.
Emerald
Former Oregon quarterback A.J. Feeley (7) perhaps played his best game as a Duck in this 1999 game against Washington in Seattle.
A.J. feeling ready for NFL
■ Last season’s back-up Duck quarterback
looks forward Instead of dwelling on the past
By Jeff Smith
Oregon Daily Emerald
Today, A.J. Feeley will board a plane to Philadelphia to
participate in a three-day NFL mini-camp for the Eagles
and begin the next stage of his life.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet,” said Feeley, the former
Oregon quarterback who was the
only Duck selected in the NFL Draft.
“It won’t until I’m actually there and
see my name on that locker. ”
Once Oregon’s 35-30 Holiday
Bowl victory over Texas came to a
conclusion Dec. 29, Feeley set his
sights on the future.
Until that moment, he had accept
ed his role as the Ducks’ back-up
quarterback to Joey Harrington with
little complaint and prepared him
self every game for the possibility
that he might play. It never happened.
Feeley’s up-and-down Oregon career ended on the
sidelines with him wearing a headset and a backwards
cap. But after playing only sparingly in September
blowout wins against Nevada and Idaho, Feeley knew he
still might have a shot at advancing to the pros.
He would work out seven hours a day and then try to
attract the attention of National Football League teams.
Soon, after impressive performances in pre-draft work
outs, there would be 11 teams interested in him.
And on Sunday, in the fifth round of the draft, the
Philadelphia Eagles selected him with the 155th overall
pick. He was the ninth quarterback taken and was even
picked ahead of Oklahoma’s Josh Heupel, who led the
Sooners to the national championship last season.
“Hopefully all the stuff that’s happened with me at
Oregon will be behind me, and I won’t ever have to think
about it again,” said Feeley as he watched a recent Ducks
spring practice. “I knew that I’ve always been a good
FEELEY
player. I just needed the opportunity.”
It’s hard to blame the guy for wanting to leave his college
days in the past after all he went through.
The 6-foot-3,220-pound quarterback from Ontario sat
through the 1997 and ‘98 seasons as the No. 3 quarter
back behind current Cincinnati Bengal Akili Smith and
Jason Maas. Then he had to beat out the competitive Har
rington to earn the starting nod for the 1999 Ducks.
Feeley began that year on fire. After the first five games,
he was ranked eighth in the nation in passing efficiency
and led the Pacific-10 Conference in passing after throw
ing 161 passes for 1,389 yards and 11 touchdowns.
But in the next game, a 34-29 loss at UCLA, Feeley be
gem to feel pain in his throwing elbow, which turned out
to be a serious nerve problem. It would be the beginning
of the end, as two games later Harrington would take over
as the starter for the remainder of the year and lead the
Ducks through their storybook 2000 season.
“I don’t know if [being drafted] makes it all worth it,”
Feeley said. “But it’s nice that people still looked at me
even though I didn’t play much all year.”
Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti has been with Feeley
all four years and knows how frustrating it must have
been for a talented quarterback to suck in his pride and
cheer on his team.
“ [Getting drafted] says volumes about A. J. and the kind
of player he was,” Bellotti said. “I told A.J. that I believed
if he hung in there he’d get a chance. He’s now healthy,
he’s had great workouts and he has a great attitude. Flat
out, he’s one of the best quarterbacks.”
Feeley will enter a Philadelphia team with a quarter
back depth chart that currently has Donovan McNabb as
its starter, Koy Detmer as the back-up and Ron Powlus,
who went to Notre Dame, in the third slot.
That list might scare off some rookie quarterbacks, but
competition is something Feeley’s used to.
“I have a lot ahead of me; it’s not a guaranteed thing,”
he said. “I still haven’t made the squad. I’m just a draft
pick right now.
“But once again, I’m getting the opportunity and that’s
all I ask for.”
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