the beckoning call, only Haloti Ngata seems a possibility so far for the NFL Hall of Fame, though LaMichael James seems likely to join Van Brocklin and other Ducks in the College Football Hall of Fame someday.

    The NFL is a very different game than in Van Brocklin’s era, but the lures of pro ball are understandable with millions of dollars at stake. This year Terrance Mitchell joins the fray as early departed Ducks, a corner with solid numbers who certainly could have used another year in college to polish his game, but has the skills to be given a shot at the next level. De’Anthony Thomas is also NFL bound, the multi-talented but enigmatic superstar RB/WR hybrid tweener, who seems likely to get his first shot in the pros as a returner.

    With a week to go to the deadline, it is unlikely that more may join Mitchell and Thomas, with nervous eyes now relaxed after second team All-American Ifo Ekpre-Olomu’s decision to return. More will follow suit in the coming years though, a chance at a paycheck taking precedent over collegiate glory. It is interesting to note though after speaking directly with several former Oregon players who spent time in the NFL how much they opine for one more chance to run out of the tunnel at Autzen Stadium, stating they would happily trade their NFL experience for one more chance to play in a big game in college against Washington or Oregon State.

    During the pep rally before the 2011 BCS National Championship – Oregon vs. Auburn, Joey Harrington declared in front of thousands of Oregon fans that he would trade his entire NFL experience for one more chance to play a game at Autzen Stadium. Hyperbole perhaps, but nonetheless the sentiment has been often stated by many Ducks who played at the highest level.

     There’s just something special about game days at Autzen Stadium, something Van Brocklin couldn’t speak of as a coach after being denied the job in 1977, but others who have chosen to leave early can speak to the difference between college life and professional. The pro game will be waiting, it will always be there for those with the skill to play, but the time in college they will never get back, especially the times they could have had but chose to miss.

    Best of luck to Terrance Mitchell and De’Anthony Thomas, and any other Oregon Ducks who choose to forgo college glory for professional paychecks. The league will wait, but if they can’t, like Van Brocklin or Wheaton their exploits in Eugene will still be fondly remembered.

Somehow, Someway Ducks Do It: The Most Improbable Finish To a Basketball Game Keeps Ducks Undefeated

Somehow, Someway Ducks Do It: The Most Improbable Finish To a Basketball Game Keeps Ducks Undefeated

Originally posted on CampusAttic.com on January 3rd, 2014

To borrow a classic phrase from Oregon lore, it was the most improbable finish to the basketball game.

Oregon celebrates on the Utah floor after an incredible comeback win. (courtesy: Salt Lake Tribune | Francisco Kjolseth)

Nobody said it would be easy. The out-of-conference preseason was over, Men’s Oregon basketball passing that test with flying colors going a perfect 12-0, but now is when the real season begins. The first step was a doozy, going to the elevation of Salt Lake City to face the mighty Utah Utes, 11-1 on the year, a scrappy squad with a quality inside presence and posting the highest field goal percentage in the nation.

It couldn’t have been a worse possible start for Oregon’s first Pac-12 conference road test, a measuring stick for the season to come in the very difficult 2013-14 Pac-12. A 1-11 shooting start by Oregon gave the Utah Utes an early lead, the Ducks coming in as the fourth best shooting team in the country and #1 in points per game, but couldn’t find the rim. Well, they could, when they blocked themselves like Richard Amardi did, doinking the ball off the rim on a wide open dunk opportunity.

The early misses inside were indicative of a talented but young Oregon team that has not yet experienced life on the road, having only played two road games in the 11-0 start to the season–a neutral site game vs. Georgetown in South Korea and an overtime win at Ole Miss. Another neutral site game played in Portland vs. Illinois could hardly be called a road game.

Perhaps it was adjusting to the elevation of Salt Lake City, perhaps sluggish from new years festivities (aren’t we all?), or just the uncertainty of the first Pac-12 road trip; whatever the cause it was a very un-Duck-like performance to start. The one thing that kept Oregon from being blown out early was Utah’s slightly less but still atrocious start, taking an early 10-2 lead but matching Oregon blow for blow in ineptitude.

It took nearly eight minutes into the first half for Oregon to show signs of life, with Dominic Artis scoring back-to-back buckets, first off a steal, then followed next series with a three-pointer. If Utah had difficulty in scoring, the one area they showed dominance was protecting the rim, forcing Oregon outside for much of the game. When the Ducks did go inside, Utah posed a large presence, blocking five shots in the first 10 minutes of play, and doubling up on points in the paint vs. Oregon (Utah-20, Oregon-10).

Dana Altman just about lost it at one point because of Oregon’s poor play vs. Utah in the first half.

Fortunately for Oregon, one thing the Ducks can do right is shoot from outside…usually. As halftime neared both times finally started finding their mark, but Oregon looked sloppy in transition, allowing easy points to the point where Coach Dana Altman was so frustrated he ripped his tie off and threw it.

For the animated in games but subdued in persona Altman, the frustrated tie throw was a new level of rage seen from him, at least since joining Oregon four years ago.

The half closed with the perfect summary of the game to that point, Amardi again being blocked at the rim, by Utah’s point guard no less, allowing for an easy transition as time expired, Utah holding a 32-28 lead.

In the first half Oregon’s season-long scoring source, Joseph Young, had managed only seven points, and the Ducks as a team were shooting only 37% from the field, plus eight turnovers–definitely not the kind of performance Oregon can put out on the road and expect to remain the 10th ranked team in the country.

The sloppy play continued for both teams to start the second half, but there was something different from Oregon, there was at least a sign of energy and effort. Whether a caffeine jolt at the half or Altman peeling the paint off the walls with his yelling, led by Jonathan Loyd as the spark-plug, Oregon started running. Not necessarily scoring, but at least running, and the result was that Oregon was able to get good looks in the paint.

Utah expanded their lead to 10 with 13 minutes remaining, 45-35, but quick transition play by Dominic Artis kept Oregon in the fight, whether finishing on his own or leading the breakaway before distributing to a teammate. A breakaway two and the foul led by Artis and finished off by Damyeon Dotson brought Oregon to within three points, 47-44. Oregon was finally coming alive.

Dominic Artis didn’t put up a lot of points, but brought a lot of energy in Oregon’s comeback. (courtesy: CBSsports.com)

The sign of true character isn’t shown when times are good, but it is in moments of diversity when a person’s true colors appear. Oregon’s resiliency showed through in its second half effort, rotating between Loyd and Artis to keep the Ducks running, and scoring. It took 31 minutes of play, but Oregon speed finally gave Oregon the lead, 49-47. From that point, the game turned wild, fast-paced transition ball, keeping the pressure on by sprinting down the floor after each rebound.

Utah had the homecourt advantage, but Oregon had the hustle advantage, the ducks closing the door on points in the paint in the final minutes through sheer effort, hanging onto a slim lead. It was a very Oregon-like finish down the stretch, making up for early mistakes, and showing that perhaps the Ducks are worthy of their rank after all, if able to overcome what was by far their worst start to a game all season.

Normally this would be a game playing right into the Ducks hands, the new foul rules leading to cheap fouls and plenty of free throws down the stretch, Oregon taking full advantage thanks to their athleticism and ability to stretch the floor. The opposite held true though against Utah, Utah clawing back with freebies to take a 62-60 lead with 42 seconds remaining.

Utah held for the final shot with the game tied 62-62, calling a timeout with 7.4 remaining for a chance at the W to knock off Oregon from the undefeated pedestal, but the three point attempt fell wide, sending a sloppy-turned-fantastic game to overtime.

In overtime, neither team could find its shot, highlighted by a bizarre dunk by Elgin Cook that mysteriously reversed direction because of the net, popping back out of the cylinder.

With under a minute, Utah held a 68-66 lead, when Damyeon Dotson found a window and drove the lane to tie it.

Utah’s set play out of the timeout with 7.4 seconds on the clock resulted in one of the most amazing finishes to an Oregon basketball game in recent memory, as Damyeon Dotson intercepted a pass in the paint, resulting in a breakaway dunk with .6 left on the clock, Oregon potentially stealing another game they probably didn’t deserve, 70-68.

Utah had an open 3-point attempt as the horn sounded from the leading scorer on the night Jordan Loveridge (21 points on 8-23 shooting), but the shot went off the rim. Outside shots proved to be Utah’s undoing in a game where they otherwise outplayed Oregon, the Utes shooting a dismal 3-19 (15.8%) from behind the 3-point line.

It was oddly fitting that after the way Oregon had been denied so many times at the rim all night, and had one dunk deciding not to go down long after falling below the rim, it would be a dunk that then won the game for the Ducks.

Kenny Wheaton would have been proud, Damyeon Dotson’s miraculous play resulting in the most improbable finish to an Oregon basketball game. Perhaps not since Greg Trapp’s miracle shot vs. UCLA in 1983 has an Oregon basketball game been decided in such an unbelievable way, and that shot in ‘83 only sent the game to overtime, it didn’t win it outright.

If beginning Pac-12 play was hopefully a chance to answer questions about the team though, the biggest remains up in the air, will the real Oregon center please stand up? Waverly Austin has been getting the starts all year, and been unimpressive, overwhelmed in the paint and providing mixed results in points. Against Utah it was Richard Amardi getting the start for the first time all season, and he too had a rough night.

It was a rough night for Richard Amardi in his first start, but he still led Oregon with 14 points. (courtesy: 247sports.com)

When Amardi’s shots weren’t getting blocked (he tallied an unenviable six of his shots blocked on the night), he was blocking himself, or otherwise looking lost. Oregon is eeking out the wins through effort and great outside shooting, but to be a realistic title contender, someone needs to step up and show an ability to play in the paint competently.

Yet despite the doubt, Amardi rallied down the stretch, adding an invaluable 14 points to lead Oregon in scoring (5-13 shooting). Somehow, someway, Oregon and its players just find a way to produce. It isn’t always pretty, but they find a way.

If this is what is to be expected of Oregon games for the remainder of the year, it means a lot of high-energy, exciting basketball yet to come. The Ducks have become must-watch, even if Matt Court seems cavernous every game, but it is not for the faint of heart. How long Oregon can continue to play with fire through slow starts and surging in the second half and not get burned seems only a matter of time, it is no formula for success expecting to survive against the cream of the Pac-12 crop. For now though, the Ducks will take the ‘W’ any way they can get it, as ugly or fast or timely as they can.

Next up for the Ducks is a game at Colorado on Saturday (2 pm on Fox Sports 1), tired legs and high-elevation making more late great heroics another tough test, but so far Oregon has answered the call at every turn. Perhaps this Utah win shows that, while Oregon is a good but inherently flawed team, they indeed have the heart to overcome any shortcomings amidst adversity and somehow, someway persevere no matter what.

Stock up on some oxygen tanks now, get in more cardio work if you can, because the 2013-14 Oregon Ducks are going to be a tense thrill ride all year long, and Altman’s boys are just getting started.

A visibly bored and yawning Phil Knight was shown at one point during the game, but by the end no doubt Uncle Phil was once more dishing out mad Respek Knuckles watching these Ducks find a way to win once more.

The Oregon Coaching Family: Oregon’s True Legacy Is In Its Family of Coaches, Not Uniforms

The Oregon Coaching Family: Oregon’s True Legacy Is In Its Family of Coaches, Not Uniforms

Originally posted on CampusAttic.com on January 2nd, 2014

    It’s easy to recite the perception of Oregon’s legacy on athletics — flashy uniforms, modern facilities, speedy style of play, Nike connections…but is this really the biggest impact on sports that the University of Oregon has had? It seems strange to think, but sleepy little Eugene has been a crossroads of coaching knowledge for a century, a must-stop on the path to success either as a player or coach; call Oregon the Harvard of X’s and O’s.

    At the heart of Oregon’s coaching tree is a pledge of continuity, a place where a coach if they want to can come and remain for many years. The life of a coach can pay well, but also be very nomadic, moving repeatedly wherever the work beckons. Oregon is the contradiction to this, a place where stability in the staff is highly sought after, in a community with a relatively low cost of living and great place to raise a family, with a football program that is beloved and supported, making for a winning and desirable combination for any coach. Above all, the coaches at Oregon exemplify teaching skills the right way, with integrity, as a family, helping to mold young men and women into positive members of society.

Mark Helfrich just completed his first year as head coach at Oregon,
but has been groomed of ryears for the job. (courtesy: USAToday)

    Mark Helfrich is the 35th University of Oregon head football coach, having just completed his first year at the helm after serving four years as offensive coordinator, but half of those 35 that have held the highest job were prior to 1913.

     In college football today, where it is rare for a coaching staff to stay fully intact from one year to the next, that stability is a reflection of doing things the Oregon way, trusting in the coaching knowledge, and considering long-term plans to achieve. When fans overreact and call for blood if something doesn’t go perfect, the administration shows loyalty, a rare trait in modern college athletics, and the results speak for themselves. Len Casanova was once hung in effigy on the UO campus by angry students in the 1950s, but the university didn’t cave to the demands…he stayed at Oregon for decades thereafter, and led Oregon to a Rose Bowl in 1958.

    There is perhaps no healthier athletic program in the country at a public university than Oregon, fiscally solvent, highly successful in competition in every sport, and a stable of top-level talented coaches with the rarest of promises — job stability. As a result, Oregon sports across the board are competing among the highest levels in the country.

     Acrobatics & tumbling are three-time national champions, men’s and women’s track & field are perennial title contenders, baseball and softball are likely to reach the college world series, men’s and women’s basketball teams both lead the nation in scoring per game, football every year is in the national title discussion, and Oregon club sports even won a national championship in ultimate frisbee.

     Sports are alive and well at Oregon, because of a dedicated effort on the part of the university to find and maintain the best coaches, while also molding the brightest sports minds in-house.

Hugo Bezdek left Oregon in 1918 for the Pittsburgh Pirates
after Shy Huntington was set to take over the program.

    It began in 1913, when Hugo Bezdek was welcomed back to Eugene after one year in 1906 as the football, basketball, and baseball coach. Bezdek remained in Eugene through the 1918 season, establishing Oregon as one of the premier teams on the west coast, culminating in victory in the East-West Tournament game, later known as the Rose Bowl, in 1917. When Bezdek left for a job as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, to maintain coaching staff continuity and continue the good times Oregon hired Charles “Shy” Huntington as new head coach, Oregon’s quarterback during Bezdek’s coaching tenure. The good times did continue, Oregon returning to the East-West Tournament game in 1920…until the university’s attempts to bring Bezdek back resulted in Huntington resigning in 1924, ending an era and sending Oregon into a rather dark time for UO athletics.

    For decades Oregon went through numerous coaching changes, until Len Casanova was hired from Santa Clara before the 1951 season. Following the Bezdek/Huntington continuity mold, Casanova established a coaching tree that has become one of the greatest in football history. Whether during the 16 years Casanova remained Oregon’s head coach, or the many decades that followed with “Cas” as athletic director and senior administrator at Oregon. When Casanova left his post as head coach, he appointed his successor to be Jerry Frei, the offensive coordinator, maintaining much of the same coaching staff.

    In the 1970s the university strayed, firing Casanova’s successor Jerry Frei and starting over with two underwhelming short tenures under coach Dick Enright (1973-1974) and Don Read (1975-1976). Replacing Read in 1977, an Oregon State alumnus was hired, Rich Brooks. Ever since, the Casanova long-tenure mold has been followed, the university becoming the prime example of maintaining coaching continuity and stability, the envy of the college football world.

    It is the patience shown by the university and long-term forward thinking that allowed the University of Oregon football program to prosper and grow into the perennial national contender it is today, something that would not have been possible had the quick trigger in changing coaches in the post Huntington 1920s or post-Frei 1970s had continued.

     Just as Casanova had supported his guys through good times and bad trusting in coaches to develop their plans without a “win now or else” mentality, so too did Rich Brooks show immense loyalty to coaches, making Oregon a welcomed place for coaches to come to ply their trade and learn. This has continued today, as Rich Brooks’ successor was his offensive coordinator Mike Bellotti, who after a 13-year tenure turned over the job to his offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who turned it over to his offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, and so the cycle of success continues.

Legendary track coach Bill Bowerman is one of many Oregon alumni who returned
to their alma mater to coach. (courtesy: UO Knight LIbrary and Special Collections)

    The Oregon way of long-term coaching support expanded beyond just football. Bill Hayward (1903-1947) spent over 40 years at the UO training athletes as track & field coach and football trainer, his successor being a former UO football player, Bill Bowerman. Bowerman revolutionized the sport of track & field in numerous ways, brought Eugene its first T&F national championship in 1962, and co-founded Nike with one of his former runners–Phil Knight.

     Bowerman’s successor was Bill Dellinger, one of Bowerman’s greatest athletes. On the women’s side, Tom Heinonen coached track & field for 28 years (1975-2002), bringing numerous titles to Eugene further establishing the “Track Town USA” reputation.

   Other sports have benefited from Oregon’s long-term loyalty. Howard Hobson (1935-1947) brought a basketball national championship to the UO in 1939. Dick Harter’s “Kamikaze Kids” were the second best team on the west coast in the 1970s during his stretch as coach (1971-1978), and it was one of Harter’s former players in Ernie Kent that returned Oregon to prominence twice reaching the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament during his time as coach (1997-2010).

Don Kirsch surrounded by some of his players after Oregon clinched a spot
in the college world series in 1954.
(courtesy: UO Knight Library and Special Collections)

 

     In baseball, Howard Hobson had coached on the diamond as well as on the basketball court for years, so when he left it was one of his former players in Don Kirsch who took over and led Oregon from 1948-1970, taking the Ducks to their only college world series appearance in 1954, before handing the team over to one of his former players, Mel Krause, who lead the program until it was cut due to budget cuts in 1981.

     Becky Sisley coached multiple sports at Oregon, and became its first women’s athletics director, during her extensive time at the university (1965-1979). Jim Radcliffe, the best strength & conditioning coach hands down in the entire country, has been working with every sport at the University of Oregon since he came to Eugene in 1985, following in the tenured trainer tradition of Bill Hayward (1903-1947) and Bob Officer (1935-1967).

    Recognizing a theme here? The University of Oregon knows a good thing when it has one, and looks to maintain the success through long-term support of its coaches and support staff. When a coach isn’t worried if they have to move after every off-season, they can look big picture at ways to maintain and improve on success, and establish an identity for the sport. The result, Oregon has its own #NationalBrand, not just in appearance, but style of play. Find the brightest minds in a sport, then hold onto them. It seems a simple concept, but easier said than done.

John Robinson may be a hall of fame coach for his time
at USC, but he started as a player and coach at Oregon.
(courtesy: UO Knight Library and Special Collections)

    14 college/NFL hall of famers have roamed the Oregon sidelines, and the pantheon of individuals who have at one time donned an Oregon jersey or taught the X’s and O’s is as impressive as any school or pro franchise. The list of coaches with Oregon roots that spent time in the NFL include Norm Van Brocklin, George Seifert, Mike Nolan, Bill Musgrave, John Madden, John McKay, John Robinson, Hugo Bezdek, Gunther Cunningham, Rich Brooks, Charlie Waters, John Ramsdell, Bruce Snyder, and Chip Kelly among others.

     Homegrown coaches at Oregon who went on to great success in the coaching ranks include Chris Peterson, Dirk Koetter, Jeff Tedford, Bob Toledo, and Al Borges among others. Norv Turner and Justin Wilcox played at Oregon before going on to become successful coaches elsewhere.

    Part of the Oregon legacy in coaching is the result of University of Oregon student-athletes choosing to cut their coaching chops at their alma mater. John Robinson and John McKay may have become legends at USC, but it was at Oregon where they played and first coached under Len Casanova’s tutelage. Denny Schuler, Brad Ecklund, and Joe Schaffeld also played at Oregon, then returned as coaches involved in college football for decades. Prink Callison, Norm Chapman, Bev Smith, Bill Bowerman, Bill Dellinger, Don Kirsch, Mel Krause, Sally Harmon, Don Pellum, Joe Reitzug, Nate Costa, Steve Greatwood and others have stayed as Duck coaches after their competition days were done. Norm Van Brocklin famously wanted to return to revitalize the program in the 1970s after his NFL coaching career ended, but Rich Brooks was chosen for the head football coach position instead.

    In fact, the Oregon coaching factory has been so successful in developing sports minds, that it prompted the football program to completely change its philosophy. By the early 2000s, the Pac-10 was swamped with former Oregon coaches at other schools implementing “the Oregon way” into other schools.

    By 2003 in some games Oregon played, both teams were using the same playbook and hand signals, everyone knew the Oregon system so well that a change was needed. In one game, Oregon quarterbacks Kellen Clemens and Jason Fife actually had to sprint to the sideline after every play to hear the play call knowing that the team couldn’t use any hand signals without the opponents knowing what Oregon was about to run next.

Becky Sisley personified Oregon’s coaching family legacy and versatility
coaching basketball, field hockey, softball, and becoming the first
UO women’s athletic director.
(courtesy: UO Knight Library and Special Collections)

 

    Hence it was that in 2005 head coach Mike Bellotti decided it was time to switch from a pro style offense to a spread system, in part to evolve with the changes in football but also a means to avoid other schools from mimicking Oregon to the tiniest of detail. With Jeff Tedford at Cal (Oregon offensive coordinator 1998-2001), Dirk Koetter at ASU (Oregon offensive coordinator 1996-1997), Tom Osborne at ASU (Oregon special teams coach 1995-2000), and other assistants with Oregon roots scattered throughout the west, there was too much familiarity in Oregon to keep any opponents surprised.

    Since the 1980s, the Oregon football staff has remained relatively unchanged, at least compared to other programs. The longevity of running backs coach Gary Campbell (1983-present), offensive line/tight end coach Steve Greatwood (1980-1994, 2000-present), linebackers coach Don Pellum (1985-1986, 1993-present), and strength & conditioning coach Jim Radcliffe (1985-present) are true rarities in the quick trigger win-now-or-else high stakes world of college football. Mike Bellotti came to Oregon in 1989 as Rich Brooks’ new offensive coordinator, and stayed in multiple roles until 2009. The staff today has its roots tracing back to Rich Brooks’ hire in 1977, during which time facilities development have completely altered Oregon football.

    It was during Rich Brooks’ time as coach (1977-1994) when he and then athletic director Bill Byrne implemented plans to upgrade the facilities at Oregon to make the program competitive, something that would not have been possible if not for a dedication to Brooks’ big picture vision for the program. Fundraising by Byrne in the early 80s led to the construction of the Autzen Stadium Sky Suites in 1986, which then funded much of the Casanova Center construction in 1989-90. From there the athletic department is almost completely unrecognizable from what it was in the 1980s, every sport’s facility either being replaced or getting massive upgrades to coincide with the multiple image and marketing campaigns. With the shiny new facilities has come success in athletics and national attention for the university, providing student-athletes with the tools they need to achieve at their absolute best.

    Consider for a moment the Chip Kelly head coaching tenure (2009-2012). During those four years Oregon was the only program in the entire country that did not have a single change in its coaching staff. During that same four year stretch, Oregon was the only program in the country to play in a BCS game every year…coincidence?

    When Kelly left following the 2012 season, he did so only after assurances that his offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich would take over, and pledged not to completely gut the entire Oregon coaching staff in his departure, maintaining the core structure per tradition established under Bezdek and Casanova and Brooks. Helfrich has been groomed for the job, a native Oregonian who was recruited by the Ducks, played high school games at Autzen, knows the history and tradition of the program, and like so many others got his coaching start at the University of Oregon as an assistant.

    But as much stability as there can be amidst staff, when humans are involved eventually change must occur. The first cog fell last week, when Nick Aliotti retired, leaving a current vacancy in Oregon’s defensive coordinator position.

Sometimes goat, sometimes great, Nick Aliotti’s always honest and gruff approach
will be sorely missed. (courtesy: OregonLive.com)

    Nick Aliotti was a running back at UC-Davis in the 1970s when Mike Bellotti was an assistant coach at his UCD alma mater. Aliotti coached for a year alongside Bellotti at UCD in 1976, before joining the Oregon coaching staff in 1978 under Rich Brooks.

     In 1980 he joined Oregon State for four years as the running backs coach, but in 1988 he returned to Oregon, a year before Mike Bellotti would join the Ducks, playing an integral role in getting Bellotti to come to Eugene. There were stints for Aliotti in the NFL alongside Rich Brooks, who also took Steve Greatwood with him to the St. Louis Rams in 1995 when Mike Bellotti took over as head coach, but after a year at UCLA Nick Aliotti returned to where he was most comfortable in 1999 — the University of Oregon.

    For years Aliotti has been the stabilizing force behind Oregon’s defenses. Sometimes a scapegoat, sometimes a hero, always brutally honest, his character and personality helped to define the family atmosphere of the coaching staff that has drawn so many student-athletes to Eugene. His loss is huge, and it will be interesting to see if Oregon chooses to continue the continuity that has led to so much success in the past, by hiring from within, or do they go outside and bring in a fresh face?

    Behind Greatwood, Campbell, Pellum, and Radcliffe are the second generation of Oregon coaches. Tom Osborne has coached tight ends and special teams in two stints at Oregon (1995-2000, 2007-present), and secondary coach John Neal (2003-present). If there is to be an internal successor to Nick Aliotti at defensive coordinator, it is likely John Neal, the good money being on the announced “national search” for a new defensive coordinator actually being a hunt for a replacement secondary coach after Neal is promoted.

There is nobody more respected or appreciated in the UO
athletic program than strength & conditioning coach Jim Radcliffe.
(courtesy: OregonLive.com)

 

    There will come a point where sadly Steve Greatwood, Gary Campbell, Don Pellum, and (gasp) Jim Radcliffe will have to retire too, the final remnants of the Casanova/Brooks lineage.

    Yet the coaching tree will live on under Helfrich’s eye whenever the stalwarts of Oregon choose to call it quits on their terms, just as Aliotti did. The next wave of coaches that clamor to call Eugene home will come, knowing it is a place where if they so choose they can set up a home for many years to come.

    Oregon is special. It’s not because of the uniforms, or facilities, or fans, or community, but a combination of all of the above; but at its very core it is the people teaching the X’s and O’s who keep the Oregon coaching factory running at full steam. It is both a factory and a family, the humans who operate the machines that are the true value, not the structures popping up each year that define Oregon.

     As long as that policy is maintained, as long as the administration and fans show trust and loyalty in the long-term plans of coaches to compete, then Oregon will continue to be successful at the highest levels of amateur athletics.

Len Casanova (left) and Jerry Frei (center) were two of the major cogs in the lineage of coaching success at Oregon that has continued through to today. (courtesy: UO Knight Library and Special Collections)