a flying
machine
Junior Jason Willis, a former walk-on, is
shining and smiling in his role as the Ducks’
top receiver so far this season
8y Adam Jude
Jregon Daily Emerald
ou don’t need X-ray vi
sion to see the smile
pouring out of Jason
JL Willis’s helmet when his
favorite play is called.
""he junior wide receiver is no
longer surprised when quarterback
Joey Harrington calls out the “fly
sweep” in the huddle. But before
Willis became synonymous with
end-around, the former high
school running back was just con
tent with contributing any way he
could. And contribute he did in
Oregon’s 35-30 victory over Texas
in the Holiday Bowl last season.
“It was a shock to me,” Willis
said of the play call which led to
his four-yard touchdown run Dec.
29. “I was in the huddle, and he
called the play and I was like
‘Wow, this is coming to me, I gotta’
get in there.' And I did. I couldn’t
believe it. It was just an unbeliev
able feeling.
“Hopefully there’ll be more to
come."
It’s hard to imagine Willis doing
more, but if he gets his way, there
will be much more to come for the
former walk-on.
Along with his knack for run
ning, Willis, since joining the
-
Ducks in 1998, has developed
great hands. The 6-foot-l, 190
pound junior leads the team with
15 receptions and 191 yards.
“I think I’m finally coming on
now, I’ve improved over the years
and finally coming up and making
my spot,” Willis said.
Along with his regular duty as a
“possession receiver” in a high
powered offense, Willis also makes
his mark on special teams.
“With [receiver] Keenan
[Howry] and Joey coming in as
the go-to people, I’m just trying to
be a possession receiver,” Willis
said. “I’m just trying to fill in the
spot that Marshan [Tucker, Ore
gon’s leading receiver last year]
left behind. As far as special
teams, I think that’s a big part of
our team. Special teams win
games and I want to contribute in
any way I can.”
If everything had ended up as
originally planned, Oregon would
be trying to prevent Willis from
catching the ball instead of throwing
to him. Out of Saint Bernard High
School in Compton, Calif., Willis
made an oral commitment to be a
defensive back for Arizona State.
The day before he was sched
uled to sign, however, Willis found
out that he could not sign with the
Adam Amato Emerald
Junior Jason Willis, the Ducks’ top receiver this season, makes a diving attempt in Oregon’s 24-10 win over Utah on Sept. 8.
Sun Devils because the school had
some problems with recruiting.
Luckily, though, Willis was accept
ed to Oregon on academic merits,
he said.
The No. 3 receiver last season,
Willis has proven to his coaches
and teammates that he belongs on
the field every down.
“His success hasn’t surprised
me,” senior fullback Josh Line
said. “He's just had to play behind
people who are superstars and it’s
his time to shine. I’m not surprised
by anything he’s done because I’ve
seen him do it throughout his
whole career here in practice and
in games. I’m excited for him.”
Howry, a starting receiver the
last two seasons, knows better than
anyone that Willis deserves every
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bit of success and recognition that
he gets.
“He means a great deal to this
team,” Howry said. “He’s one of
those rare players that gets every
thing done. He’s unbelievable.”
And although the entire offense
has yet to come together like many
expected it to in the preseason,
Howry said the receiving corps has
gelled better than any group he’s
been a part of.
“This has never happened be
fore so early in the season,” Howry
said. “The last two years I’ve been
here both receivers have never re
ally played together in the same
games. All of the receivers have re
ally stepped it up this year, espe
cially Jason.”
If Harrington hopes to stay in
the Heisman Trophy race and if
the Ducks hope to accomplish
their goal of reaching the nation
al championship, Willis, Howry
and the entire supporting cast
must lift the offense to the next
level.
“Offensively, we just need to
come together consistently and
we’ll be unstoppable,” Willis said.
“As far as backs, I think we have
the best backfield in the nation.
The receiving corps, right now
we’re not carrying the team, but we
are stepping it up and making
some big plays.”
If Willis’s first two games are any
indication of how big he will be,
the Ducks seemed to be well on
their way to fulfilling some of their
lofty goals.
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