Justin Herbert gave Oregon football a late Christmas present Wednesday, announcing that he will indeed return for his senior season in 2019.
Justin Herbert, a former Heisman contender who has battled injuries each of his three seasons as starter for the Ducks under center, was viewed as a potential No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft had he elected to enter.
Instead, he’ll now get a chance to play on the same team as his brother, Patrick Herbert, who has committed to Oregon and will be a true freshman at tight end in the fall. Herbert will also continue to work on his passing skills under head coach Mario Cristobal and offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo.
Herbert expressed his feelings about the Oregon program in a statement released by the school, saying “Words will never be able to express my feelings of gratitude toward the people that have built and maintain our program.” He added that “nothing could pull me away from the opportunities that we have in front of us.”
By declaring before the Redbox Bowl, Herbert has cleared any distractions he might have unwillingly created by being a top draft prospect. Now, he can focus on ending his junior season in the best way and use that as a launching pad to one final go-round in Eugene.
Here are three reasons why Herbert’s decision to return to Oregon for his senior season was the right one: