1954 Oregon Ducks football team explained

Year:1954
Team:Oregon Ducks
Sport:football
Conference:Pacific Coast Conference
Short Conf:PCC
Record:6–4
Conf Record:5–3
Head Coach:Len Casanova
Hc Year:4th
Captain:Ron Pheister
Stadium:Hayward Field, Multnomah Stadium

The 1954 Oregon Ducks football team represented the University of Oregon as a member of the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) during the 1954 college football season. In their fourth season under head coach Len Casanova, the Ducks compiled a 6–4 record (5–3 in PCC, third), and outscored their opponents 218 to 159. The team played its home games on campus in Eugene at Hayward Field, and at Multnomah Stadium in Portland.

On a morning deer hunt east of Eugene in mid-October, senior guard Jack Patera of Portland mistakenly shot and killed former Oregon teammate Ken Sweitzer, a graduate assistant.[1] [2] It was ruled accidental and he was cleared of negligence.[3] This was the second death for the team in two months; in mid-August, junior guard Doyle Higdon of Cottage Grove was killed in a logging explosion while removing stumps.[2] [4]

Oregon won all four games against northwest PCC opponents; their next sweep came 26 years later.

Schedule

[5] [6] [7]

Notes and References

  1. News: Shot kills ex-Oregon grid star . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . October 14, 1954 . 1A.
  2. News: Tragedy stuns Oregon squad . Spokesman-Review . (Spokane, Washington) . Associated Press . October 15, 1954 . 14.
  3. News: Patera cleared of negligence . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . October 15, 1954 . 1A.
  4. News: UO athlete, co-worker killed in blast . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . August 14, 1954 . 1.
  5. Web site: . 1954 Oregon Ducks Schedule and Results . College Football @ Sports-Reference.com . . September 3, 2023 .
  6. Web site: . 1954 Football Schedule . University of Oregon Athletics . September 3, 2023 .
  7. Web site: . 2023 Oregon Football Record Book . University of Oregon Athletics . 49 . September 3, 2023 .