The Oregon Ducks’ biggest pro sports star of this century is… Justin Herbert?

Since 2000, the Oregon Geese soccer group has reached double-digit wins 12 occasions. That’s greater than numerous colleges in that span, together with school soccer packages laden with custom like Michigan (eight seasons), Florida (9), Notre Dame (9), and USC (11). There have been many unforgettable moments, coaches, and gamers from Chip Kelly to Heisman winner Marcus Mariota to the Nationwide title loss to Cam Newton to De’Anthony “Black Mamba” Thomas to Dennis Dixon, and LeGarrette Blount.

Nonetheless, after I say “Justin Herbert” what yellow and green-clad recollections come to thoughts? Of these 12 seasons with 10-plus wins, Herbert was solely concerned in one among them: His 12-win senior season when Oregon misplaced the opening contest to Auburn and blew any likelihood on the School Soccer Playoff with a late-season loss to Arizona State. Shit, I’ve extra recollections of Jeremiah Masoli within the shotgun than something the present Chargers star did at Autzen Stadium, and that’s probably because of the upheaval throughout Herbert’s tenure, taking part in for 3 totally different coaches his first three seasons, with the group profitable 20 video games over that timeframe, tied for this system’s worst three-year run for the reason that flip of the century.

I’m not knocking Herbert or questioning Eugene’s personal Oregon card, I’m simply saying it’s bizarre that of all of the expertise that’s popped off the display for the Geese, Herbert will most likely be the NFL face of the varsity’s current success. (Shout out OGs Dan Fouts and Ahmad Rashad.) Certain, there’s Haloti Ngata, Patrick Chung, and the couple years Jonathan Stewart was related in Carolina, however a defensive deal with, a cog within the Patriots system, and a man who cut up carries with DeAngelo Williams aren’t precisely Wheaties Field materials in the identical trend that Mariota and even Royce Freeman had been.

All of us keep in mind how a lot of a beast Derrick Henry was at Alabama, proper? The 2015 Heisman Trophy winner completed the yr with 2,219 yards dashing, 91 yards receiving, and 28 complete touchdowns. Freeman, a sophomore at Oregon that yr, totaled 2,184 yards from scrimmage — solely 126 lower than Henry’s 2,310 — and 19 scores. We all know how Freeman turned out, sadly.

Herbert positively put up his justifiable share of numbers, ending second at school historical past in profession passing yards (10,796) and second in profession passing touchdowns (95). Mariota, after all, holds the first-place information for these respective stats.

There additionally was an odd quantity of slander going into the draft, with critics bemoaning his honesty; unnamed scouts calling him “mushy,” “Immature,” and “quirky;” and Desmond Howard dropping the Joey Harrington comp.

Former Oregon coach Willie Taggert mentioned throughout his brief time in Eugene that he’s in search of a frontrunner, somebody who does extra than simply throw touchdowns — and possibly he’s discovered what he’s in search of at Florida Atlantic, the place he now coaches after getting canned at Florida State, the varsity he left Oregon for after one season.

Quick ahead a handful of years, and it’s onerous to discover a High 5 NFL QB checklist with out Herbert on it.

By way of two seasons, he’s amassed 9,350 yards passing (together with topping 5,000 yards in 2021), 69 landing passes, eight dashing TDs, and 25 interceptions.

To place that in perspective, Joe Burrow, the QB taken first general within the 2020 NFL Draft (Herbert was taken 5 picks later), has 7,299 yards, 47 passing TDs, 5 dashing scores, and 19 picks in 26 begins. He must common 342 yards and three-plus TD throws in his subsequent six video games to match Herbert’s tempo.

Los Angeles’ struggles with late-game collapses have been the defining trait of the Chargers since Philip Rivers, and ask any Geese supporter about how a lot they trusted Mario Cristobal in a giant sport. Placing the blame on Herbert is misplaced and unfair.

The thought for this piece got here from me pondering who’s probably the most well-known — not greatest — professional sports activities Duck of the up to date period, and earlier than my mind un-farted and I used to be reminded of Herbert, there’s an argument it’s the New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu. (Have you ever seen her Nikes? They’re cleannnnn.)

Nonetheless, after solely two seasons within the NFL, there’s little doubt who’s the face of Oregon athletics in professional sports activities. It’s Herbert, and it’s nice to see a college that’s been extremely profitable lastly get a star worthy of that kind.