Former Oregon star quarterback Akili Smith thinks Oregon can win a national title this year.

There's no question that Willie Taggart has reinvigorated the Oregon football program.

Following a four-win season that left the fanbase bordering on apathetic, Taggart recruited top assistants coaches and top prep prospects from around the country to his cause to rebuild the Oregon football program. He's also done a fantastic job of recruiting the affection of former Duck star players. Marcus Mariota, LaMichael James and De'Anthony Thomas have all tripped to campus to see Taggart and his new staff.

Another former Oregon star player gave him a major vote of confidence in a DuckTerritory exclusive interview Wednesday.

Ducks fans remember Akili Smith as the first superstar Duck quarterback. In 1998, Smith throttled Pac-10 defenses to the tune of 3,763 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and an 8-4 record. Smith went on to be the third pick in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Nearly 20 years later Smith's vigor for the Oregon program has not faltered, especially for its new head man.

“I just can’t believe how impressive he’s been," Smith said of Taggart. "It’s almost been surreal. I can’t believe we have a man like this leading our program and our team."

Pointing to the aforementioned additions of assistant coaches like defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt and co-offensive coordinator Mario Cristobal, Smith doesn't expect a gradual rebuild for the Ducks. Instead, he thinks they can achieve the ultimate prize in Taggart's first season.

“Some people are giving us eight wins and nine wins. That’s crazy to me. I believe we have an opportunity to win a national championship. I really believe that," he said. “I don’t see a nine or ten win season. I see national championship. That’s all I see."

Taggart is not unfamiliar with rebuild projects. He turned his alma mater Western Kentucky from a two-win team to a second-place finisher in the Sun Belt conference in just one year. At South Florida he moved the Bulls from two wins to 10 in a matter of four years. The new head coach has inherited a better base than that at Oregon, with a talented roster returning and immense support.

“If you look at coach Taggart’s track record, every program that he’s been at has gotten better and better and better," Smith said. "Now he has an endless amount of resources backed by Uncle Phil. There’s just no way that I don’t see us competing for national championship this year, the following year or the following year. It’s good times right now to be an Oregon Duck alum."

Smith runs and operates Akili Smith Training, which focuses on training up-and-coming youth quarterback prospects. Included among his star pupils is Oregon signee Braxton Burmeister. Burmeister arrives in Eugene Wednesday in preparation spring football practice which opens on April 5.

DuckTerritory will have more on Burmeister and his rise from prep star to Oregon football player later this week.