Ducks Digest

Oregon Ducks' New Jersey Numbers: Who Is Wearing Spencer Webb's No. 4?

In preparation for the Oregon Ducks spring game in April, Ducks coach Dan Lanning released the updated roster, and Florida State wide receiver transfer Malik Benson is the first offensive Ducks player to wear No. 4 since the late Oregon tight end Spencer Webb.
Ally Osborne|
Oct 2, 2021; Stanford, California, USA; Oregon Ducks tight end Spencer Webb (18) before the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Oct 2, 2021; Stanford, California, USA; Oregon Ducks tight end Spencer Webb (18) before the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

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With spring practice fully underway, the Oregon Ducks released their updated roster, including the newest freshmen and NCAA Transfer Portal newcomers to join the team. One thing that stood out on that roster was wide receiver Malik Benson's number.

Benson, a transfer from the Florida State Seminoles, will be the first offensive player for the Ducks to wear the No. 4 since former Oregon tight end Spencer Webb. Webb passed away in 2022 at the age of 22 after a cliff diving accident and left an indelible mark that coach Dan Lanning and the program honor to this day.

“There’s really not a day that goes by that you don’t think about it. We finish every summer workout with a climb up Spencer’s Butte. So that’s going to be a big capstone to our season," Lanning said at the PAC-12 Media Day event in 2023, a year after Webb's passing about the athlete and Oregon's new tradition to honor him.

Duck fans also may remember Webb's No. 4 and the late Duck cornerback Khyree Jackson's No. 5 represented in a sticker of two Ducks pasted to the base of each Oregon football helmet throughout the 2024 season, commemorating the two.

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“There’s gonna be some guys that go on that walk that didn’t know Spencer, right? There’s gonna be some guys that climb that hill that didn’t know him personally, and there’s gonna be a lot of people that were impacted by Spencer every day when we climb that Butte. That means a lot to me. I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for us to express the importance of life and taking advantage of the time while you’re here on this earth for our guys," Lanning said during the same PAC-12 Media Day.

Benson will likely participate in the Ducks' annual hike up Spencer's Butte, and will continue to learn about Webb's legacy in his first and final year with the Ducks.

Before the NCAA's ruling, Benson was training for the NFL Draft but after the NCAA ruled that junior college athletes could be granted an extra year of eligibility, Benson went for the Transfer Portal. Before the Seminoles, Benson spent his 2023 season with the Alabama Crimson Tide and two seasons before that played for Hutchinson Community College. Entering his junior year, Benson was the top athlete prospect out of the junior college circuit.

Dec 30, 2023; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Malik Benson (11) and linebacker Justin Jefferson (28) re
Dec 30, 2023; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Malik Benson (11) and linebacker Justin Jefferson (28) react during Rose Bowl media day at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Now, he'll be joining returning Ducks' receiver Evan Stewart and highly touted class of 2025 prospect Dakorien Moore to compete for targets.

With the Seminoles in the 2024 season, Benson put up 311 yards and one touchdown and Florida State struggled throughout their season as an offensive unit. Over the tenure of his college career, Benson averages 12.5 yards per catch.

"I'm just glad that the Lord blessed me with another opportunity and another year," Benson told ESPN after entering the portal. "I will not take this for granted."

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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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