How the biggest Oregon Ducks traditions got their start

The Oregon Ducks have become a name-brand in college football over the 2000's, and as Dan Lanning continues to push for the school's first National Championship, the program is only becoming more popular. Regardless of whether you're an Oregon fan or a college football fan, attending a game in Autzen Stadium should be on everyone's bucket list. Attending a game in Autzen Stadium is incredible in part because of the many traditions the program has.

How the most popular Oregon Football traditions got their start

Playing "Shout"

Every Oregon fan knows that the movie "Animal House" was filmed on campus, but most outsiders may not be familiar with the fact. In a nod to the movie, the song "Shout" plays at the end of the 3rd quarter, sending the fans and sometimes the players into a frenzy. While Shout may be Oregon's most famous tradition, it's a newer tradition, having been adopted in 2010.

Throwing the O

Any time an Oregon player scores or in a big moment in any sport, you can often see the player throwing up the "O" hand sign. While the moment is iconic with the players, it actually started with the Oregon band directors to show the band it's time to start playing the fight song. On the field, the signal became big with the players in 2001 when Joey Harrington threw it up, hoping the band would play the fight song one last time after the Civil War, gracing the cover of The Oregonian.

Harley-Davidson Entrance

Whether it's on College GameDay or when the team takes the field, fans have seen the mascot ride on a Harley-Davidson, but they may not know the origin. After the Vikings started a similar tradition, Oregon started the tradition in 1997 with former Ducks star and NFL Hall of Famer Gary Zimmerman driving the bike. Doug Koke then rode the bike for 23 years until 2022, turning the tradition over to Arlen Rexius and Matt Hogan.

It Never Rains in Autzen Stadium

If you're planning on attending an Oregon game as a visiting fan, don't even bother checking the weather app, as it never rains in Autzen Stadium. When Oregon banned umbrellas from the stadium, longtime public address announcer Don Essig turned it into a tradition when he first uttered the phrase "It never rains in Autzen Stadium" in the 1990 season. Since then, rain or shine, the phrase is uttered and chanted, even in the case of monsoons.

"Coming Home"

Eugene Native Mat Kearney released his song "Coming Home (Oregon)" in 2015, and it instantly became synonymous with the school. Ever since the release of the song, it's been played at countless school events, but none are more famous than when it plays between the 1st and 2nd quarters, sending Autzen Stadium into a sing-along.

The Ducks' pushups

The costumed Duck mascot famously performs push-ups for every point the team has scored, which has become a nightmare in instances like when Oregon scored 81 points against Portland State, accounting for 546 push-ups. The Oregon Duck wasn't the first mascot to pull off the move, but it's quickly become synonymous with the mascot. While it's hard to pin down exactly when the Duck started the tradition, it may be most famous for when it sparked a fight between the Duck and Shasta, the Houston mascot starting a fight in 2007, which ended in a 10-8 round for the Duck.

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