Saturday’s game at Autzen marks the final home game for a senior class that has been as successful and decorated as any in the Oregon football program’s history.
“They are winners … They had the chase for the national championship last year and the reward of coming back from some devastating injuries to teammates to finish really, really well,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said. “There are some young men there that have certainly left their mark on Oregon football, on the fan community, on the national scene, with football honors, awards and recognition and are going to go on and play at the next level.”
Among those seniors, the four captains of the team certainly stand out for their successful careers as Ducks.

Max Unger has started 48 consecutive games for Oregon at both left tackle and center and started the season on the watch list for the Rimington Trophy (Nation’s Most Outstanding College Center), the Outland Trophy (Best Interior Lineman in College Football) and the Rotary Lombardi Award (Bowl Subdivision’s Top Lineman).
Running back Jeremiah Johnson has been hampered by injuries throughout his college career, but successful whenever he’s been healthy, averaging 82.0 yards rushing and 1.2 touchdowns per game in 11 career starts. Johnson has recorded seven multiple-touchdown games throughout 33 career collegiate appearances, including three touchdowns this year at Washington State.
Defensive end Nick Reed stands third on Oregon’s all-time sack list (25.5) and second in tackles for loss (46.7). He led the Pacific-10 Conference last season in TFLs with 22.5 and stands second this year with 14.5. He leads the conference in sacks with nine.
Rover Patrick Chung joins Unger in having started every game of his college career and stands tied for sixth on Oregon’s all-time tackles list with 354. He has also been the Ducks’ punt returner at times during his career, and stands No. 10 on Oregon’s all-time list with an 11.3 yard per return average on 16 returns for 180 yards.
“He’s had a very good year. He’s improved on his recognition of the game; his playing in space,” Bellotti said of Chung’s senior season. “He can now play either a strong safety or free safety at the next level.”
“I’ll be missing this, you know, these fans are crazy,” Chung said of his last chance to perform at Autzen. “You’ve got to go sometime though, so I at least want to go out with a bang.”
Bellotti said he isn’t worried about his seniors getting overly emotional for this final home game of their careers, as it isn’t their last game of the season.
“I think when you have the last game and the last home game that comes together, that’s tough on everybody. I don’t think it hurts you though. I think those are more thoughts of your career, your teammates, what you’ve done and what you want to do, that sort of thing. The lasting legacy you want to leave,” he said. “There’ll be some tears in some people’s eyes -mine included.”
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