Football: Revisiting the 2005 “Redeem Team” 

In the fall of 2005, there was something brewing in Eugene. Something special.

Never in the history of the Football program had a team made a more drastic winning percentage turnaround in a single season. And what makes it even more interesting is that it wasn’t done with a new coaching staff, new star players, and that it was even done despite serious injury.

Only two things really changed; a new offensive philosophy, and a drive stemming from the last ride for many Senior players.

To preface, we’d have to explain the previous couple seasons.

In 2003 an Oregon team not expected to do much actually did a good deal more than many thought they could, finishing the regular season 8-4, which included a historic win over Michigan that to this day is considered one of the best games to ever take place at Autzen.

Oregon did this platooning two quarterbacks and introducing a bevy of young players to the mix. Understandably, with those players all returning and the quarterback situation firmly down to on starter, expectations were reasonably high for the 2004 season.

But a 1-3 start quickly put an early season damper on the Ducks, as, far from being a Top 25 team, it was questioned whether they could even put together a winning record, something they’d been able to do for the past decade straight.

Thankfully, they rediscovered some mojo in the middle of the season and reeled off four consecutive wins, putting them at a solid 5-3 heading into a trip to Berkely to face Aaron Rodgers and #4 Cal.

After building a big lead, the Ducks fell behind by a point late in the game. Needing only to get into field goal range, a potential game-winning drive came to end after what looked like a sure-fire 4^th down completion fell short.

Something deflated in the Ducks. Upon returning home for Senior Day, they were unceremoniously ousted by UCLA 34-26.

The Civil War, expected to be a battle of conference title contenders preseason, ended up being for the right to be bowl eligible.

Oregon State obliterated Oregon in Corvallis, winning 50-21, which at the time was the most points scored and largest margin of victory in series history.

It seemed almost incomprehensible after the events of previous seasons.

Oregon finished 5-6 and would not be playing in a Bowl Game at all.

Considering the players and coaching staff remained roughly the same, although they did pull in some good recruits, there was very little confidence Oregon could do much more in 2005 than squeak into a Bowl Game with a winning record.

But my oh my did they surpass that.

Instituting the Spread Option offense for the first time in program history, the Ducks geared more toward maximizing space and utilizing a mobile quarterback.

Though not seemingly a huge implementation, it actually ended up leading them to two National Championship appearances over the next decade.

But at the time it was a relatively new concept nationwide, especially for an Oregon team that had run an under center, pocket-passing scheme under center ever since then head coach Mike Belotti had taken over the team in 1995. Defensively, they had also switched to a 3-4 look, emphasizing flexibility and creating mismatches against opposing offenses.

But behind even that, there was a large group of Senior stars, the same ones that had worked their way into significant roles on the 2003 squad, that absolutely didn’t want to go out on a sub-par season.

Kicking off on the very first day of the College Football season, Oregon got right to work erasing bad memories from the previous season, as they squared off against the Cougars in Houston.

Trailing 21-17 at halftime, the Ducks soared right past Houston in the second half, winning 38-24. Starting quarterback Kellen Clemens threw for 348 yards and two touchdowns, and additionally ran for 72 yards, proving relatively elusive when he decided to tuck and run. Blue chip recruit Jonathan Stewart had 47 yards rushing, but one of his five carries was quite the memorable one as he dragged multiple defenders with him.

For the home opener at Autzen against Montana, an early omen showed that this season would be different.

A year before, Oregon had an opening kickoff return for a touchdown called back and went on to lose in shocking fashion. This time, Stewart’s return counted, and the route was on.

Although Oregon’s run game still left a good deal to be desired, their kicking game was on point, as Pul Martinez set a school record with six field goals. After a 47-14 triumph, Oregon was looking ready to be put to the test by some ranked competition.

That competition would arrive the following week in the form of the #23 Fresno State Bulldogs, who were riding a seven-game winning streak dating back to the previous season.

Fresno jumped ahead 17-0 in the first half, but that’s when Oregon’s new spread option offense showed what it could do. Clemens tossed three consecutive touchdown passes to put the Ducks up 20-17 at halftime.

It continued to be close into the fourth quarter, and with Oregon up by three and driving with under five minutes left, Terrance Whitehead took a screen pass and cut it back 42 yards for a clinching score.

3-0 and into the Top 25, it was obvious this season was going very differently from the one before, and fans were excited to see how Oregon would fare against a historically dominant USC team that would come to town with a #1 ranking they had been holding onto since late 2003.

On a perfect September evening in front of a record crowd at Autzen, the Ducks came out blazing and had seemingly jumped out to a 20-0 lead, but their second touchdown was ruled short, and they settled for a 13-0 lead.

USC cut it to 13-10 at halftime and a feeling that something truly special could happen began to fill the air.

But as the sun went down, so did the Ducks’ hope of pulling the historic upset. Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart, SC’s consecutive Heisman winners, put on a show in scoring 35 unanswered in the second half, although it was aided by a few clearly missed calls by the officials that would have at least narrowed the gap. 45-13 USC.

Now came the time when fans would begin to see why this team was so different. Having had their momentum squashed and heading back out on the road, it could easily have been the beginning of another downward slide.

But these Ducks simply wouldn’t have it.

A bounce back 44-20 thumping of Stanford in which Stewart took over with Whitehead out for three rushing touchdowns led to a nighttime showdown in the desert with #17 Arizona State, who had clobbered Oregon for three straight seasons prior.

Another backup shined for Oregon as kicker Matt Evensen, filling in for Martinez, had three field goals on the night, including a 51-yarder for a 13-10 halftime lead.

Picking up the tempo offensively, the Ducks pushed ahead 24-10. But after an ASU score and an Oregon turnover, the Devils were driving for the tie in the third. Oregon came up golden with an interception and followed it up with another touchdown that gave them the cushion they needed to secure the win.

Back in the Top 25 and surging with confidence at this point, the Ducks showed no mercy against Washington upon their return home. The Huskies, in the midst of one of their worst seasons in program history, had absolutely no answer for Oregon defensively.

Clemens set an Autzen record with 36 completions on the afternoon. He finished with 425 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.

Having missed a bowl the previous season, the Ducks were already bowl eligible in mid-October. They had followed the end of a three-game winning streak with another, and with the remainder of their schedule looking very doable, what had begun as a season which would hopefully produce a winning record was now leaning toward a potential BCS appearance.

But then came one of many infamous trips to Tucson, which would change the complexion for the entire season.

Roaring ahead 21-0 and looking on their way to another easy win, everything suddenly began to unravel for Oregon.

The Wildcats scored 21 of their own to knot the game up in the fourth quarter, and what looked like a routine sack of Clemens immediately became much, much more as he could put no weight on his leg and had to be carried to the locker room.

To make matters worse, backup Dennis Dixon suffered a concussion on a hard hit and was forced to exit the game as well.

Reeling from injuries and trying to stop Arizona from taking the lead, linebacker Brent Haberly scooped up a fumble and returned it 34 yards to put the Ducks back ahead 28-21. Third-string quarterback Brady Leaf, primarily used for kick-holding, came up big with two first-down conversions that helped seal the victory.

Refuse to lose. Despite everything, the Ducks got it done.

The end of one era, but the beginning of another. There couldn’t have been a better time for a BYE week as Dixon had time to recover from his concussion and the coaching staff had time to prep for a quarterback platoon, the second time in three seasons they would have to implement such a system.

Welcoming in #23 California on a cold, rainy day at Autzen, Oregon came out strong as Dixon led the opening drive for a touchdown with a laser pass to Demetrius Williams.

Cal, behind a little running back known as Marshawn Lynch, kept fighting back though, and every time Oregon pulled ahead, they were right there to even the score. Even after pushing the lead to ten in the third, the Bears clawed their way back.

After a scoreless fourth quarter, the game was headed to the first overtime of the season.

Brady Leaf got the chance to lead the go-ahead drive, and he capped it off with a touchdown pass to James Finley. With Cal having to get into the end zone to force another tie, the Ducks’ defense came up big with a 4^th down stop that sealed the deal.

Another tough battle, another win on the board. After the heartbreak in Berkely the previous year, this victory was extra sweet.

Now hovering just outside the Top 10, Oregon ventured to Pullman to face a struggling Washington State team. But what looked like it should be an easy win turned into another battle to the finish.

After a Hail Mary from WSU to end the half landed and put them in the lead, the Cougs pushed it to a 21-10 advantage in the third.

But Oregon came roaring back and after a 68-yard bomb from Dixon to 3-sport star Jordan Kent, it was the Ducks who held the double-digit lead.

WSU refused to fold, however, and forged another tie with five minutes left. This time it was Dixon who led the game-winning drive, getting Oregon right down to the four-yard line with four ticks left on the clock.

Martinez knocked in the field goal for the win.

It was only the second time in program history the team had finished the season undefeated on the road.

Into the Top 10 and back home to Autzen for a Senior sendoff and a chance for revenge yet again. With fog pouring into the stadium, it became instantly obvious this Civil War would be the polar opposite from the year before.

Right off the bat, corner Aaron Gipson snagged an interception and dashed 60 yards for a pick-six.

Handing the ball to their bruising running backs Whitehead and Stewart, Oregon pushed ahead 28-7 at halftime.

If there was any hope for an Oregon State comeback, it was squashed to open the second half, as Stewart ran the kickoff 97 yards through the fog for another score.

With Dixon unleashing his arm and the defense devouring the Beavs at the line of scrimmage, the Ducks pushed and pushed and made sure that not only did they win, but they reset the records that had been broken the previous year during their demolition (most points scored in Civil War history and largest margin of victory).

56-14. 10-1 on the season. Only one year after they’d sulked off knowing they wouldn’t go to a bowl game, Oregon celebrated with the throng of fans that ended up on the field, throwing Tostitos chips all over the place and chanting “B-C-S!”

Realistically, there didn’t seem to be any reason for Oregon not to head to Tempe for the Fiesta Bowl (sponsored by Tostitos). However, the “beloved” BCS system seemed decided that Ohio State and Notre Dame, who each had two losses on the season to Oregon’s one, was the better draw.

Perhaps it was the letdown of not going to the desert, or it well could have been running into a much better defense than what they were used to in the Pac 10, but the Ducks ended up losing the Holiday Bowl to Oklahoma 14-17 when their potential game-winning drive came to a halt with an interception.

It hurt, especially after the resilience the team had shown down the stretch of the season. But in the midst of the disappointment came the realization of what Oregon had just done.

They had gone from a losing record for the first time since 1993 to equaling the regular season record of the 2001 team. All in a year.

Though it didn’t happen instantly, that team had set the stage for what was to come.

In 2007, Dixon was on his way to the Heisman and Oregon on their way to play for the National Championship before he suffered a torn ACL.

Behind new head coach Chip Kelly and his ramped-up read option offense, the Ducks continued their upward climb, making it to the Rose Bowl for the first time in 15 years and playing in the National Title game the next.

In the decade following the Redeem Team’s run, the Ducks had won four conference titles, been ranked #1 in the nation on multiple occasions, won two Rose Bowls, had a Heisman winner, and played twice for the National Title.

Standout players from the ‘05 “Redeem Team”:

Kellen Clemens – senior quarterback

Terrance Whitehead – senior running back

Demitrius Williams – senior wideout

Haloti Nagta – junior defensive tackle

Aaron Gipson – senior corenerback

Justin Phinnessee – senior cornerback

Jonathan Stewart – freshman running back

Anthony Trucks – senior linebacker

Cameron Colvin – sophomore wideout

Dennis Dixon – sophomore quarterback

Brady Leaf – sophomore quarterback

Enoka Lucas – senior center