Oregon Ducks

General Information

• NCAA Division: Division I
• Conference: Pac-12
• City: Eugene, Oregon
• Stadium: Autzen, Oregon

Championships

• National Championships: None
• Conference Titles:14
• Division Titles: 6
• Bowl Record: 16-20

Past Conferences

• OIFA (1894-1895)
• Independent (1896-1901, 1903-1907, 1909-1911, 1959-1963)
• NIAA (1902, 1908, 1912-1915)
• PCC (1916-1958)

Oregon Duck Football History

The Oregon Ducks’ inaugural season was in 1894 under head coach Cal Young. The Ducks joined the Pacific Coast Conference in the early 1900s. Hugo Bezdek led the Ducks to a 7-0-1 overall record in 1916. They went on to beat Pennsylvania in the Rose Bowl.

The Ducks wouldn’t make another Rose Bowl for nearly 40 seasons under head coach Len Casanova. Casanova coached the Ducks from 1951-1966. After three underwhelming seasons, Casanova led the Ducks to a 6-4 record in 1954 and 1955. In 1957, the Ducks finished 7-4 and were invited to the Rose Bowl. Casanova would lead the Ducks to one more bowl game in 1963 before becoming the Athletic Director in 1967. He finished his career with a 104–94–11 overall record, a conference championship and a 1-2 bowl record.

The remainder of the 60s and the entire 70s were underwhelming. They enjoyed just two winning seasons during the 70s.

Rich Brooks was hired as head coach in 1977. Brooks led the Ducks to eight winning seasons during his tenure. The Ducks appeared in four bowl games from 1989-1994. In 1989, the Ducks finished 8-4 and got an invitation to the Independence Bowl. They went on to play and defeat Tulsa 27-24. In 1990, they finished 8-4 again and lost 32-31 against Colorado State in the Freedom Bowl. The Ducks’ best season under Brooks came in 1994. They finished with a 9-4 overall record and a career-best 7-1 conference record. They won the Pac-10 and appeared in the Rose Bowl where they fell to Penn State 38-20. Brooks has the most wins in school history with 91 and the most losses in school history with 109.

Mike Bellotti was named head coach in 1995. Bellotti led the Ducks to 14 winning seasons during his 15-year stint. Additionally, the Ducks appeared in 12 bowl games during his tenure. The Ducks finished 9-3 and were invited to the Cotton Bowl in Bellotti’s first season. The Ducks made a bowl game in seven straight seasons from 1997-2003. The Ducks were especially successful in 2000 and 2001. The 2000 season ended with the Duck going 10-2 overall and 7-1 in conference play.

They won the Pac-10 conference and went on to defeat Texas in the Holiday Bowl. In 2001, the Ducks finished with an 11-1 overall record and a 7-1 conference record. They won the Pac-10 again and went on to beat Colorado in the Fiesta Bowl. After a couple of okay seasons from the Ducks, they put up 10 wins in 2005. The Ducks went on to lose a heartbreaker to Oklahoma in the Holiday Bowl. The Ducks went 9-4 in 2007 and won the Sun Bowl. In 2008, led by quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, the Ducks finished 10-3. The Ducks finished the season ranked in the top 10 and beat Oklahoma State in the Holiday Bowl. Bellotti resigned after the 2008 season.

Chip Kelly went on to coach the Ducks in 2009. Kelly had the best four-year run in Oregon Ducks’ history. The Ducks won at least 10 games in each of his four seasons at the helm. The Ducks finished with a 10-3 overall record and an 8-1 conference record in Kelly’s first season as head coach. The Ducks would go on to lose in the Rose Bowl to Ohio State. Kelly’s best season came in 2010. The Ducks finished with a 12-1 overall record and a 9-0 conference record.

They were led by Kelly and explosive running back and Doak Walker Award winner LaMichael James. They went on to play in the BCS National Championship where they lost to the Auburn Tigers 22-19. The Ducks finished with a 12-2 record in 2011 and won their third straight Pac-12 championship. They also beat Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. In 2012, the Ducks finished with a 12-1 record. They were invited to the Fiesta Bowl where they beat Kansas State 35-17. Kelly left Oregon to coach the Philadelphia Eagles. He finished his career with a 46–7 overall record and a 33-3 conference record. Additionally, the Ducks won three Pac championships and made four BCS bowl games.

Mark Helfrich coached the Ducks from 2013-2016. The Ducks picked up right where they left off in Helfrich’s first season. They finished with an 11-2 record and went on to win the Alamo Bowl. The Ducks finished with a 13-2 record in 2014. The Ducks were led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota. The Ducks made the NCAAF playoffs in its inaugural season. They beat the defending champs Florida State in the Rose Bowl but fell to Ohio State in the National Championship. In 2015 the Ducks finished with a 9-4 overall record and a 7-2 conference record. In 2016, the Ducks suffered their first and only losing season under Helfrich. After a 4-8 record, the Ducks and Helfrich parted ways. He finished his career with a 37-16 overall record and a 24-12 conference record.

Mario Cristobal coached the Ducks from 2017-2021. He led the Ducks to a winning season in each of his four seasons. The Ducks finished with a 9-4 overall record and beat Michigan State in the Redbox Bowl. 2019 was Cristobal’s best season at the helm. Senior quarterback Justin Herbert led the Ducks to a 12-2 overall record, an 8-1 conference record and a Pac-12 championship. Herbert and the Ducks went on to beat Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. Herbert left for the draft and was selected in the first round by the Los Angeles Chargers. The Ducks finished with a 10-3 record in 2021 but unfortunately lost the Alamo Bowl to Oklahoma. Cristobal left Oregon and took the head coaching job at Miami. He left Oregon with a 35-13 overall record and a 23-9 conference record. He also led the Ducks to two Pac-12 championships.

Dan Lanning is the current coach at Oregon and led them to a 10-3 record in his first season at the helm.

All Time Stats

Passing Yards

Marcus Mariota: 10,796
Justin Herbert: 10,541
Bill Musgrave: 8,343
Danny O’Neil: 8,301
Kellen Clemens: 7,555

Rushing Yards

Royce Freeman: 5,621
LaMichael James: 5,072
Kenjon Barner: 3,623
Derek Loville: 3,296
Travis Dye: 3,111

Receiving Yards

Samie Parker: 2,761
Tony Hartley: 2,744
Keenan Howry: 2,698
Demetrius Williams: 2,660
Jaison Williams: 2,546