Fifty Years Ago This Month Everything Changed

[Hill Billie]

Russ Francis was in my Pleasant Hill graduating class of 1971.    In the fall of 1972, Russ was one of Dan Fouts receiving targets.  During Dan Fouts Oregon career he threw passes to Bob Newland, Ahmed Rashad, Leland Glass, Greg Specht, and Russ Francis who all went on to play professional football.  How many receivers did Justin Herbert throw to who went on to play in the pros?

 

Coach Jerry Frei was fired after the 1971 season and Coach Enright was hired in 1972 to be his replacement.  Coach Enright was the offensive line coach and was the popular choice by the players (sound familiar?).  He was chosen over John Robinson and George Seifert who both went on to have amazing college and NFL success.  Coach Enright tried to make Dan Fouts an option quarterback.  Russ Francis played in all eleven games in 1972 and had a season total of eight receptions.  I think most of us believe Justin Herbert’s talent was wasted when he played for Mari No O.  There was a lot of wasted talent fifty years ago.

 

During the 1973 season everything fell apart.  This was just a little over a year after Steve Prefontaine lost his first race ever during the 1972 Olympics.  The Oregon football team had one win and five losses going into the Washington game.  On October 27, 1973, I watched the greatest game I ever watched as an Oregon college student.  Herb Singleton (QB), Russ Francis, Bob Palm, Don Reynolds, and Rick Kane put it all together and they destroyed the Fuskies 58-0.  The normally stoned college student section came alive.  There was hope.  Fifty years ago, the Ducks only had a couple of blue-chip players, no depth, lousy coaching, marginal facilities, and poor recruiting.  The Ducks continued their decline from bad to terrible over the next decade, but there was always hope. 

 

A couple days after the 1973 Oregon win over Washington, my roommate (a member of the Oregon track team) walked into our apartment and said, “look at this”.  He held up his new training shoes that had just arrived, the white Nike “Cortez” with the red swoosh.  He went on to tell me they just opened a shop downtown Eugene called “Blue Ribbon” and they were selling them to the public.  That afternoon, I was wearing my first pair of Nikes.

 

Fifty years later, everything has changed.  Thank you, Pre, Bill (Bowerman), and Phil.  However, the only thing that has not changed is the need to beat the Fuskies.

[woundedknees]

Remember Ronnie Lee being the torture tester for Nikes foray into basketball gear?

BTW, I was class of '71 on the hill as well! 

I remember Russ Francis trying for a tip in on the basketball court and repeatedlly bouncing the ball off the bottom of the rim multiple times in succession before either scoring or sttling for a rebound. No lack of effort there!

[Charles Fischer]

Welcome to our forum Hill Billie, and that was a great first post!

[David Marsh]

Hill Billie, did you go to Pleasant Hill High School?

 

I had a friend when I was at UO who went there and was very proud of how their mascot was the Billy Goat... so they were the Pleasant Hill Billies.

[Hill Billie]

Yes, I was a Pleasant Hill Billie (goat). When my dad graduated in ‘41, they were the Pleasant Hill Hillbillies. As a high school student, he got to watch the Oregon webfoots play basketball.  That Oregon team nicknamed the Tall Firs won the inaugural NCAA basketball championship.  It is time to win another.  I am hoping it will be in football very soon.

[Haywarduck]

Such a great remembrance, and enjoyed the respect given to the past. That is one item I am so happy about with Lanning, he gets what Oregon means, stands for. Now he just needs to turn the 0-3 against the rivals around.

 

The article today about recruiting gives me pause about respecting that past. Oregon has always recruited guys who developed into greatness, didn't just come ready made with stars. From Dan Fouts to Justin Herbert we have mostly picked up guys who had the magical it, not the guys everyone wanted. 

 

I actually think Lanning gets that and he isn't just chasing stars like MariØ did. We are seeing guys show greatness early, as freshman. I just hope the next Brock Purdy isn't passed over for the higher rated guy.

 

For me seeing the walk-ons, the guy we take a chance on, excel is much like being the long shot in a game, back in the day. Your writing brought back those days and Brooks building of this program.

 

It is a different program, but effort and ingenuity is integral to the DNA of Oregon Athletics. I just hope this continues to shine through as we flip the blue chip ratio.

 

I don't see any lack of effort by Lanning on finding effort guys.  We just need to see the score predictions crushed on the field as we play with this new higher level of perceived talent, but the same flair Francis, Fouts, Moore, Goldsmith, Takuafu, Musgrave and Harrington gave to this football program. You have to have the blue chip talent, but you still have to play with a chip on your shoulder. 

[Massduck]

Thanks Hill Billie for that great post.
 

I grew up in OakRidge but I am about 10 years behind you. But the names and events still bring back memories.

 

it was nice to have your post as context, and contrast to the good times that we have of Oregon sports these days.