Gage Hurych remembers running onto the field for his first kick at Oregon.
He also remembers almost nothing about the kick itself.
“Coach Lorig came over and told me I was going in to kick, and it felt like all the blood drained out of my body,” Hurych said. “I ran onto the field, and it was just like, I remember running onto the field and then running off the field.”
The moment arrived during Oregon’s 2024 regular-season finale against Washington. Hurych converted the extra point following the Ducks’ final touchdown, officially recording the first point of his college career.
He later needed to watch the television broadcast to fully understand what had happened.
“I don’t really remember the kick,” Hurych said. “I watched it on TV back, and I just had to figure out if I made it or not or how it went. It was crazy.”
That moment provides a useful starting point for understanding the opportunity now in front of Hurych.
Two years ago, simply hearing his name called caused his body to go numb. This fall, Oregon may need him to handle the kicks that determine whether a championship contender wins or loses.
The physical motion will remain largely the same. The circumstances surrounding it could not be more different.
