The Oregon Ducks will honor two of their former players this season.
The tragic circumstances behind Spencer Webb and Khyree Jackson’s separate passings continue to affect a program that is clearly grieving the loss.
Oregon Uniforms to Commemorate Khyree Jackson, Spencer Webb
To commemorate both, the Ducks will wear a decal on the back of their helmets this season, fittingly a pair of ducks flying together with the No. 4 and No. 5.
5, 4…#GoDucks 🎿🕸️ pic.twitter.com/R4O51EYZKI
— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) August 27, 2024
Webb passed away sadly in a cliff-diving incident in 2022, leaving behind his fiancé and unborn child in addition to family members, teammates, and friends. The following season, Webb was memorialized with a spider web decal with the number four imprinted on it, as well as other gear such as gloves and compression sleeves.
Already recovering from Webb’s passing, tragic news broke on July 6 that Jackson had died from an auto accident along with two of his high school teammates in what authorities believe to be an alcohol-related incident.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning spoke about the loss of Jackson at Big Ten Media Days this summer.
“This summer we experienced great sorrow,” Lanning said. “Losing a player that meant so much to us, finished his career here at Oregon. Losing Khyree in a car accident this summer hurt. That was one of those things you wake up as a coach and you hope to never see, and I’m feeling for him and his family.”
The Minnesota Vikings have also planned to wear a sticker on the back of their helmets with the initials “KJ” on it, but as of this publishing, nothing has been officially released. It was also disclosed that Jackson will be paid the entirety of his signing bonus posthumously.
Lanning mentioned that the Ducks will honor their lost teammates in other ways. He previously started a tradition of shouting “Four” when entering a room, to which the team responds by clapping in unison. It was not disclosed what ways the team may choose to honor Jackson — just simply that he would be honored.
For a program so deeply entrenched in uniform lore, the decal is a simple and thoughtful gesture. It is a classic look without much pomp and circumstance that still manages to stand out and tell the story of a program that embodies the togetherness of the mascot that represents it.
For the Ducks, it will be a prescient reminder of the lives of two of their own now gone. It is representative of the commitment so many football players give to one another while playing a sport they love, looking to accomplish their individual goals and build a life of success going forward.
The Ducks will debut the decal for the first time on the field on Aug. 31 in their season-opener vs. the Idaho Vandals at home in Autzen Stadium.