Dreams to Reality: Jestin Jacobs opens up about transfer to Oregon, his dream school as a kid
When Jestin Jacobs announced his transfer to the Oregon Ducks earlier this offseason, it might have felt like a long time coming for the former Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker.
As a highly-rated recruit back in the 2019 class rated as the No. 10 LB in the nation, Jacobs had a school that he wanted to go to but was never offered.
He grew up as a huge fan of the Ducks, watching Marcus Mariota and De’Anthony Thomas roll through the Pac-12. But the path to playing inside Autzen Stadium didn’t immediately present itself.
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“Honestly, it was really my dream school since I was younger,” Jacobs said on Saturday after the Ducks’ spring scrimmage. “I grew up a huge Oregon fan. I mean it’s a little odd being from Ohio like a lot of Ohio State fans out there, so my family wasn’t too happy about it. But I’ve always been a big Oregon fan, I always followed them.”
Instead, Jacobs played his first three seasons for the Hawkeyes, and a strong sophomore showing put him on the map. However, injuries marred his time at Iowa, and he decided that it was time for a change of scenery.
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“I felt like I needed some change,” Jacobs said. “I got hurt in my last year, I had a lot of time to sit down to reflect, talk to my dad. And I realized that for me, for my next year, I really wanted a change. I wanted to change the scenery. I wanted to display my ability in a different way. So I felt like entering the transfer portal was the best for me.”
And wouldn’t you know it, his dream school reached out.
Fast forward a few months, and Jacobs is now in the thick of it during his first spring season wearing an Oregon uniform. He is competing for a starting linebacker spot, and working hard to bring a Big Ten physicality to the Pac-12. His teammates have raved about his abilities, and he’s quickly finding his footing in Eugene.
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Most days, Jacobs says he can’t help but take a second to look around and reflect on the fact that he finally ended up where his heart desired. He is finally wearing the green and yellow, wearing the Oregon ‘O’ on his chest.
“Honestly, sometimes I just sit back. I look at that ‘O.’ I’m walking around this place like, ‘Dang, I’m really at Oregon,'” Jacobs said. “I really started off dreaming of being able to come here. And now I’m here. So I mean, it’s just a great opportunity, just coming here to be able to work and I mean, I can’t take for granted every day because I’m finally living my dream and finally a Duck. I’m just loving it so far.”
