The lone native Oregonian in the Ducks’ starting lineup, senior offensive tackle Bo Thran is a key cog on an offensive line that has only allowed seven sacks this year. The Emerald caught up with Thran earlier this week just before he makes his final appearance as a collegian in a regular season game.
Oregon Daily Emerald: Growing up in Oregon, did you support the Beavers or the Ducks?
Bo Thran: I never was one to support a college team or anything like that. I just always have played sports, and that’s where my love of sports has come from.
ODE: So you didn’t really start getting into the whole college rivalry scene until you got on campus?
BT: Yeah, exactly. Obviously I knew of it because I’m from Oregon, but it was never ‘I’m a huge Duck fan,’ or ‘I’m a huge Beaver fan’ or anything like that.
ODE: Fair enough. Rivalry games tend to be renowned for their catchy names. If you could name a rivalry game, what would you call it?
BT: Jeez, I don’t know. I love the Civil War. It’s a good name for it. A rivalry like that, I like it, it’s good.
ODE: We’re now a few days before your last regular season game, but looking back, are there a few memories or moments that stand out to your from your time here?
BT: Everything with your teammates; just being around your teammates all the time you develop a ton of good friends. Obviously last year winning the Civil War and going to the Rose Bowl and all that sticks out in your mind, but probably the thing that sticks with me the most is just all the guys I’ve met here, all of my great teammates.
ODE: Speaking of your teammates, the Oregon offensive line is pretty widely recognized as one of the best in the conference, if not the nation. What do you think makes your group gel so well?
BT: Cohesion. We hang out with each other all the time. We have that weekly putt-putt we do. We know one another so well that being on the field we just can kind of feel what each other can do.
ODE: What’s the toughest defensive player for you to keep out of the backfield in practice?
BT: Probably Brandon Bair. That guy’s a terror.
ODE: I know you played a few other sports in high school, how did you end up playing football here in college?
BT: Got a little attention recruiting for baseball, but really all the attention came in football. Once football started blowing up, baseball fell by the wayside.
ODE: So you kind of fell into it a bit?
BT: Yeah, I wouldn’t say I love a certain sport more than another, but football is just where I planned out to be.
ODE: If you were to play another sport here in college, what would it be, and what position would you play?
BT: I wasn’t a great basketball player. All I did was play defense and bang with big guys, so it’d probably be baseball. I was a decent hitter and played first base.
ODE: If you were a football coach, what would your style be?
BT: I don’t know. I’m too quiet; I wouldn’t be a Coach Kelly. I don’t scream like (offensive line coach Steve) Greatwood does. I’d like to be kind of like Greatwood, he’s a great technician. I’d like to model myself after him.
ODE: When do you graduate?
BT: I graduated in June. I’m just in classes now to stay eligible.
ODE: What was your major?
BT: Sociology with a minor in business.
ODE: So you’ll leave the school after fall term?
BT: We’ll see what happens. I want to try to go the NFL and take a shot ther,e so I might stick around and work out and do all that type of stuff, but after that I’m thinking maybe a career in law enforcement or a fire fighter or something like that.
[email protected]