Who is the greatest offensive football player Oregon ever?

[nogerO]

It's too bad Oregon had to switch Moore to RB. He played WR as a sophomore (and later in the NFL) and was spectacular at that position. You had to have seen him as a sophomore (frosh were not eligible) to really appreciate how dominant he was as a WR. On a less needy team he would have been remembered as an alltime college great. As it was, he was the *number four* pick in the draft to play a position he did not play his junior or senior years.

He probably would have also been a star basketball player. He was a starter on Oregon's greatest frosh team (with Love, Drozdiak, Holliday, and Jackson).

I can still remember him getting a quick throw to the outside and juking a couple of guys on the line and then just going, going, going. I wish someone had some video of his sophomore year. He was amazing!

[buckmarkduck]

Saying anyone from before the mid 80s-90s, just isn’t comparing apples to apples. I’m sure all those guys were good, but when the average DL was 249, and much less athletic than todays DL and LB, it’s not really going against the same caliber of defenses.

[Quietduck]

Yes, the defenses back then were much harder to beat. Think just about the rules for pass interference or roughing the QB. Not to mention how tough they were.

[buckmarkduck]

Yes, the defenses back then were much harder to beat. Think just about the rules for pass interference or roughing the QB. Not to mention how tough they were.

Half the guys in the pac 8 wouldn’t play in the Big Sky nowadays. Not big enough, fast enough or strong enough compared to todays players. Ngata in the 70s, would have 30 sacks a year.

[nogerO]

Yes, the defenses back then were much harder to beat. Think just about the rules for pass interference or roughing the QB. Not to mention how tough they were.

Half the guys in the pac 8 wouldn’t play in the Big Sky nowadays. Not big enough, fast enough or strong enough compared to todays players. Ngata in the 70s, would have 30 sacks a year.

Except the title of this thread is "Greatest offensive football player Oregon ever had" So we are comparing different era players. Did you ever see Bobby Moore Play in college or on film of college games?

[Quietduck]

Buck, you are right about size and strength in general but remember that back then chop blocks and many other techniques were legal. The most powerful and athletic person can't get to the QB if they have their knees and feet taken away every play. It was a much rougher game back then and I would say against your strength and athleticism they would put up their toughness and sheer guts. Again I agree most wouldn't play in today's league but by the same rule, I doubt most of the modern players would last through training camp in the past.

[73duck]

I would agree that there has been a revolution in body size for linemen since the late 60s. But pure athleticism hasn't changed much, if at all. Beamon and Hayes would win olympic medals today. Jim Ryun ran a 3:51 mile at age 19. Prefontaine was a classmate of Moore's, and I suspect still holds a lot of American records today.

Size matters, but normal (heck, below average) sized Vernon Adams and LMJ were better than anybody Oregon has on the roster now.

An old timer told me that Van Brocklin shocked people the first time he threw a football on an Oregon practice field. I'd take him, too.

Oregon was never on TV in those days, but here is some pro footage of Moore (Rashad): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-hCwB6Moko

If he and Herbert had played together, wow ...

[Duck07]

Buck, you are right about size and strength in general but remember that back then chop blocks and many other techniques were legal. The most powerful and athletic person can't get to the QB if they have their knees and feet taken away every play. It was a much rougher game back then and I would say against your strength and athleticism they would put up their toughness and sheer guts. Again I agree most wouldn't play in today's league but by the same rule, I doubt most of the modern players would last through training camp in the past.

That's a 2-way street though that is going to be won most often by the biggest, fastest and strongest guy.

Saying that guys today don't have Toughness or Guts is a non sequitur. Heck, if someone is so reminiscent of the past and the "Junction Boys" we saw that play out a few years ago with Taggart, Oderinde and our ongoing Rhadbo lawsuit with Doug Brenner (who recently added the NCAA to his lawsuit and upped his tort claims).

[buckmarkduck]

Buck, you are right about size and strength in general but remember that back then chop blocks and many other techniques were legal. The most powerful and athletic person can't get to the QB if they have their knees and feet taken away every play. It was a much rougher game back then and I would say against your strength and athleticism they would put up their toughness and sheer guts. Again I agree most wouldn't play in today's league but by the same rule, I doubt most of the modern players would last through training camp in the past.

That's a 2-way street though that is going to be won most often by the biggest, fastest and strongest guy.

Saying that guys today don't have Toughness or Guts is a non sequitur. Heck, if someone is so reminiscent of the past and the "Junction Boys" we saw that play out a few years ago with Taggart, Oderinde and our ongoing Rhadbo lawsuit with Doug Brenner (who recently added the NCAA to his lawsuit and upped his tort claims).

I’m not saying they aren’t tough enough. I’m saying they aren’t athletic enough for todays athletes. The junction boys for example, would be hard pressed to keep it within 20 points of a modern team. There is a lot of reasons for this. Lack of real opportunities for blacks in those days, zero Polly players. Not near the fitness or diet regimen. Players have so much more today then they had back then. No one is smoking in the locker room. Guys aren’t working 9-5 jobs then showing up to games on Saturday.

[pezsez1]

Kind of on this topic, but this is a cool TED Talk about the various factors influencing athletic performance improvements over time. I won't spoil the main points for those who want to watch it. It's worth a view.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8COaMKbNrX0

[TheDrake]

Rashad ranked #12 all time when he retired... not too shabby.

[lukeyrid13]

The OL we had during Marcus' years was pretty terrible. He just made plays on his own for his entire career.

LaMike was equally amazing though. Both 100% deserved their Heisman invites.

[rockthief]

look up some MM games and watch Hroniss Grasu pulling and blocking for the RB. He is one of the reasons so many of them were successful. OFten he would be downfield blocking and breaking the RB free for a score.

[pezsez1]

Man, I forgot about Big Play VA. He would have been a legit Heisman contender had he not been injured so early in the season. What might have been.

[duck023]

Marcus and it isn't even close.

It's completely laughable to think that LMJ carried the Oregon offense when he was running through canyons constantly.

I think it's completely laughable to think that people keyed in on Darron Thomas if that is what your are alluding too. Darron Thomas was a good passer and the receivers were solid but the main threat was Lamichael James and non of the Pac 12 teams could stop it. The 2010 offensive line was great but Oregon's had other great lines. You can disagree with me without having a snarky British response. By the way I'm the only one that has said that the 2010 offensive line is on the level of Cristobal's offensive line so thanks for letting me know I'm right about that.