Bryce Boettcher wanted to be a Duck at an early age. Boettcher grew up in Eugene and was a standout athlete at South Eugene High School. So, after becoming a success for the UO on the baseball field and the football gridiron, saying the 6-foot-2, 225-pound senior is living the dream might be an understatement.
“It’s incredible,” he says. “Being from Eugene and watching the Ducks as a kid, this is a fantasy turned into reality. It’s especially cool to have had all my friends and family come to watch me play and see both the football and baseball programs grow.”
But it wasn’t always so fun. Though Boettcher joined Oregon on a baseball scholarship in 2021, he had to earn his way onto the football team as a walk-on in 2022. Some teachable moments followed.
“There were a lot of early mornings and late nights going unrecognized,” Boettcher explains. “My first football game against Eastern Washington I was so amped up, I got ejected for a targeting penalty.”
So how did Boettcher persevere through the tough times? By not dwelling on his mistakes, and making the most of the moments in front of him.
“Enjoying the process has been a big key step for me,” he says. “I work my butt off every single day. When you have that mindset and live in the present, good things will happen.”
Hard work certainly has paid off for him. As a center fielder in baseball last season, he hit .276 with 12 home runs and was named to the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Team for his outstanding defense. So far this football season at linebacker, he currently leads the Ducks in tackles, including a personal best 11 tackles against Oregon State. For that matter, he also recorded his first interception, against UCLA.
“That interception felt good,” Boettcher says. “I was covering the inside and the receiver went outside. When their quarterback underthrew the ball at him, I was in position to make the play.
Performance like this is why he’s a candidate for the 2024 Burlsworth Trophy, given to football players who started as walk-ons for their team. After his rough start, he appreciates the honors. By the same token, he’s also focused on bigger goals for the Ducks, such as playing for a national championship.
Yet the question beckons: what are the similarities and differences between his respective sports. After all, linebackers are known for vicious hits on ball carriers. But none of that happens in center field, where there is no tackling. Or is there?
“You can actually tackle the fence in center field if you get lucky at the warning track,” Boettcher laughs. “But both positions require seeing a read and then going for it. At linebacker, you’ve got to see a gap and hit it. And in the outfield, you’ve got to see the ball come off the bat and follow without hesitation.”
Regardless of the sport, Boettcher has become respected by his fellow Ducks for his tenacity, hustle, and persistence. His leadership has also been appreciated.
“Bryce has done a great job,” says UO head football coach Dan Lanning. “He brings a competitive spirit every time he steps on the practice field, plays with a relentless effort, and has always been accountable to his teammates.”
Boettcher also has a job lined up for himself when football ends this year, and it will involve wearing a baseball uniform. This past July, the Houston Astros selected him in the 13th round of the Major League Baseball draft.
“It’s special,” Boettcher says. “I’ve been very blessed with this opportunity, and people like my family helped me get to this part of my life. I believed in myself and worked hard to get to this point.”
Whatever happens when he officially leaves Oregon for Houston, Boettcher is thankful for his many football and baseball memories as a Duck. He believes the lessons he’s learned here will help him in the very near future.
“It goes back to sticking to the process,” he says. “It’s easy to look toward the future or look in the past, but you live and learn in the present. I just do everything I can to live in my moment and just enjoy it. Again, when you do that, success will naturally follow.”
