PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon’s offensive line was a force to be reckoned with this season, only giving up four sacks all season long.
The undeniable leader of that line was West Linn native Alex Forsyth, who came back for his extra COVID year. It’s safe to say he doesn’t have any regrets about that decision.
“I probably had the most fun I’ve ever had playing football this year,” said Forsyth.
That fun translated to multiple accolades in December for him. A few weeks ago, he was named a second-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America.
“To get recognized like that, I think is pretty special, and there was a lot of great offensive linemen in the country, and it could’ve gone to a lot of different people,” said Forsyth. “I was able to prove that I can play at a high level, so I was pretty excited about that.”
He might be even more excited about the second honor he received though.
This past week Forsyth was named one of three finalists for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award, which recognizes a player’s work both on and off of the turf.
“It’s really impactful for me because I’ve always wanted to find a way to make a difference outside of the football field whatever I’ve been doing, so just to take in the classroom, the community work, and on the field stuff. I think that’s been huge for me to put it all together this year,” said Forsyth.
The Portland-area native will get to put it all together for the Ducks one last time come Dec. 28 in the Holiday Bowl, and there will certainly be some emotion tied to that final outing for Forsyth.
“Part of me is a little sad that it’s going to be my last time wearing the Oregon uniform, but there always comes a time when you’ve got to leave college and go to the next step in your life. I’m excited, but also, I know by the end of the game it’s going to be pretty tough,” said Forsyth.
He says he never considered opting out. Neither did many of his teammates, as only two decided to leave the team and start their NFL draft process early.
“It speaks to the volume of how much we love and play for each other on the field and the connection we have,” said Forsyth. “One of the big pillars of Coach Lanning’s program is connection — that’s the number one thing.”
That connection is something Forsyth will take with him for the rest of his life, and he’s thrilled to be connected to the Ducks forever.
“I wake up every morning, and it doesn’t feel real sometimes that I’m playing for the University of Oregon,” said Forsyth. “Sometimes I need to take a step back and be like, ‘Man, look at how far I’ve come since I was a kid and dreaming of playing football here and getting the opportunity and playing in these pretty memorable games this year.’ It’s been a dream come true.”