Irving joined the Ducks in 2022 after spending one year at Minnesota. His talent and competitiveness were immediately apparent to his new teammates.
Monday’s Fiesta Bowl will bring Irving’s two-year Oregon career to a close, after two 1,000-yard rushing seasons. But Irving’s teammates will remember him for much more than his production on the field. After making such a strong first impression, he has cemented his connection with the Ducks ever since.
The UO football team’s reverence for its leading rusher knows few bounds.
“He’s the best back in the country,” receiver Tez Johnson said Friday. “Hands down.”
Talking with teammates about Irving, they all acknowledge his abilities — that elusiveness, the quickness in small spaces, the balance that allows him to stay on his feet after first contact by the defense. But what sticks out more is how many consider Irving among their closest friends on the team, and how many stories there are about Irving going the extra mile to strengthen bonds with his teammates.
Irving is such a regular presence in tight end meetings that UO starter Terrance Ferguson refers to him as “an honorary tight end.” If not in that meeting room inside the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex, Irving might also be found down the hall in the offensive line room.
“He’ll come in and watch protections with us,” UO offensive lineman Steven Jones said. “It’s not just, ‘block for me and let me run.’ He wants to make sure we’re all on the same page. He’s not someone who just sees us as blockers, and just tries to make plays off us. He really wants to be connected with us.”
For Irving, reaching out to teammates in ways like that comes naturally.
“You’re not doing this thing all by yourself,” he said. “It takes all 11 on the field, so to have that connection with all the guys I think means a lot.”
Oregon’s team culture has foundational pillars established under head coach Dan Lanning, one of which is “connection.” When a player the status of Irving is going to such lengths to establish his connections with teammates, it resonates throughout the locker room.
“He’s a great example for our younger players, of what a veteran should look like and how he should act,” UO offensive coordinator Will Stein said. “He’s not…
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