notable oregon standouts - GoDucks.com

PAST DUCKS
Jonathan Stewart (2005-07) — Few players in school
history have ever combined the speed and power as the
2007 first-team All-American (American Football Coaches
Association)…The single-season rushing (1,722) and allpurpose
yards (2,481) school record-holder was a unanimous
first-team Pac-10 all-conference selection as a junior,
his final year in Eugene before opting to enter the NFL
Draft…The Maxwell Award (College Player of the Year) and
Doak Walker Award (nation’s premier running back) semifinalist
ended his collegiate playing days with a career-best and Sun Bowl record
253 rushing yards (2nd in school history)…His bowl performance was barely his
best effort of the season, coming after 251 rushing yards (3rd in school history)
at Washington and 310 all-purpose yards (Oregon’s 8th all-time) at Stanford…
Joined Reuben Droughns as the only players in school history to run for more
than 200 yards twice in the same season, with the pair joined by Derek Loville
as the only players to accomplish the feat twice in their careers…Produced an
88-yard touchdown run in 2007 vs. Fresno State, the second-longest run from
scrimmage by a Duck…His 97-yard kickoff return in 2005 vs. Oregon State ranks
as the fourth-longest in school annals…Ran for more than 100 yards a schoolbest
14 times during his career, as Oregon compiled an 11-3 record in those contests…Completed
his Oregon career as the second-leading rusher in school history
with 2,891 yards and third all-time with 4,889 all-purpose yards…Finished
second in school history with a 28.69 career kickoff return average and ranks
third with 1,664 kickoff return yards…Selected as the 13th overall pick in the
2008 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers.
Norm Van Brocklin (1947-48) — Originating Oregon’s
quarterback legacy, tabbed the school’s all-time QB by the
Register-Guard…Twice paced the Pacific Coast Conference
in passing (1,010 yards in 1948) and punting once (40.1
avg., 1947), ending with 1,949 yards passing…”The Dutchman”
led Ducks to their first bowl game in 29 years and 16
wins in 21 games, throwing for 145 yards in the 1949 Cotton
Bowl…The 1948 All-American was picked in the fourth
round of the 1949 NFL draft by Los Angeles, accumulating
23,611 yards, 173 touchdowns and a 42.9-yard punting average in 12 seasons…
The league’s three-time passing champion and two-time punting leader led the
Rams (1949-57) and Philadelphia (1958-60) to league titles, claiming MVP honors
his final year…Proceeded to coach 13 more season with Minnesota (1961-67)
and Atlanta (1969-74)…Inducted into the National Football Foundation and College
Hall of Fame, Pro Football Hall of Fame and the university’s Athletic Hall of
Fame.
Kenny Wheaton (1994-96) — Few players have been
more revered for one play but few Oregon cornerbacks were
any better…Returned 97-yard interception for a touchdown
against Washington as a redshirt freshman (1994) to secure
the win that catapulted Ducks to their first Rose Bowl berth
in 37 years…The two-time second-team All-American and
‘96 team MVP led the Pac- 10 in interceptions as
a sophomore (7) before
leading team in
tackles (73) his junior
year…Drawing
all-conference acclaim each of his three
seasons, the
1996 first-team all-league standout ended
his collegiate career with 205 tack- l e s
(135 unassisted) and 16 intercep- t i o n s
before becoming first player i n
program’s history to opt for the
N F L
draft early…The 1997 third-round
pick of the Dallas Cowboys played
in 22 games over three seasons
(one start, 44 tackles, one interception,
two recovered
fumbles) before injuries intervened…Played
with Detroit
of the Arena Football League
in 2002 before signing with
Toronto in the Canadian Football
League in 2003…Has been
a mainstay with the Argonauts
ever since, leading them to the
Grey Cup (CFL Championship)
in 2004…Set the CFL postseason
record for longest interception
return for a touch-
Kenny Wheaton
down (116 yards) in 2004.
Jonathan Stewart
Dave Wilcox (1962-63) — The Boise Junior College
transfer made his mark on the collegiate level as an interior
lineman despite catching four passes for 57 yards as
an end his junior year…Earned third-team All-Coast honors
as a senior while named the Ducks’ most improved player,
yet gained his greatest share of notoriety at the next level…Played
a key role in Oregon’s Sun Bowl victory in 1963
and was named most valuable lineman in the 1964 Hula
Bowl…Drafted in the third round of the NFL draft by San
Francisco, accumulated 13 interceptions during an illustrious 11-year professional
career in which he played in seven Pro Bowls and was selected all-NFL on five
occasions…Earning his way into the University of Oregon Hall of Fame in 1993,
he was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame on July 29, 2000.
Gary Zimmerman (1980-83) — The premier offensive
lineman in Oregon history as well as one of the NFL’s all-time
greats completed his collegiate career by being named the
Pac-10’s top offensive lineman his senior year…The firstteam
all-conference and All-Coast choice also earned the
rare distinction of receiving league player-of-the-week accolades
following a 1983 win over California…The 12-year
NFL veteran and seven-time Pro Bowl selection was named
to the all-NFL first team on five occasions after breaking
into the professional ranks with a two-year stint in the USFL…The 1997 NFL
offensive lineman of the year accumulated a string of 169 consecutive
starting assignments before retiring from the Broncos with a Super Bowl
win following the 1998 season. The 1993 inductee into Oregon’s Hall of
Fame was formally aedded into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2008.
OREGON FOOTBALL HISTORY
2008 MEDIA GUIDE 179