The Oregon Ducks have had several high-profile signal-callers don their patented green and yellow — but which ones have changed the game along the way? It was a tough list to make; in fact, Justin Herbert didn’t even make the cut.
Find out who did, below.
Top 5 Oregon Ducks QBs Who Changed the Game
5) Dillon Gabriel (2024-25)
Though he was only Oregon’s QB for a season, he led a magical run through the regular season that saw the Ducks ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll for the back half of the season, along with claiming the Big Ten title — in their first season in the conference, no less. Gabriel was nearly flawless in that game, completing 22 of 32 passes for 283 yards and four touchdowns.
To cap it off, the Ducks were ranked No. 1 in the College Football Playoff and received a first-round bye. Though the season ended in the CFP quarterfinals, Gabriel stamped his name in the Oregon football record books.
His 3,857 passing yards ranked third in a single season in program history, and his 30 passing touchdowns ranked ninth. Ducks fans will forever embrace Gabriel for his terrific run through the Big Ten despite spending just one fall in Eugene.
4) Bo Nix (2022-24)
Nix is in a similar position as Gabriel, as he spent the final two seasons of his college career with the Ducks. After showing immense talent but ultimately struggling in three years as the Auburn Tigers’ starter, it wasn’t a given that Nix would immediately claim the starting job at Oregon. But once he did, it was off to the races as head coach Dan Lanning and his offensive staff got the most out of Nix.
During his two seasons, he left the program with the fifth-most passing yards (8,101) and third-most passing touchdowns (74). He was on another level during his fifth-year senior season, as he rewrote the single-season program record books. He stands alone at the top with 4,508 passing yards and 45 touchdowns.
His 45:3 touchdown-to-interception ratio was one of the best in college football history. He also set the college football single-season record by completing a staggering 77.4% of his passes.
Although Oregon didn’t make huge noise in the postseason — a Holiday Bowl victory (2023) and Fiesta Bowl victory (2024) — Nix will forever be a fan-favorite for Duck fans and will be supported throughout his NFL career with the Denver Broncos.
3) Dan Fouts (1970-72)
Playing for the program from 1970-1972, Fouts was the first great Duck QB. Although team success didn’t follow, as Fouts only won 15 games in three seasons and never competed in a bowl game, he was one of a kind as a passer.
By the time he’d left the program — which ended up being a Hall-of-Fame NFL career with the San Diego Chargers — Fouts was the school-record holder in passing yards at 5,995 and total yardage at 5,871.
The fact that his passing yards are still ranked in the top 10 at No. 9 is a testament to how far ahead of the game of football Fouts was during his time with the Ducks.
2) Joey Harrington (1998-01)
Harrington was a downright winner, as evidenced by the fact that he was a major reason the Ducks turned the direction of their program around under his leadership. His 25 wins as the starter ranks third all-time in program history, as he engineered 10-2 and 11-1 seasons during his junior and seniors years resulting in Holiday and Fiesta Bowl wins.
During his career, he threw 59 touchdown passes which puts him in eighth place in the program record books. His 6,911 passing yards ranks sixth. Harrington was hands-down the greatest Duck QB to ever come through Eugene — that was until Marcus Mariota came to town.
1) Marcus Mariota (2011-14)
The gold standard for Oregon signal-callers, Mariota was just a three-star recruit when he came to campus in 2011. He secured the starting job ahead of the 2012 season — and he ran with the opportunity, throwing 32 touchdowns versus only six interceptions.
That was just a sign of things to come, as he compiled program records in both passing yards (10,796) and passing touchdowns (105). He sits second in both categories in terms of single-season stats behind Nix.
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Mariota put Oregon on a national stage, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2014 and advancing the Ducks to the national championship in the first edition of the College Football Playoff.
Mariota is easily the most beloved Duck in program history, as his high-character off the field compliment his dynamic and memorable play on the field perfectly.
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