Fresh out of De La Salle High School in Pittsburgh, Calif., wideout Cameron Colvin seemingly had the world at his fingertips.
Following an impressive high school career (28 catches for 423 yards in only seven games during his senior season), Colvin was consistently listed atop most recruiting publications as one of the nation’s best in 2004.
While helping De La Salle continue its unbelievable 151-game winning streak, which included the school’s third consecutive prep national championship, the offers quickly poured in for the 6-foot-2, 199-pound Colvin.
On the list of those knocking were perennial powers USC, Miami and Michigan.
But Feb. 4, on a national broadcast of ESPN’s SportsCenter, Colvin made his intent to sign with Oregon clear by proclaiming, “I’ll be a Duck.” His signing was widely considered one of the most decorated in Oregon history.
But after just two short years in Eugene, Oregon’s sophomore wideout has seemingly witnessed nearly all the highs and lows a young career can endure.
The lows began with the death of a close friend and teammate, Terrance Kelly, who was shot and killed shortly before he was set to join fellow De La Salle grads Colvin, Jackie Bates and Willie Glasper for Oregon’s fall camp. All four entertained aspirations of playing together for the Ducks at an early age.
“We’d all, since freshman year, said we were going to go to Oregon one day,” Colvin said, often referring to his De La Salle-turned-Oregon teammates as “the four amigos.”
Unfortunately, that dream was cut short for Kelly.
“It’s things like that – it’s crazy. You see someone every day your age, and you don’t think things like that can happen,” Colvin said. “That just helps you focus more on life and not take things for granted.”
Whether it was the death of a close friend or a need to be acclimated to the college game, Colvin struggled in his first year as a true freshman.
He did not catch a pass in five of Oregon’s 11 games including the first two, both losses against Indiana and Oklahoma. Colvin’s first-season growing pains ended with only 14 total receptions for 191 yards and two touchdowns.
“I wanted to be so good, you know, just prove that I could play at this level at an early age, but I think that’s a mistake people make,” Colvin said. “When you’re highly touted you put a lot of pressure on yourself and try to do so much.”
But what a difference a year can make.
The sting of his first losing season – and loss in general – seemed to motivate Colvin. He has quickly become an instrumental part of Oregon’s resurgent campaign this season.
“Cameron has improved dramatically,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said. “I see him getting better and better each week.”
Colvin’s numbers speak volumes for his improvement.
With three games remaining, he has already eclipsed last year’s totals with 17 catches for 293 yards and three touchdowns, including a 55-yard touchdown catch and run in a 28-21 win at Arizona two weeks ago.
“I think he’s a lot better player than he was a year ago. He prepared himself really well in the offseason,” wide-receivers coach Dan Ferrigno said. “I expect him to keep progressing, but I’m very happy with his progress as a complete football player.”
Colvin and company’s vast improvements of last season may be, at least in part, attributed to the welcoming of new offensive coordinator Gary Crowton and his modified version of the spread offense.
Heading into Saturday’s game against California, the Ducks will sit in the top 20 nationally in yards per game, passing yards per game and points per game.
Much of the offensive burden, however, will be placed on Colvin and the receiving corps Saturday to help ease the transition of two new quarterbacks after fifth-year senior and third-year starter Kellen Clemens’ season-ending ankle injury in a Oregon’s win at Arizona.
Sophomore Dennis Dixon will get the starting nod against the Bears.
“(The injury) is tough. You take a guy like Kellen – he’s a great leader, he’s a field general and he knows everything on the field,” Colvin said. “But we all like Dennis. We all know Dennis can play, so now it’s up to us to go out there and help him out. I can’t wait to play with him.”
Dixon and Colvin, now teammates, first became acquainted on opposite sidelines when Dixon was quarterback for San Leandro High School near De La Salle.
Colvin and fellow wideout senior Demetrius Williams, one of Oregon’s five De La Salle graduates, combined to account for the only three blemishes on Dixon’s 36-3 record as a starter in high school.
Dixon can sleep better now knowing that Williams, who is fourth nationally in receiving yards, and Colvin, are now catching his passes.
“I remember (Colvin) and Demetrius Williams a lot,” said Dixon, reminiscing on his high school days. “They were great players. Now I’m seeing them on the same team. It’s awesome. I love it.”
Colvin expects Dixon to finish what Clemens began – a march to a 10-1 season.
“You can’t describe it,” Colvin said when asked just how good this Oregon team can be. “We have so much talent. We can be great, we’ve just go to focus.”
Now, armed with nearly two full years of experience, Colvin is hoping to become Oregon’s marquee man of the future.
“I just feel like if I touch the ball, I can score and make things happen,” Colvin said. “I want to be known as one of the most dominant receivers ever to play in the Pac-10- a guy that can change the course of a game by one play.”
