| Year: | 1961 |
| Team: | Oregon Ducks |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Independent |
| Record: | 4–6 |
| Head Coach: | Len Casanova |
| Hc Year: | 11th |
| Captain: | Kent Peterson, Mickey Bruce |
| Mvp: | Kent Peterson |
| Stadium: | Hayward Field Multnomah Stadium |
The 1961 Oregon Ducks football team represented the University of Oregon as an independent during the 1961 college football season. In their eleventh season under head coach Len Casanova and third as an independent, the Ducks compiled a 4–6 record and outscored their opponents 152 to 112. Three home games were played on campus at Hayward Field in Eugene, with two at Multnomah Stadium in Portland.
Sophomore halfback Mel Renfro played on offense, defense, and special teams and tallied 775 yards, including 335 rushing yards, 199 yards on kickoff returns, 99 passing yards, 86 receiving yards, 49 yards on punt returns, and eight yards on an interception return. Renfro was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Quarterback Doug Post led the team with 673 yards of total offense, including 662 passing yards. End Kent Peterson was selected as the team's most valuable player.
The team gained an average of 271 yards of total offense per game, consisting of 161 rushing yards and 110 passing yards. On defense, Oregon gave up 251 yards per game of total offense, consisting of 183 rushing yards and 63 passing yards.
Quarterback Doug Post led the team with 674 yards of total offense. He completed 48 of 113 passes (42.5%) for 662 yards with three touchdowns and five interceptions.[4]
Sophomore left halfback Mel Renfro led the team with 775 yards in six phases of the statistics. He was the team's leading rusher, tallying 335 yards and four touchdowns on 61 carries for an average of 5.5 yards per carry. Renfro also had 199 yards and a touchdown on three kickoff returns; 99 passing yards (four-of-eight passing with a 186.5 quarterback rating); 86 receiving yards on seven receptions; 49 yards on two punt returns; and eight yards on an interception return.[4]
In addition to Renfro, the team's other leading rushers were fullback Jim Josephson (287 yards, 81 carries, 3.5-yard average); fullback Duane Cargill (236 yards, 43 carries, 5.0-yard average); right halfback Mike Gaechter (231 yards, 47 carries, 4.9-yard average); halfback Lu Bain (180 yards, 57 carries, 3.1-yard average).[4]
The team's leading receivers were end Kent Petersen (208 yards, 18 receptions); end Paul Burleson (222 yards, 11 receptions), halfbacks Mike Gaechter (167 yards, 11 receptions); and Mel Renfro (86 yards, seven receptions).[4]
Mel Renfro and Lu Bain were the leading scorers with four touchdowns and 24 points each. Jim Josephson and Paul Burleson followed with three touchdowns and 18 points each. Corey was 11-of-16 on extra points kicks and missed all three field goal attempts.[4]
Two Oregon linemen, tackle Steve Barnett and guard Mickey Ording, received first team honors from the Associated Press on the 1961 All-Pacific Coast football team.
End Kent Peterson was selected by his teammates as the most valuable player (Hoffman Award) on the 1961 Oregon team. Halfback Mike Gaechter won the Albert Dudley Clarke award as the team's most improved player.[5]
Kent Peterson and Mickey Bruce were chosen as the team co-captains.
Mel Renfro was later inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[6]