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Several Ducks make ESPN list of top 90 QBs in this century
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- Several Ducks make ESPN list of top 90 QBs in this century
Over the past 25 years and even beyond that, the Oregon Ducks football program has been blessed with some quality quarterback play going back to Norm Van Brocklin and Dan Fouts.
But it is in this century that the quarterback play in Eugene has gone up a notch or two. The Ducks even secured their first and only Heisman Trophy winner in Marcus Mariota .
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Oregon coach Dan Lanning is working hard to make sure this tradition continues as two of his quarterbacks, in fact the only two, appear on this list. Duck fans are hoping sophomore quarterback and former 5-star recruit Dante Moore continues this trend. Assuming he does, the Ducks are in for more success in the coming years .
ESPN put together a list of the Top 90 (why not 100 is sort of strange) quarterbacks to play in the last quarter century. Here are the Ducks represented in the list and what writer Bill Connelly had to say about each one.
Joey Harrington (1998-2001)
10 Nov 2001: Quarterback Joey Harrington #3 of the Oregon Ducks drops back to pass against the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The Ducks defeated the Bruins 21-20. DIGITAL IMAGE Mandatory Credit: Jeff Gross/ALLSPORT
Rank:62
Career Stats:6,057 yards, 52 TD, 21 INT
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ESPN says:After averaging about eight wins per year, Mike Bellotti's Oregon program leaped forward when Harrington entered the starting lineup. They went 21-3 in two years and finished 2001 No. 2 in the polls after Harrington's 350-yard Fiesta Bowl performance.
Bo Nix (2019-23)
Oregon quarterback Bo Nix throws out a pass during warm-ups as the No. 12 Oregon Ducks host the No. 10 Utah Utes in Oregon s final home game of the season at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. Ncaa Football Oregon Utah Football Utah At Oregon
Rank:29
Career Stats:15,351 yards, 113 TD, 26 INT
ESPN says:His career stats definitely got a boost from the bonus year of eligibility associated with the 2020 season, but in two seasons at Oregon, he was otherworldly. Two losses to Washington were the only blemishes in an otherwise perfect senior season that saw him complete 77 percent of his passes for 4,508 yards and an eye-popping 45-3 TD-INT ratio.
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Dillon Gabriel (2019-24)
Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel throws out a pass during warm ups as the Oregon Ducks host the Boise State Broncos Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.
Rank:24
Career Stats:18,722 yards, 155 TD, 22 INT
ESPN says:Gabriel also took advantage of the 2020 bonus eligibility year to become the No. 2 passer of all time. He threw for more than 7,000 yards at UCF and nearly 7,000 at OU before leading Oregon to an unbeaten regular season and the No. 1 seed in the first 12-team CFP as a senior. Bonus year or not ... just look at those ridiculous numbers above!
Marcus Mariota (2012-14)
EUGENE, OR - SEPTEMBER 1: Marcus Mariota #8 of the Oregon Ducks calls a play against the Arkansas State Red Wolves on September 1, 2012 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. Oregon won the game 57-34. (Photo by Craig Mitchelldyer/Getty Images)
Rank:9
Career Stats:10,796 yards, 105 TD, 14 INTs
ESPN says:By 2014, Oregon's defense had fallen off pretty significantly, allowing 27+ points in seven games. And it didn't matter in the slightest because the Ducks had Mariota. It's hard to call someone underappreciated when he won the Heisman and went second in the NFL draft the next year ... but even in an age of gaudy stats, his 2014 totals -- 5,224 combined passing and rushing yards and 57 combined TDs -- stand out.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks well represented in ESPN's Top 90 QBs of this century
