Oregon football all-time roster: Offensive starters and backups
The Ducks may not have the thick history books of schools like Ohio State or Alabama, but when it comes to recent success, there are few teams with a resume like Oregon.
There’s a Heisman Trophy winner, multiple trips to the national championship game, and endless records thanks to Chip Kelly and his literal game-changing blur offense that helped make Oregon a national brand.
To help celebrate that brand, we wanted to look back into the history books and try to put together an all-time roster. In a collaborative effort, the entirety of USA TODAY’s College Wire sites did the same, and we will see who’s all-time team stands the strongest.
Let’s start with the offense. Here’s a look at the Ducks Wire all-time offensive starters and backups:
Check out our other College Wire all-time lineups: Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / Iowa / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / USC / Wisconsin
Starting QB: Marcus Mariota
(Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
You win the school’s first Heisman Trophy and put up astonishing numbers during your time in Eugene, you earn the distinction of best QB in Oregon history. That seems reasonable. With a 36-5 overall record in three seasons with the Ducks, Mariota eventually was drafted with the 2nd overall pick by the Tennessee Titans after throwing for almost 11,000 yards and 105 touchdowns, adding 29 touchdowns on the ground.
Backup QB: Joey Harrington
Jeff Gross/ALLSPORT
Arguably the quarterback who helped turn around the program for Oregon, Joey Harrington led the Ducks to a win over Colorado in the Fiesta Bowl, throwing for 350 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 38-16 win. Harrington was drafted by the Detroit Lions at No. 3 overall after throwing for almost 7,000 yards and 59 touchdowns in 3 years with the Ducks.
Starting RB: Royce Freeman
(Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images)
Freeman is first in school history in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, total yards from scrimmage, and total touchdowns, so it’s really hard to not give him the starting spot. Freeman rushed for over 1,300 yards three times while in an Oregon uniform, and he finished his illustrious collegiate career first in Pac-12 history in touchdowns, second in both yards from scrimmage and rushing yards.
Backup RB: LaMichael James
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
James ran for over 1,500 yards all three years at U of O, scoring 53 touchdowns on the ground and adding another four through the air. He did most of his damage in 2010, when he finished third in Heisman voting, although his junior year wasn’t too shabby either with 1,805 yards on the ground and 18 touchdowns. He is second in school history in basically every major rushing category, making it a natural fit for him to be No. 2 on this depth chart.
Starting WR: Keenan Howry
Otto Greule /Allsport
Howry is part of a four-way tie for the school lead in receiving touchdowns, with 24, but he gets the nod over the other three because his receiving yards total (2,698) is third in school history and his total receptions, 173, is fourth. Picking a top WR was among the toughest position on this list, but Howry’s consistent dominance gave him the nod.
Starting WR: Samie Parker
(Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
Parker is in first place in total receptions (tied with Maehl) and first in receiving yards as well, which is enough to give him a starting spot even if he’s only ninth in total receiving touchdowns at 19. Alongside Joey Harrington, Parker contributed right away as a freshman and put together two more strong seasons before he really balled out as a senior – totaling 1,088 yards and seven touchdowns across 77 receptions.
Starting WR: Tony Hartley
Todd Warshaw /ALLSPORT
Hartley’s career at Oregon was long and consistent, but he did have one standout season in 1998 when he had 48 receptions for 1,015 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 21.1 yards per reception that season was second in the Pac-10 and ninth in the NCAA, certifying him as one of the elite deep threats in all of college football.
Backup WR: Jeff Maehl
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Maehl was a steady contributor during some of Oregon’s most successful seasons, hauling in a school record 178 receptions for 2,311 yards and 24 touchdowns while in Eugene. He did most of that damage as a senior, where he led the Pac-10 with 12 receiving touchdowns and finished second in both receptions (77) and yards (1,076). To this day, Maehl stands as one of the biggest fan-favorites in school history.
Backup WR: Josh Huff
Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports
Huff spent four seasons in Eugene, contributing right away as a freshman and steadily improving each season until he exploded as a senior in 2013, hauling in 62 receptions for 1,140 yards and 12 touchdowns. His 24 total receiving touchdowns is tied for first in school history and 23rd in the Pac-12.
Backup WR: Demetrius Williams
(Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
Williams spent four years with the Ducks, posting outstanding seasons as a sophomore in 2003 and again as a senior in 2005. All told he finished with 162 receptions for 2,660 yards and 20 receiving touchdowns, finishing in the top-6 in school history in all three categories.
Starting TE: Ed Dickson
(Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
Dickson is pretty clearly Oregon’s most accomplished tight end, racking up 124 receptions in four seasons with the Ducks. He twice topped 500 receiving yards in a season, rare for collegiate tight ends, and his 14.5 yards per reception ranked eighth in the Pac-12 in 2008.
Backup TE: Justin Peelle
Jeff Gross/Getty Images
Peelle was one of Oregon’s most prolific pass-catching tight ends, hauling in 63 receptions for 944 yards and 14 touchdowns across three seasons in Eugene at the turn of the century.
Starting Center: Dan Weaver
(Photo by: Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
Dan Weaver came to Oregon as a walk-on and earned the starting center spot early in his sophomore season. Weaver went on to start over 30 games in his career, and was a two-time RImington Trophy nominee as one of the nation’s top centers.
Backup Center: Jordan Holmes
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jordan Holmes was a four-year player for the Ducks, and he was named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List for the nation’s best center. He started all 13 games for the Ducks in 2009.
Starting Guard: Gary Zimmerman
Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports
A member of the Oregon Ducks Hall of Fame and the NFL Hall of Fame, Gary Zimmerman was selected to a pair of All-American teams and was voted the best offensive lineman in the Pac-10 in 1983. Zimmerman went on to appear in seven Pro Bowls in the NFL, winning one super bowl and being named a First-Team All-Pro five times.
Starting Guard: Shane Lemieux
Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
Shane Lemieux started 52 consecutive games at left guard for the Ducks and played an impressive 3,611 snaps over his career. Lemieux was named a first-team All-American as a junior, and was drafted by the New York Giants in 2020.
Backup Guard: Adam Snyder
(Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)
A core part of the 2001 Ducks who won the Fiesta Bowl, Snyder left Oregon as the most decorated lineman to date, only the third Duck to win the Morris Trophy for the top lineman in the Pac-10.
Backup Guard: Mark Lewis
A two-year starter for the Oregon Ducks, Mark Lewis was a First-Team All-Pac-10 in 2008. Was also a renowned track and field athlete, posting the school’s fifth all-time mark in the indoor shot put.
Starting Tackle: Penei Sewell
(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins, File)
One of three unanimous First-Team All-Americans in Ducks history, Sewell was the top-graded OL in Pro Football Focus history. He won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s best OL in 2019, as well as the Morris Trophy and was voted the Pac-12 Player of the Year. Drafted No. 7 overall by the Detroit Lions in 2021, Sewell became the highest-drafted OL in Ducks history.
Starting Tackle: Geoff Schwartz
(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
A three-year starter at right tackle, Geoff Schwartz had 36 starts with the Ducks. A second-team All-Pac-10 selection in 2007, Schwartz also left school with the Oregon Ducks record for squat strength training at 505 pounds.
Backup Tackle: Max Unger
(Photo By Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
A three-year starter at right tackle, Geoff Schwartz had 36 starts with the Ducks. A second-team All-Pac-10 selection in 2007, Schwartz also left school with the Oregon Ducks record for squat strength training at 505 pounds.
Backup Tackle: John Beckett
Introduced into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1972, John Beckett was a jack of all trades, playing at tackle, halfback, and occasionally punter. Becket helped the Ducks to their first Rose Bowl victory in 1917 and was Oregon’s first football All-American.
