The Oregon Ducks - A Close Look Into The Team's History

A member of the Pacific-10 Conference, the Oregon Ducks are the flag team of the University of Oregon. They represent the school in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision games.

In 1893, the team was organized. However, it stayed inactive until 1894 when its first game was played against Albany College. They defeated that college with a score of 44-2. A run through of their entire career can be gleaned by knowing the individual records achieved by each one of their coaches during their stint with the team. This can be obtained from the results of Googling 'Oregon Ducks coaches.' Use the list as follows.

In 1895, the team, under coach Percy Benson, had a good season. They scored 4-0 for that year. Under coach Frank Simpson who stayed from 1898 to 1899, the team recorded 6-3-1. However, two years later, in 1901, they barely made it under coach Warren Smith. Their record for that year was 7-6-1. Marion Dolph became coach a year after that and gave the team a nondescript 3-1-3. Following that year, control was placed back in the hands of Smith. This time, the record was 4-2-1.


The periods in their career where the margin of total victories to total losses is big are the times when they enjoyed some kind of success. In the early part of the career of the Ducks, nothing notable took place and they were groping to get themselves in the right stance.

It was during the second stint of coach Hugo Bezdek that the team progressed considerably. Bezdek was coach from 1913 to 1917. During the early part of his term, no advances were made by the team. It was in the 1916 season that the Oregons won over all their opponents but one. They ended in a no-score (0-0) tie with Washington. However, the distinction of playing in the ensuing Rose Bowl event went to the Oregons on account of the fact the margin of their victory over their last contender, California, was bigger than that of Washington's. During the Rose Bowl, the first and last one that they played in, the team downed the University of Pennsylvania 14-0.

Under Mike Bellotti's guidance, from 1995 to 2008, the team reached great heights in its career. The total record for that period is 116-55. No game was tied. The winning percentage of those figures is 67.8, a lot more than is usual. Bellotti is their coach with the most wins.

It was with Mike Bellotti who coached the team from 1995 to 2008 that the team reached the apex of its career. Their record for that period shows a decisive 116-55. The winning average of Bellotti is 67.8 percent making him the coach who won the most games for Oregon in its history.

Autzen stadium is home to the Oregon Ducks. At the time it was built it cost some $250,000 to put it up. The funds were derived from a foundation that businessman Thomas J. Autzen had put up for that purpose. The seating capacity is 54,000. However, people can fill the standing area behind the seats. At full capacity, the structure can accommodate 60,000. The stadium is famous for its loud resonance. The materials of which it is made and the peculiar shape of the building make it resound very loudly. When hysterical fans are shouting and cheering, the building can create quite a commotion. In 2007 its noise level peaked at 127.2 decibels and the clamor could be heard for far away.