From walk-on to Hometown Hero, Bryce Boettcher's last bout with Oregon State means more

Bryce Boettcher has come a long way.

It was only a few years ago that the South Eugene graduate showed up at the University of Oregon and decided to walk on to the football team, famously joining the team for "a t-shirt and a backpack." He made some early impressions, though he ended up being more of a headache for Dan Lanning in the beginning. It wasn't his attitude, but rather his drive that was the problem.

You see, Boettcher couldn't stop hitting people. In a physical sport like football, that's rarely a problem. But in Boettcher's case, he was hitting the wrong people.

“He would hit anybody," Lanning said ahead of Boettcher's final Civil War rivalry game against Oregon State. "He'd hit a punter on a punt drill, right? Like it didn't matter, Bryce would hit anybody. And the way you learn not to hit people is you have to go take a really long lap and go run. He did a lot of running early."

So Bryce ran, and he learned. It took some time, and a couple of near in-practice fights, but the walk-on turned safety, turned linebacker finally got it.

“I never did hit a quarterback. I knew that would kind of be over the top; I wouldn't be on the team anymore," Boettcher laughs. "But I got Bucky (Irving) a couple of times. Almost got in a fight with Coach Lock(lyn) at practice over that one. ... I hit Jordan James in a bowl game, gave him a quad contusion at the Holiday Bowl, and I almost got into a fight with Coach Lock(lyn) again on that one. So, yeah, you know, I made a little adjustment to my play style in practice.”

The playing style isn't the only thing that has changed for Boettcher over the years. After a successful baseball career with the Ducks , he was drafted by the Houston Astros a year ago, but decided to come back and play one final season under Lanning, adding on 25 pounds of muscle and attempting to make the leap to the NFL. He went from that kid constantly running laps to the face of the program, representing the Oregon Ducks at Big Ten Media Days.

He grew, and he became a leader of the team that he had obsessed over as a kid. And now, as we hurdle towards his final rivalry game against the hated Beavers , Boettcher has had a chance to reflect on the miles he's traveled.

Earlier this week, that meant taking a moment for himself. While his teammates were getting some extra drill reps in after practice, Boettcher pulled up a lawn chair in the west endzone at Autzen Stadium, and he took it in.

“I just sat there and kind of looked around for, you know, 20 minutes," Boettcher said. "Looking at the guys work, and looking at the stadium, just realizing that, you know, this is my last rivalry game, baseball and football combined. It's been quite the ride to say the least, so I'm enjoying this one.”

This will be the fourth time that Boettcher has played Oregon State, but this matchup started out categorically different than the past three. With the Ducks choosing this week to honor mega-donor Phil Knight, the co-founder of Nike, with the "Shoe Duck" uniforms , it was Boettcher, the hometown kid, who was tabbed to be front and center in the project. Not only did he model the uniforms, which are dripping with easter eggs and hidden details, but he also was given the opportunity to present the uniforms to Uncle Phil.

“It was an honor to be selected to do that," Boettcher said. "I had never met him before, so to get to see him in the flesh and talk to him present from that idea was pretty cool.”

And now, less than 48 hours from his final opportunity to hit an Oregon State player, Boettcher is awake and ready. While this rivarly game may have lost a little bit of sizzle with the Ducks and Beavers parting ways in the conference landscape, there is still enough fuel on the fire to get those who know the history of this rivalry amped.

“I'd like to play Oregon State every single year for the rest of my life," Boettcher said. "It kind of wakes you up. I'm excited every week to play football, but this one definitely gets you up, for sure."

While this game won't be played in 2026 for the first time in more than 80 years, there are ongoing negotiations to get the rivalry scheduled for the next several years. That's news that Boettcher will be happy to hear.

"Whoever's out there listening to this, we've got to get Oregon State on our schedule every year," Boettcher said. "I think it's good for the state, good for the fans, good for the community, and obviously, good for the in-state players."

It's been good for Bryce, too. As a Eugene kid who grew up hating the Beavers, he always dreamed of one day being in the position that he's in. The way in which he's gotten here, though, and the things that he's done along the way, have been special. From a t-shirt and a backpack to the face of the program, shaking hands with Phil Knight, his story is unique. One that he wouldn't believe if you told him about the future as a high schooler at South Eugene.

"I always had a dream of, you know, being where I'm at now, and doing what I've done. But, you know, never would I have dreamed it would come the way it has. I'm incredibly blessed.”

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon’s Bryce Boettcher set for emotional final game vs. Oregon State