By Rob Moseley

Editor, GoDucks.com

Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner was on two national defensive player of the year watch lists this preseason, and is widely regarded as a potential top-10 pick in next year's NFL draft.

To those accolades, Buckner would like to add another: college graduate. To do so, he embarked this year on a course load as aggressive as his play at the line of the scrimmage for the Ducks.

In order to keep a promise he made to his father, George, Buckner has passed 52 credits over the past three academic terms. He has 15 left this fall in order to earn his degree in general social sciences, on its “Crime, Law & Society” track; among Buckner's career interests, after pursuing his dream in the NFL following the fall quarter, is law enforcement.

Tasked often with taking on double-teams at the line of scrimmage in football, Buckner is used to shouldering a heavy workload. Over the past nine months, he's done so in the classroom as well.

“Life throws a lot of curveballs at inopportune times,” said Jeanene Gray, a learning specialist who was among the many Jaqua Center staff members to help Buckner keep his word to his father.

“I've seen DeForest go through a lot of struggles, bypass a lot of distractions and sacrifice a lot to get his degree from Oregon. I think that speaks volumes as to what kind of person he is and what goals he has for his future.”

Buckner chose to remain in school shortly after Oregon's College Football Playoff championship game appearance in January. At that point he sat down with Jennie Leander , senior associate director of the university's Services for Students-Athletes, to plot out a path to graduation by the end of this fall.

The result: A load of 18 credits in the winter, then 19 in spring, requiring two or three more classes per term than the typical student. Buckner was tackling upper-division coursework while tackling ballcarriers in spring practice, in subjects including physics, sociology, ethnic studies and political science.

Particularly daunting, at least to the Jaqua staff, was an ethnic studies course, ES 352: Social Equity & Criminal Justice. It had been challenging to other students in the department, even those not burdened by an extra class or two while taking it; “DeFo ended up passing with flying colors,” Gray said.

“I needed to put my head down and hit the books,” Buckner said. “I couldn't take anything lightly.”

Buckner made the Jaqua Center a second home during the last nine months. He had regular check-ins with Leander and Gray, to manage his schedule and take advantage of the Jaqua's resources. Academic advisor Chris Young and learning specialist Nick Lougee also played parts, Buckner said.

The efforts of others have helped, Gray said, “but mostly I think DeFo's commitment to succeeding and graduating is what has allowed those resources to be utilized to their full potential.”

The football program has made accommodations as well. Buckner missed some practice time in preseason camp to attend class, and will do so again once fall quarter begins. He's enrolled in a course that overlaps with some team responsibilities each Friday.

But Buckner said his position coach, UO assistant Ron Aiken , has encouraged his progress toward his degree. Aiken is confident that Buckner, perhaps the Ducks' most consistent practice performer, can balance academics and athletics.

“We trust that he'll take care of his business and do the work,” Aiken said. “He attacks everything the same way. I expect that when it's time to be a father and a husband, he's going to attack that full-speed also.”

There were times Buckner began to sag under the workload. In the spring, on his way to completing 37 credits in just two terms, “I was just tired,” Buckner said.

“Sometimes I'd forget I had homework for one class, because I was doing work for another,” he said. “It was stressful.”

His focus is paying off, though. And as Buckner nears the finish line, on track to graduate in just three years and one quarter, he doesn't want to slow down.

“Coming back saying I want to get my degree, and end up like a credit short? I don't want that to happen,” he said. “That definitely motivates me.”

As opposing offensive linemen can attest, a motivated Buckner is tough to tangle with. Thanks to that same mindset, Oregon's star defensive end is just a few months shy of earning his diploma.