The Oregon Ducks start the 2024 season Aug. 31 at home against Idaho. The Oregonian/OregonLive will count down the days with mini-profiles of prominent former and current Ducks whose jersey numbers correspond with the days remaining until the opening kickoff.

Today, No. 53: Defensive lineman Igor Olshansky.

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Igor Olshansky

Bio: Born in Ukraine, Olshansky and his family moved to San Francisco, Calif., when he was seven years old. He attended St. Ignatius College Preparatory in the Bay Area, and began playing football in his junior year.

Key statistics: Olshansky recorded 146 tackles, 11 1/2 sacks, and blocked three kicks during his 38 games. He earned honorable mention All-Pac-10 as a sophomore and second-team All-Pac-10 as a junior. While at Oregon, Olshansky was a two-time recipient of the Joe Schaffeld Trophy, given to the team’s best defensive lineman.

NFL: Olshansky left Oregon with one year of eligibility remaining and became the NFL’s first Soviet Union-born player. The San Diego Chargers selected him in the second round of the 2004 NFL draft.

In his 75 games with the Chargers, Olshansky had 151 tackles and 11 sacks. He also played two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and one with the Miami Dolphins.

He finished his career with 98 starts in 115 appearances with 263 tackles, 18 for loss with 12 1/2 sacks.

PRIOR COUNTDOWN POSTS

No. 54: Three champion linemen.

No. 55: Centers Hroniss Grasu and Jake Hanson, plus linebacker Casey Matthews.

No. 56: Offensive tackle Gary Zimmerman.

No. 57: Offensive lineman George Dames and the 1957 Rose Bowl team.

No. 58: Defensive end Kenny Rowe and center Jackson Powers-Johnson.

No. 59: Offensive lineman Ian Reynoso.

No. 60: Center Max Unger.

No. 61: Lineman Steve Barnett.

No. 62: Offensive lineman Matt Pierson.

No. 63: Defensive lineman Vince Goldsmith.

No. 64: Lineman Dave Wilcox.

No. 65: Offensive lineman Ajani Cornelius

No. 66: Defensive lineman Taylor Hart.

No. 67: Offensive lineman Jack Patera.

No. 68: Offensive lineman Shane Lemieux.

No. 69: Offensive lineman Bo Thran.

No. 70: Fullback Bob Sanders.

No. 71: Offensive linemen Mark Lewis and Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu.

No. 72: Offensive lineman Adam Snyder.

No. 73: Offensive lineman Tyrell Crosby.

No. 74: Offensive linemen Kyle Long and Tom Drougas.

No. 75: Offensive tackle Jake Fisher.

No. 76: Offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr.

No. 77: Offensive lineman Carson York.

No. 78: Offensive linemen Alex Forsyth and Cameron Hunt.

No. 79: Mark Asper, offensive line

No. 80: Wide receivers Lavasier Tuinei, Greg Moser and Ray Palm

No. 81: Wide receiver Bob Newland

No. 82: Wide receiver Lew Barnes and tight end Blake Spence

No. 83: Tight end Ed Dickson and wide receiver Patrick Johnson

No. 84: Tight end Justin Peelle, linebacker Anthony Trucks, and Cam McCormick

No. 85: Pharaoh Brown, Tim Day and Matt Evensen.

No. 86: Wide receiver Paul Burleson.

No. 87: Wide receiver Greg Specht

No. 88: Wide receiver Dwayne Stanford and defensive lineman Brandon Bair

No. 89: This team ended a 25-year drought

No. 90: Tight end Josh Wilcox and defensive lineman Drayton Carlberg