His dad is one of the most recognizable personalities in all of sports. A two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach, author, TV commentator and mentor to famous athletes, who is known for his benevolence and dedication to his values. That is a lot to live up to for redshirt freshman Eric Dungy, son of Tony Dungy. But that isn’t what Eric is setting out to do here at Oregon. A multipurpose athlete who hopes to make a name for himself at receiver for the Ducks, came to Eugene because the Ducks wanted Eric the football player, not Eric the coach’s son. With a new wave of talent stepping up in the receiving department, Dungy is out to prove himself deserving of the opportunity to play as a part of the highest-flying offense in college football.
Oregon Daily Emerald: You had offers from three BCS conference schools and a smattering of Division I schools on the East Coast and in the Midwest. Yet Oregon was the only West Coast school that recruited you. Being from Tampa, Fla., how did this affect your decision to attend school here at Oregon?
Eric Dungy: I was used to moving around when I was growing up because of my dad. I know some people want to stay home, but for me moving isn’t a big deal. I felt real good when I met with the staff and the coaches here. I felt like I could see myself playing for them. I had this comfort level. I felt like they recruited me for me and not for my name.
ODE: Your father is Tony Dungy, a former NFL player and more notably a 28-year coaching veteran, who won two Super Bowls during his 12 years as a head coach. How has having him as your dad affected you as a football player?
ED: Growing up around the NFL was an advantage: the fact that I could always been in the locker rooms, film rooms, etc. I got to see professionals and how they do their work and try to emulate them.
ODE: Your dad is also known for being a conservative, philanthropic, mentoring type of guy who is recognized as an incredibly kind and caring person. How has he affected you as a person, rather than a football player?
ED: I like it because if someone is trying to peer pressure me I can just say my dad wouldn’t like it if I did that and people respect that because they respect my dad. But it isn’t a pressure to be his son.
ODE: You weren’t really on Oregon’s radar until close to signing day. Head coach Chip Kelly has a relationship with your dad, having called him after the LeGarrette Blount punch incident and used him as a motivational guest speaker for the team. Kelly also has a past connection with your high school coach, Robert Weiner, having recruited Plant (High School) players in the past. How did Kelly’s relationship with these important figures in your life affect your recruiting experience with Oregon?
ED: Chip and my dad didn’t have much to do with me coming here. My coach and Chip met at a coaches’ convention and my coach told Chip that he had a good kid who wasn’t getting many offers. Chip saw my film and wasn’t sure where I would play but I could play somewhere for him.
ODE: You played both wide receiver and defensive back in high school, but you were seen as more of an athlete than a defined talent coming into college. Where do you see yourself playing for Oregon?
ED: I’m playing offense full-time next year. It’s kind of hard to predict what is going to happen with playing time and I am not much into that. I just try to go hard and it should be enough to contribute.
ODE: With the Ducks losing their two top receivers after this season, there are plenty of young guys who figure to make a run at getting some playing time next season. Who has been the most impressive person to compete against?
ED: Justin Hoffman has stepped in to that leadership role with D.J. (Davis) graduating. I’m surprised he didn’t play more last year actually. I am trying to emulate him and trying to learn from him. I watch him run his routes, and in the weight room. He is a great player.
ODE: What receiver do you see as being the next big contributor for the Ducks?
ED: Josh Huff is going to have a really big year. He wasn’t even a receiver in high school, and he played receiver his freshman year here and did really well. Every day he is learning the position and is getting better.
ODE: Who did you learn from most during your redshirt year?
ED: Drew (D.J.) Davis, easily. The first day I got here in the summer, he was coaching me up. He taught me how to watch film, what to do in the weight room, how to act off the field. He is a special guy; there are not a lot of people like him.
ODE: Receivers coach Scott Frost has been praised for his work in turning the Oregon receiving corps into a great unit. What is your relationship and opinion of him?
ED: Man, I love Coach Frost; he is so cool. I like his coaching style; he is one of those people who will talk to you and not yell at you or dog you. He loves video games and he is online playing Call of Duty with our guys like Jeff (Maehl) and Nick (Cole). He even talks to us about girls and stuff. He is so close to our age it is like he is a big brother.
ODE: Blocking is hugely important for Duck receivers in the spread offense. You have a pretty slight build, weighing just 177 pounds. How are you doing with having to go out there and push bigger guys around?
ED: In high school, I wasn’t the biggest blocker at all, so I had to learn when I got here that if you don’t block they won’t even think about playing you. You have to have the mind-set to block every play, and get the technique right. I am just trying to get bigger and more confident. In high school they told us to block for your boys — the closer bond you have with the people you block for the more you want to block, it makes it easier to be unselfish.
ODE: At Plant High School in Tampa, you won two consecutive state championships. During your redshirt year at Oregon, the Ducks went all the way to the BCS National Championship Game. Your father won two Super Bowls. You are accustomed to being around winning. How does that affect you as a competitor?
ED: I don’t know if it’s a good thing really, I just hate losing more than I like winning I think. I hate that feeling after a loss. The low of the loss outweighs the high of the win. I hate losing anything; checkers, horse, anything.
ODE: Because of your dad’s occupation, you have been around professional football since a young age. Which football player or personality have you gained the most from?
ED: I learned a lot from Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison (Indianapolis Colts receivers), even though they didn’t talk much. I just got to watch them play. There are some other people; I was a little too young to get too much out of them.
ODE: You have six siblings, most of them younger. What is like to have that big of a family?
ED: They all just kind of look up to me and it is extra motivation. They are wearing my jersey at all my games and it is encouraging.
ODE: What is the single most important thing in your life — on the gridiron or off?
ED: My family, just because I spend so much time away from the house, with football and school and the little time I am around them they support me and help. I probably even take it for granted a little bit.
ODE: Oregon plays LSU at Dallas Cowboys Stadium on Sept. 3. Give me your st
at-line.
ED: Oh man! You put me on the spot! That would be a cool game to score my first touchdown but I’m not saying it will
happen. I just want to win and if I don’t play, I will just cheer my heart out, but to score would be an amazing in moment in that kind of environment.
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Eric Dungy talks about learning from the best
Daily Emerald
February 1, 2011
Ivar Vong
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