Oregon Football: Savoring Justin Herbert’s Final Half-Season

After getting all of his bad throws out of the way in the first two quarters, Justin Herbert turned in a sublime second half performance to come back and beat the Huskies.

Justin Herbert was the definition of efficient as he threw for 280 yds, 4 TD and 0 interceptions. Despite a couple of early game woes—and despite what some Husky honks might say—Justin was ultimately the top QB in Seattle last weekend.

After last year’s Stanford game, and his unsuccessful Hail Mary attempt at the end of the Auburn debacle, there has been some doubt cast upon whether or not Herbie has the ever-important “clutch” gene. It’s something that I’m sure NFL GMs will debate this spring.

I can’t imagine anyone could still have a question about Justin’s leadership and fire after that performance, though. And I’m not just saying that because of his 1-0 record in Husky Stadium either. Herbie’s been money from the start.

Lest we forget his 2016 freshman season where he singlehandedly battled back against Cal before eventually losing in double overtime. Or against #12 Utah, where he threw the game-winning score to Darren “Drive Thru” Carrington. It’s also worth noting that both of those games were on the road.

They didn’t always end in wins, and maybe he has thrown a few errant last-second lobs in between, but Herbie has been a true leader since he took over the job just three short years ago.

The most important thing his poise accomplished last Saturday was reminding us—once again—what a special hometown hero we have on our hands, and for just a few more games.

The Ducks are about halfway through their 2019-20 campaign, and while there are so many things to get excited about, I want to take a deep breath.

Yes, the Ducks are climbing in the polls. Yes, they’re in the driver’s seat for the Pac-12 North. And yes, they beat the Huskies.

But I want to remember to soak it all in.

Justin has battled injury, countless coaching changes, and turmoil that the program hadn’t faced in the 25 years prior to his arrival. He didn’t step into the Oregon football that he grew up on, but he stepped in all the same.

He has done so well that it has garnered him serious national attention, and it’s no surprise to those of us who recognized early-on that, “Justin Herbert is the future.”

More from Autzen Zoo

• Oregon football: Ducks and Coach Prime playing it cordial leading up to Saturday
• Oregon Basketball: Non-conference slate features Michigan coming to Eugene
• Oregon football: Ducks find complete game effort in win vs Hawaii
• Oregon Ducks must get run game going against Hawaii
• 8 Pac-12 teams represented in Associated Press Top 25 after Week 2

Herbie’s also having himself a quietly stellar senior season individually, even finding himself back on some Heisman watchlists this week. He’s undoubtedly the reason the Ducks are in the position they’re in right now, and I think we all know that, but we don’t always say it out loud since it’s so obvious.

Maybe I’m being overly sentimental about it all while the Ducks are in the middle of a pretty great season, but I feel constantly reminded of a quote from a critically-acclaimed television show:

"“I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.” – Andy Bernard, The Office"

I was really young when Joey Harrington was taking over Fiesta Bowls and Times Square billboards. He loved the Ducks his whole life, and then he got to give back to the University right there on that hallowed multi-turf field. Joey was a once-in-a-program type of hometown hero, but Oregon has somehow had the incredible privilege of another in Justin Herbert (and a generational talent in Marcus Mariota right in between the two).

If I was going to tie this week’s article to any sort of real “game preview” for Wazzu, I could say something like:

“Herbie is having a great year, and will look to keep rolling by exploiting a middling Cougar defense.”

But the Washington win has me feeling the emotional weight of Herbie’s last year more than usual, so I’m not even going to pretend to deliver real analysis.

Justin Herbert only has three more games in Autzen Stadium.

These are the good old days, and I just want to soak them in.

Go Ducks.