At first, it felt like something was missing.

Something was definitely missing: Spence was supposed to be there with him.

They had agreed to celebrate this moment together, right? They had waited five years for it: a milestone that would validate two rehabs from back-to-back season-ending injuries. They had envisioned the perfect catch and run. Maybe a broken tackle. Then, they’d pat each other on the helmet, to signify that the accomplishment was earned together.

The time finally came on Sept. 10 — Oregon tight end Cam McCormick caught a touchdown pass early in the third quarter in Oregon football’s 70-14 win over Eastern Washington. His first since 2017. A hiatus from the end zone no more.

However, it certainly wasn’t the perfect catch and run. And they wouldn’t get the chance to share a pat on the helmet.

As McCormick crossed the goal line, the ball popped out. An ensuing review confirmed the touchdown, yet distracted from the flow of the moment. His teammates gathered around him to celebrate, tears flooding his eyes.

At that moment, he realized Spence wasn’t missing. He was just present in a different form. Still, McCormick longed for that pat on the helmet, knowing it couldn’t come.

Spencer Webb passed away on July 13, 2022.

Webb was well-liked throughout Oregon’s roster, but to McCormick, he was like a little brother. He was “Spence.”

McCormick decided he’d wear Webb’s old No. 18 jersey solely for the Ducks’ home opener. As an older brother figure, McCormick usually had Webb’s back. However, on McCormick’s road to recovery, the roles were flipped. Webb was with him each step of the way. He was certainly there for the touchdown.

“I feel like he was there watching over me, cheering me on,” McCormick said. “We were waiting to share that moment together. So I’m super thankful that I was able to share that moment wearing his jersey.”

After scoring the touchdown, McCormick retained the ball — a keepsake to remember Webb’s impact on the Ducks’ team and the journey they shared together. The touchdown acted as a culmination to McCormick’s recovery process, but it also marked the start of something new.

“I wanted to show a lot of people that, through these injuries, I still have it,” he said.

He’s off to a solid start.

Along with its sentimental value, the touchdown was a strong foundation for McCormick’s prove-it tour. On Saturday, everyone on the Ducks sideline wanted him to find the end zone. They wanted him to bask in his glory while wearing Spence’s old threads. Offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham had stored the touchdown-potential play-call for McCormick, waiting for just the right moment to implement it.

The Ducks had driven 73 yards on the opening drive of the second half, needing just two more to extend their lead. McCormick lined up to the left of quarterback Bo Nix. Just after the ball was snapped he darted across the field to his right, Nix hitting him in stride. He fended off contact from two Eagles defenders narrowly crossing the plane of the end zone before the ball came free.

Despite the chaos, six is six.

While the touchdown play was manufactured by the coaches, McCormick said he didn’t know it was coming. He helped the Ducks drive down the field and get in position to score. He put in the work to return to the field and earned that opportunity.

On Saturday, not only did he find the end zone, but he was a starter, a title McCormick captured during fall training camp, after showing that he was no longer hindered by his past injuries, but he could be an asset for the Ducks as both a pass catcher and a blocker.

“Cam is a physical blocker,” Oregon running back Noah Whittington said. “When he blocks, you know it’s going to be a good block.”

As a tight end, pass-catching can get you onto the field, but blocking helps to solidify your role. A healthy balance of the two lends itself to an expanded playbook, keeping opposing defenses on their toes.

“Obviously, when you’re just one-sided you can tell the defense what the play is,” Nix said. “If you can run, catch the ball and also block, you’re going to be doing a lot of good things on the field.”

McCormick’s presence as a pass catcher and blocker has helped Nix and Whittington feel comfortable in their first three starts as Ducks. It’s a chemistry that will only grow as the season progresses and McCormick earns additional snaps.

In July, soon after he transferred in Eugene, Whittington was enlightened by the Ducks’ medical staff of McCormick’s story — his quest to return to the playing field after breaking his fibula and tearing his deltoid ligament in 2018, then sustaining a season-ending leg injury in 2021.

The Western Kentucky transfer was in awe that his counterpart still had the drive to compete on the football field. However, McCormick’s teammates, who have been at Oregon and witnessed the trials and tribulations of his collegiate football career, remained confident that he’d find his way back to the field.

Webb certainly did.

Prior to McCormick’s season-ending injury in 2021, Webb expressed content rather than surprise as he watched his friend practice for the first time in years. 

“I’m so happy to see him out there,” Webb said, flashing his contagious grin. “Me and Cam have a good relationship, he’s like a big brother to me, he’s always had my back. Just to see him out there, running around, having fun is awesome.”

McCormick was certain that Webb was flashing that smile after the touchdown on Saturday. Fellow tight end Terrance Ferguson — who was the first to greet McCormick after the touchdown — confirmed his notion.

“It was really about Spence being there, knowing he’s watching over us,” Ferguson said. “Spence would have been really excited to see Cam score a touchdown and see him bounce back from all those injuries.”

Webb’s happiness for McCormick permeated throughout Oregon’s sideline after the touchdown. It was present in each one of his teammates who joined the celebration. Linebacker Noah Sewell ripped off his helmet and ran over to McCormick. Nix and tight end Moliki Matavao did the same.

McCormick’s knack for being a big brother figure extended beyond Webb. His magnetism has definitely impacted Ferguson. While the two stood just outside the end zone waiting for their teammates to join the celebration, McCormick told Ferguson he loved him.

It was a message that conveyed how grateful McCormick was for Ferguson’s presence at the game and throughout his recovery process. The message also meant that it’s their duty to continue playing in Webb’s memory for as long as they can.

It’s what Spence would have wanted.