Ranking the 25 best Oregon Ducks since 2000: No. 10 — Joey Harrington
Since 2000, Oregon has compiled an overall record of 239-83 (.742), with just two losing seasons during that span. They've been to 24 bowl games, won three Rose Bowls, been to a pair of College Football Playoffs, and appeared in two National Championships. They've seen a Heisman Trophy winner in Marcus Mariota and had 99 players selected in the NFL Draft.
It's safe to say that when looking at the nation's best in this millennium, Oregon belongs in the conversation. But who are the players who helped get Nike University into that conversation? That's a different question entirely.
To celebrate the quarter-century mark, we're going to dive into that question over the next month as we approach the start of the 2025 season. The Ducks have had hundreds of memorable and beloved players over the years, many of whom will live on forever in some way.
But who is the best of the best?
That answer, of course, is subjective. When reviewing the numbers and conducting our research, we took several factors into account: career statistics, overall impact and success, legacy, fan adoration, and NFL success.
Boiling 25 years of Oregon football down to 25 players is no easy task, and not one that we took lightly. Dozens of players were left on the cutting room floor who deserve a spot in the top 25, and at some point, subtracting names off the list started to feel like pulling teeth. But in the end, we were left with 25 players, whom we will honor over the next few weeks.
If you want to catch up, let's take a look at how we've gotten to where we're at in the rankings:
Today, let's continue with No. 10 — Captain Comeback, Joey Harrington
Player Overview
Joey Harrington was the first player the Ducks marketed on a big-time level, signifying a change in the atmosphere of Oregon athletics. He didn't disappoint. Growing up in Portland, Harrington was always a Duck fan and had wanted to be the quarterback for the Oregon Ducks for most of his life, making him easy to root for.
He was nicknamed "Captain Comeback" during his tenure with multiple fourth-quarter rallies. In his senior season, Harrington led the Ducks to their best-ever single season (at the time) with a 12-1 record and a win over Colorado in the Fiesta Bowl. Harrington was also Oregon's first-ever Heisman Trophy finalist, finishing fourth in the voting in 2001.
Joey Harrington Career Stats
38 games, 445-for-813 passing (54.7 percent), 6,057 yards, 52 TD, 21 INT
Joey Harrington's Single Best Season
2001: 11 games, 186-for-322 passing (57.8 percent), 2,415 yards (219.5 ypg), 21 TD, 5 INT, 4th in Heisman voting
Joey Harrington's Historical Stats and Records
Joey Harrington NFL Draft
Harrington was picked as the No. 3 selection overall by the Detroit Lions in 2002.
Joey Harrington's NFL Success
Unfortunately, Harrington was drafted by the Lions when they were a complete dumpster fire of a franchise. They had the No. 3 pick for a reason, but things never got better. The Lions failed to build an offensive line to protect Harrington and the Oregon legend had to play with a new offensive coordinator for every single season of his professional career.
He played four seasons with the Lions, one for Miami, and one for Atlanta.
Joey Harrington's Lasting Oregon Legacy
Harrington is still a fan favorite 25 years later and was inducted into the Oregon Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012. He was the first quarterback to lead the Ducks on the national stage and could have easily won a National Championship if the College Football Playoff existed back then, instead of the flawed system that was the BCS.
Although he didn't win the Heisman, Harrington showed that a quarterback could be successful on that level for the Ducks and set the stage for Marcus Mariota a decade later. He also made the "O" sign a thing as he led the band into the fight song after every victory. Harrington was also the first Duck to be on the cover of EA Sports College Football '03. In short, he made being an Oregon Duck cool before anyone else. There have been a lot of great Oregon quarterbacks to come through Eugene over the past 25 years, but Harrington laid the groundwork for them to achieve the level of success that they did.
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