Ducks Digest

Oregon Ducks Featured in New 'Chad Powers' Series Starring Glen Powell

Wait, that's not quarterback Dante Moore. Hollywood actor Glen Powell is suiting up as an Oregon Duck quarterback gone awry in his latest Hulu series: Chad Powers. The TV show is based on a viral prank from Eli Manning in 2022.
Ally Osborne|
Anthony Ramos, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glenn Powell at the Red Carpet premiere of Twisters, filmed in Oklahoma, at the Harkins Bricktown Theater Monday, July 15, 2024.
Anthony Ramos, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glenn Powell at the Red Carpet premiere of Twisters, filmed in Oklahoma, at the Harkins Bricktown Theater Monday, July 15, 2024. | DOUG HOKE/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

In this story:

Oregon Ducks

The Oregon Ducks have a new quarterback recruit, but he won't see any field time this season unless its on fans' TV screens. Hollywood actor Glen Powell is portraying a fictional Oregon quarterback in his latest Hulu streaming series Chad Powers, which the star is also an executive producer, releasing on the platform Tuesday.

Powell's fictional football persona, "Russ Holiday," is a once star quarterback for the Oregon Ducks that falls from grace and eventually pulls a "Mrs. Doubtfire" with prosthetics and a new persona for one more shot at college sports glory.

Donning a green and white Oregon uniform for flashback scenes of a fictional Oregon vs. Georgia Rose Bowl game in the series, Powell is best known for his roles in "Top Gun: Maverick," romantic comedy "Anyone but You," and "Twisters." He's also an avid college football fan, frequently cheering on the Texas Longhorns (his home-state team) from the sidelines of Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.

Bob Hope Award for Excellence in Entertainment recipient Glenn Powell during the Patriot Awards Gala hosted by the Medal of H
Bob Hope Award for Excellence in Entertainment recipient Glenn Powell during the Patriot Awards Gala hosted by the Medal of Honor Convention at the Knoxville Conventional Center on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. Mohpatriotawardsgala 0215 | Jamar Coach/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Synopsis

"Eight years after an unforgivable mistake nukes his promising college football career, hotshot quarterback Russ Holliday tries to resurrect his dreams by disguising himself as Chad Powers - a talented oddball who walks on to the struggling South Georgia Catfish," reads the description of the Hulu show.

A Story Inspired by a Prank

“Chad Powers” is a character originally conceived by famous quarterback Eli Manning for his ESPN+ show “Eli’s Places.” Manning used the moniker and a similar disguise to break into Penn State Football’s walk-on tryouts in 2022. Only coach James Franklin knew Manning was Powers.

The original video of Manning throwing dimes, making PSU staff laugh, and looking ridiculous in Chad Powers’ prosthetic makeup currently sits at over 10 million views on Youtube. Manning’s production company “Omaha Productions” is listed as a producer for the series along with “ESPN Films” and “20th Television,” among others.

Caught on Camera

During filming, Powell acted out an Oregon touchdown gone wrong and several plays against the fictional Bulldogs team.

That botched touchdown, where Powell's character drops the ball just before reaching the endzone leading to play getting called back, is one of the first shots seen in the "Chad Powers" main trailer online, as a fake Oregon coaching staff donning the Oregon "O," alternate The Duck logo, and green and yellow outfits scream in dismay.

Powell’s fake Oregon jersey closely resembles that of the Oregon uniform combination from the 2014 UCLA game where the Ducks won 42-30 in Pasadena. During this game, the Ducks wore a similar white jersey with a glossy green apple color for the wings that flipped to a glossy silver color higher up the shoulders.

Powell’s jersey is not a one-of-one creation, as the shoulder wings appear more elongated and the metallic green does not match Oregon’s signature green apple color or the satin finish. Furthermore, instead of a Rose Bowl patch, Oregon had a Pac-12 badge. The green and yellow leg tape is also an unusual addition the real Ducks would likely stray away from including in their gear.

Real Life Football Imitates Art

In fact, when Indianapolis Colt's wide receiver Adonai Mitchell accidentally dropped a ball during a touchdown run against the Los Angeles Rams in the same way as Powell's fictional Oregon quarterback character, the actor himself attached video from the trailer pointing out the comparison.

MORE: First Look At Oregon's Glow-In-Dark Uniforms At Penn State Doesn't Disappoint

MORE: Oregon Quarterback Dante Moore Sheds Tears With Will Stein After Penn State Win

MORE: Penn State Coach James Franklin Addresses Overturned Fumble Call vs. Oregon Ducks

Is Russ Holiday a Good Guy?

One of the aspects of "Chad Powers" that Oregon fans should know before watching is that Powell's "Russ Holiday" is nowhere close to an aspirational figure. Early reviews of the program highlight the character of Holiday is quite problematic, which makes sense given the storyline of needing to become a different person.

"The premise is the plot: Powell plays Russ Holiday, a disgraced University of Oregon star who blows a championship game so spectacularly that he’s blackballed from the pros," wrote Vulture film critic Nicholas Quah about the series.

"Washed up, tabloid fodder, and marinating in existential malaise, Russ begins the series as a finely observed jack*** who drives a Cybertruck, dabbles in crypto, and flashes a diamond earring at the club. He’s convinced the universe is conspiring against him when a chance with the B-list XFL falls through, but he spies another way back with the fictional South Georgia Catfish, a struggling college-football program holding open tryouts," Quah added.

"Glen Powell, who also executive-produced, plays Russ Holliday, a gifted college quarterback whose career ends after he makes a catastrophic error that causes his team to lose the Rose Bowl, then behaves abominably on national television," wrote famous film critic Roger Ebert.

So, for Duck fans curious to watch the fictional former Oregon quarterback, it's important to note that Powell's character is a fantastical and comedic portrayal of a flawed athlete.

Anthony Ramos, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glenn Powell at the Red Carpet premiere of Twisters, filmed in Oklahoma, at the Harkins
Anthony Ramos, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glenn Powell at the Red Carpet premiere of Twisters, filmed in Oklahoma, at the Harkins Bricktown Theater Monday, July 15, 2024. | DOUG HOKE/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

How to Watch

"Chad Powers" premieres with two episodes, "First Quarter" and "Second Quarter" on Tuesday, Sept. 30. New episodes are expected to drop on the streaming service at 9 p.m. PT.

Published
Ally Osborne
ALLY OSBORNE

A reporter for Oregon Ducks on SI, Ally Osborne is a born and raised Oregonian. She graduated from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications in 2021 after interning for the Oregon Sports Network with experience working on live sporting broadcasts for ESPN, FOX Sports, the PAC 12 Network, and Runnerspace. Osborne continued her career in Bend, Oregon as a broadcast reporter in 2021 for Central Oregon Daily News while writing for Oregon Ducks on SI. Since then, Osborne is entering her third season reporting for the publication and is frequently the on-site reporter for home games at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. She is currently the host of lifestyle shows "Everyday Northwest" and "Tower Talk Live" for KOIN 6 News in Portland, Oregon. Osborne also works as a sports reporter for KOIN 6's "Game On" sports department. In her free time, Osborne is an avid graphic designer, making art commissions for athletes across her home state. Osborne's designs have even become tattoos for a few Duck athletes.

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