Oregon Transfer QB Dylan Raiola Continues Mariota's No. 8 Jersey Legacy

Raiola sought blessing from Mariota and former Ducks QB Dillon Gabriel before donning the iconic number.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 5:18pm

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Oregon Ducks transfer quarterback Dylan Raiola will be wearing No. 8 with the Ducks, but the former Nebraska Cornhuskers star recently revealed how his new jersey number came to be. Raiola explained that he called former Ducks quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Marcus Mariota to ask for their blessings to wear the No. 8 jersey, which Mariota made legendary during his Heisman Trophy-winning career.

Why it matters

Oregon's No. 8 jersey is viewed with reverence, especially for athletes from Hawaii who grew up idolizing Mariota. Raiola, who is from Hawaii, followed in the footsteps of Gabriel in seeking Mariota's approval before donning the iconic number.

The details

Raiola said he called both Gabriel and Mariota to ask for their blessing to wear the No. 8 jersey, which Gabriel had also done before arriving in Eugene. While Oregon does not officially retire jersey numbers, the No. 8 is closely associated with Mariota, the Ducks' only Heisman Trophy winner.

  • Raiola revealed the story in the first episode of "Meet the Flock" released by the Oregon media team.

The players

Dylan Raiola

A transfer quarterback from Nebraska who will be wearing the No. 8 jersey for the Oregon Ducks.

Marcus Mariota

The former Oregon Ducks quarterback who won the Heisman Trophy and made the No. 8 jersey iconic at the school.

Dillon Gabriel

The former Oregon Ducks quarterback who also sought Mariota's blessing before wearing the No. 8 jersey.

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What they’re saying

“I'm from Hawaii. I lived there about nine years. Nine or 10 years, so I call that home. I always go back there and visit. The last two people if you look at it wore (No. 8) was Dillon Gabriel and Marcus Mariota, so before I even thought about wearing it, I called Dillon, and I asked him. And then I actually asked him if I could have Marcus's number, and I called Marcus and I was blessed with the opportunity to wear it.”

— Dylan Raiola

What’s next

Raiola will look to continue the success of Oregon quarterbacks who have worn the No. 8 jersey, following in the footsteps of Mariota and Gabriel.

The takeaway

The reverence with which Oregon treats the No. 8 jersey, especially for athletes from Hawaii, highlights the lasting legacy of Marcus Mariota and the importance of respecting tradition when taking on such an iconic number.