The Oregon Ducks start the 2024 season Aug. 31 at home against Idaho. The Oregonian/OregonLive will count down the days with mini-profiles of prominent former and current Ducks whose jersey numbers correspond with the days remaining until the opening kickoff.
Today, No. 11: Quarterbacks Dan Fouts, Kellen Clemens, and Akili Smith, and wide receiver Troy Franklin.
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Bio: Fouts attended St. Ignatius College Preparatory. He wasn’t highly recruited, but the Ducks saw star potential in him and became the only major college program to offer him a scholarship.
Key statistics: In his second year (1970) with the Ducks, Fouts backed up Tom Blanchard. In Fouts’ first game action, he came off the bench to pass for 166 yards and two touchdowns against California.
The second touchdown strike won the game 31-24.
After Blanchard became injured, Fouts took over as the starter and never relinquished the job.
Fouts, who played with Ahmad Rashad, finished that season with 2,390 yards and 16 touchdown passes, second most in the Pac-8.
In 1971, Fouts overcame injuries to pass for 1,564 yards (third in conference) and nine touchdowns.
In his final year (1972), Fouts threw for 2,041 yards and 12 touchdowns, ranking second in the Pac-8 for passing yards and touchdown passes.
He was named first-team All-Pac-8 team and AP All-West Coast team.
Fouts established 19 school passing records, including career passing yards (5,995, ninth in Oregon history). That total at the time ranked second in Pac-8 history and seventh in NCAA history.
His 482 career completions still rank ninth in UO history.
Fouts was inducted into the Oregon Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992.
San Diego Charger QB Dan Fouts during a playoff game against the Houston Oilers on September 30, 1990 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Getty Images/Bob Riha, Jr.)Getty Images
NFL: Fouts was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the third round of the 1973 NFL draft.
Throughout his NFL career, Fouts was a six-time Pro Bowler (1979-1983, 1985), twice named first-team All-Pro (1979, 1982), led the NFL in passing yards four times (1979-1982), and twice in touchdown passes (1981, 1982) and five times led the NFL in passing yards per game.
Mindy Coryell Lewis, daughter of former San Diego Chargers head coach Don Coryell, unveils the Hall of Fame bust of her father with presenter Dan Fouts, Hall of Fame quarterback with the Chargers during the class of 2023 Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony in Canton. John Kuntz, cleveland. com
His NFL career featured 43,040 passing yards (20th all-time) and 252 touchdown passes (23rd).
Fouts was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.
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Troy Franklin (#11) of the Oregon Ducks celebrates after scoring on a five-yard pass play against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium on September 30, 2023 in Stanford, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)Getty Images
Bio: Oregon recruited Franklin out of Menlo-Atherton High School (California) as a consensus four-star recruit.
Key statistics: In his freshman year, Franklin played in all 14 games, catching 18 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns, including one in the Alamo Bowl against Oklahoma.
During his second year (2022), Franklin earned second-team All-Pac-12 while leading UO with 61 receptions, 891 yards, and nine touchdowns.
His six-yard touchdown against North Carolina in the Holiday Bowl helped fuel the Ducks’ fourth-quarter comeback, resulting in a 28-27 win.
In his final year, Franklin was named to the Maxwell Award watch list, was a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist, and earned first-team All-Pac-12 by producing the most remarkable statistical season for a wide receiver in program history.
Franklin set the program’s single-season records for receiving yards (1,383), receiving touchdowns (14), and 100-yard receiving games (eight). His 81 receptions rank second.
Franklin ended his college career with a reception in 30 straight games, the second-longest streak in program history.
His 2,483 career receiving yards rank seventh all-time, while his 25 touchdowns are a program record.
NFL: Franklin was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft.
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University of Oregon football vs University of Washington at Autzen Stadium October 15, 2005. Kellen Clemens celebrates the TD to make it 45-21. Oregon beat Washington 45-21. (Bruce Ely 503-381-2530) LC- The OregonianLC- The Oregonian
Bio: Oregon recruited Clemens out of Burns High School.
Key statistics: Clemens redshirted in 2001 before splitting time with Jason Fife in 2003.
That season, Clemens passed for 2,400 yards and 18 touchdowns in coach Mike Bellotti’s quarterback rotation.
Clemens took over as the starter in 2004 and passed for 2,548 yards with 22 touchdowns.
But the Ducks went 5-6. That season, against Washington State, Clemens racked up 473 yards of total offense, fourth in program history.
In 2005, Bellotti adopted the spread offense and Clemens flourished before breaking his leg late in the season at Arizona.
At the time, the No. 15 Ducks were 7-1, with the lone loss coming to No. 1 USC.
Clemens passed for 2,406 yards and 19 touchdowns with four interceptions that season.
Clemens ended his career with 7,555 passing yards and 61 touchdown passes, both rank sixth all-time.
He twice completed 36 passes in a game, which ranks second all-time. His 613 career completions rank sixth.
NFL: The New York Jets drafted Clemens in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft. He spent 12 seasons in the NFL.
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Oregon Ducks quarterback Akili Smith throws a pass during a game. – Paul Kitagaki Jr./The OregonianTHE OREGONIAN
Bio: Smith, out of Lincoln High School (San Diego, Calif.), began his college career at Grossmont College before transferring to Oregon.
Key statistics: Smith made an impact during his first season with the Ducks (1997). While splitting time with Jason Maas, Smith passed for 1,298 yards and 12 touchdowns.
In 1998, Smith put together one of the greatest seasons in UO history, passing for 3,763 yards (third all-time) and 32 touchdowns (tied for fourth), with seven interceptions for the 8-4 Ducks.
His 17.5 yards per completion that season remain a program record.
Smith was named first-team All-Pac-10 and co-offensive player of the year.
Smith has two of the top 10 passing performances in program history. He threw for 456 yards (tied for fourth) in the Aloha Bowl against Colorado in 1998, and that same season produced 442 yards passing (eighth) against Washington.
His 45 career touchdown passes in just two seasons rank ninth all-time.
NFL: Cincinnati selected Smith with the third pick in the 1999 NFL draft. Smith played four seasons with the Bengals.
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PRIOR COUNTDOWN POSTS
No. 12: Quarterback Chris Miller
No. 13: Wide receiver Dillon Mitchell and Cornerback Cliff Harris
No. 14: Quarterback Bill Musgrave, defensive back Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, and quarterback/defensive back George Shaw
No. 15: Defensive back Patrick Chung, wide receiver Keenan Howry, and quarterback Bob Berry.
No. 16: Quarterback Danny O’Neil
No. 17: Defensive back Rashad Bauman and quarterback Jack Crabtree
No. 18: Tight end Spencer Webb and linebacker Wesly Mallard
No. 19: The 1919 and 2019 Oregon Ducks Rose Bowl teams
Defensive back Kenny Wheaton and defensive back/running back Mel Renfro
No. 21: Running backs LaMike James and Royce Freeman
No. 22: Linebacker Derrick Malone Jr. and running back Reuben Droughns
No. 23: Running back/wide receiver Ahmad Rashad and wide receiver Jeff Maehl
No. 24: Running backs Kenjon Barner and Jeremiah Johnson
No. 25: Quarterback Norm Van Brocklin
No. 26: Running back Travis Dye
No. 27: Defensive back Terrance Mitchell
No. 28: Running back Jonathan Stewart and safety J.D. Nelson
No. 29: Defensive back Mario Clark and running back Kani Benoit
No. 30: Jim Shanley, Woodley Lewis and Dave Grayson
No. 31: Defensive backs Avery Patterson and Justin Phinisee
No. 32: Safety Jairus Byrd
No. 33: 1933 Webfoots and linebacker Tyson Coleman
No. 34: Defensive back Jim Smith and defensive tackle Jordon Scott
No. 35: Linebackers Troy Dye, Joe Walker and Spencer Paysinger
No. 37: Defensive back Talmadge Jackson III.
No. 38: Safety Eddie Pleasant
No. 39: Linebacker Kevin Mitchell
No. 40: Linebacker Ernest Jones and punter Josh Bidwell.
No. 41: Kicker Aidan Schneider.
No. 42: Tight end David Paulson and fullback Latin Berry.
No. 43: Center Brad Ecklund and lineman Ed Moshofsky.
No. 44: Defensive lineman DeForest Bucker, tight end Dante Rosario, and defensive back Jake Leicht.
No. 45: Defensive lineman Matt Toeaina.
No. 46: Linebacker Michael Clay
No. 47: Linebacker Kiko Alonso
No. 48: DL Saul Patu and LB Rodney Hardrick
No. 49: Defensive end Nick Reed
No. 50: Defensive tackle Popo Aumavae
No. 51: Offensive lineman Jeff Kendall
No. 52: Linebacker Tom Graham
No. 53: Defensive lineman Igor Olshansky
No. 54: Three champion linemen
No. 55: Centers Hroniss Grasu and Jake Hanson, plus linebacker Casey Matthews
No. 56: Offensive tackle Gary Zimmerman
No. 57: OL George Dames and 1957 Rose Bowl team
No. 58: Defensive end Kenny Rowe and center Jackson Powers-Johnson
No. 59: Offensive lineman Ian Reynoso
No. 60: Center Max Unger
No. 61: Lineman Steve Barnett
No. 62: Offensive lineman Matt Pierson
No. 63: Defensive lineman Vince Goldsmith
No. 64: Lineman Dave Wilcox
No. 65: Offensive lineman Ajani Cornelius
No. 66: Defensive lineman Taylor Hart
No. 67: Offensive lineman Jack Patera
No. 68: Offensive lineman Shane Lemieux
No. 69: Offensive lineman Bo Thran
No. 70: Fullback Bob Sanders
No. 71: Offensive linemen Mark Lewis and Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu
No. 72: Offensive lineman Adam Snyder
No. 73: Offensive lineman Tyrell Crosby
No. 74: Offensive linemen Kyle Long and Tom Drougas
No. 75: Offensive tackle Jake Fisher
No. 76: Offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr
No. 77: Offensive lineman Carson York
No. 78: Offensive linemen Alex Forsyth and Cameron Hunt
No. 79: Mark Asper, offensive line
No. 80: Wide receivers Lavasier Tuinei, Greg Moser and Ray Palm
No. 81: Wide receiver Bob Newland
No. 82: Wide receiver Lew Barnes and tight end Blake Spence
No. 83: Tight end Ed Dickson and wide receiver Patrick Johnson
No. 84: Tight end Justin Peelle, linebacker Anthony Trucks, and Cam McCormick
No. 85: Pharaoh Brown, Tim Day and Matt Evensen.
No. 86: Wide receiver Paul Burleson.
No. 87: Wide receiver Greg Specht
No. 88: Wide receiver Dwayne Stanford and defensive lineman Brandon Bair
No. 89: This team ended a 25-year drought
No. 90: Tight end Josh Wilcox and defensive lineman Drayton Carlberg
