Moving away from hyperbole but honoring the spirit of the series, the discussion of all-time great Ducks moves to linebacker. It's a long list.
Tom Graham patrolled the middle for the Webfoots from 1969-1971, Oregon's all-time leader in tackles with 433. As a sophomore he tallied 203 in 11 games.
In the 1971 Civil War Graham erupted for 41 stops in one game and blocked a field goal as the Ducks lost a heartbreaker in Autzen Stadium, 30-29.
Drafted in the fourth round by Denver, he played seven years in the NFL after twice making All-PAC-8. He died of brain cancer in May 2017.
In the 1994 Rose Bowl year Rich Ruhl and Jeremy Asher were the heart of the Gang Green defense, a pair of intimidators in broad shoulder pads who could read, react and hit with a ferocity fans heard in the 42nd row.
They wore 44 and 48, a tandem of truck-stick hitters who flowed to the ball and hit with authority. They gave their defense its personality.
Peter Sirmon and Matt Smith
Sirmon played seven years in the NFL after being picked in the fourth round by Tennessee. As a Duck he started four seasons from 1996-99, All-PAC-100 in 1999. He's had a long career as a college and pro assistant, currently with the New Orleans Saints.
Sirmon could lower the boom, smart and lethal on the blitz. He played on three bowl teams as a Duck, an integral part of four winning seasons.
In 1999 and 2000 Matt Smith made 153 tackles for the Ducks, returning two interceptions for TDs. A crunching tackler, Smith played with incredible determination and focus.
Kevin Mitchell, 2000-2003
Mitchell anchored a Duck defense that went 11-1 in 2001 and finished No. 2 in the nation. He twice earned second team all-conference honors, racking up 104, 114 and 112 tackles over his last three seasons, 44 career tackles for loss.
Here he is cleaning up against Cal's Aaron Rodgers.
Wesly Mallard
One of the most aptly-named and athletic of Oregon linebackers, Mallard roamed the middle for the Ducks from 1998-2001. He posted 111 tackles, 12 TFLs, three sacks and two interceptions on the '01 Fiesta Bowl squad.
In those days, Oregon players made their bones on special teams.
Casey Matthews, 2007-2010
A stalwart on Chip Kelly's 2010 squad that put together a perfect regular season and made it to the national championship, Matthews made second team All-American that year, a heady player from a renown football family who played five seasons in the NFL.
As a Duck he turned in 245 tackles, nine sacks and four interceptions over 50 games.
Spencer Paysinger
A converted wide receiver, Paysinger emerged as a big-play linebacker for the Ducks from and spent eight years in the NFL after catching on with the Giants as an undrafted free agent.
As a Duck he returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown in the 2008 Civil War, second on the team in tackles in '09 with 81. Teaming with Matthews he had eight tackles in the BCS National Championship Game, starting 39 games over three seasons.
His football journey from Beverly Hills High to the pros became the inspiration for the CW series "The All-American" starring Taye Diggs.
Michael Clay 2009-12
Clay reached 101 tackles in 2012, 102 in 2011, now a special teams coach with the Eagles.
As a Duck he worked his way into the lineup as a freshman, immediately impressing the staff with his work habits and football intelligence, something that contributed to his NFL coaching career. Linebackers coach Don Pellum told the Eugene Emerald, “Just the way he ran around and how he listened in the meetings and going to film..
“You talk about some situation with chalkboard or in the film session and you go out on the field, and he’s performing these things right away at a high level. And that tells you that this is a pretty special person.”
Perhaps the best game of his Oregon career came in the 2012 Rose Bowl, including a clutch fourth quarter fumble recovery.
Troy Dye
A four-year starter through some lean years, Troy Dye was the instigator of the Shout!" tradition, the towel-waving heart of it at the beginning.
Now with the Chargers in the NFL he amassed 397 tackles with the Ducks from 2016-2019, finishing his career at UO with a Rose Bowl Championship. He picked off five passes and earned second team All-PAC-12 three times.
The Vikings drafted him in the fourth round in 2020, now entering his sixth year in the league.