Oregon DL Sam Kamp Retires From Football

Oregon defensive lineman Sam Kamp has decided to retire from competitive football following his redshirt junior season. Kamp will graduate this spring and has elected not to return to the program despite recording 20 tackles and a sack during the 2014-15 campaign. Its not an everyday occurrence that you see a player in good health step away from the game they love, especially with Kamp having a chance to be selected in next year’s NFL Draft. One would have to suspect Kamp already has an idea of what he hopes to pursue following graduation and football clearly didn’t fit into those plans.

“I’m incredibly blessed to have made so many amazing memories playing for this team. I’m so grateful to God, to my loving family and close friends, to my coaches, trainers and support staff who together are better than any other program in the nation, and especially to my teammates who I’ve spent a seriously ridiculous amount of hours grinding with! This season has been a once in a lifetime experience and even though we didn’t finish with a win, it was an unforgettable finish to my athletic career,” he wrote via Instagram. ”I’ll graduate this spring as a proud University of Oregon double major and I can’t wait to find out what opportunities I can take advantage of in the future!”

Kamp confirmed this news to the Oregonian.

After falling in the final contest of the 2014-15 season, the Ducks hope 2015 will be the year for the program to finally breakthrough and capture their first ever National Championship. Nonetheless, losing a guy like Kamp will certainly hurt the defensive line’s depth, and could potentially rob the unit of a starter.  Oregon will begin their march back to the National Finals very soon when spring practice starts back up for head coach Mark Helfrich.

*Section Photo credit to Doug Pensinger, Getty Images; Featured Photo (above) credit to Taylor Wilder, Daily Emerald. 

Matthew Mariota to Follow Brother’s Legacy at UO
Matthew Mariota to Follow Brother’s Legacy at UO