In a conference that features big name running backs like Stanford’s Toby Gerhart, Oregon State’s Jacquizz Rodgers and Cal’s Jahvid Best, the depth of the No. 12 Oregon Ducks backfield has been able to trump them all through the first seven weeks of the 2009 season.
Oregon leads the Pacific-10 conference in rushing yards per game with 202.7, yet the Ducks do not feature a single running back that averages more than 100 yards per outing. But with five players who have already tallied 20 or more carries and more than 100 yards on the ground, the Ducks have proven that they have more than enough talent to carry the load.
“We need to get off to a fast start,” said first-year head coach Chip Kelly. “Obviously no matter who you’re playing, when you go on the road if you can jump out early that’s going to help you.”
Oregon has outscored its opponents 105-43 in the first half this season, and in order for the Ducks to jump out to an early lead against the Huskies Saturday afternoon in Seattle, a heavy dosage of redshirt freshman LaMichael James will be key.
James has carried the ball 92 times for 581 yards and four touchdowns this year to lead the Ducks. But quarterbacks Jeremiah Masoli and Nate Costa, and running backs Kenjon Barner, Remene Alston and Andre Crenshaw have all recorded at least one rushing touchdown this season.
“The progress has been good,” Barner said. “But we can’t be complacent. There’s a lot to work on.”
James’ mark of 96.83 rushing yards per game ranks No. 23 in the FBS and has put him well underway to rewriting the Oregon record books for freshman running backs. He has twice rushed for 152 yards this season — against Utah on Sept. 19 and at UCLA two weeks ago — setting the single game record for an Oregon freshman. And with three 100-yard games under his belt, James is only two shy of tying the record for 100-yard performances by a freshman in one season. Sean Burwell set the record at five during the 1990 season.
He credits the tough practices week in and week out for much of the success the backfield has seen this season, as well as the fact that he’s become “more comfortable” as the year
has progressed.
“Practices are just as hard as games for us,” James said. “We practice the hardest in
the country.”
Outside of the running game, Oregon has gotten plenty of help putting points on the board as they’ve scored five non-offensive touchdowns this season — two interceptions, one fumble recovery, one punt return and one kickoff return for touchdowns. And that’s in addition to four receiving touchdowns from senior tight end Ed Dickson and one from junior wide receiver Jeff Maehl.
“These guys understand that we’ve got a whole lot of football left to play and we’ve got to get better,” Kelly said.
With that mindset, the Ducks will look to pick up their fourth straight conference victory and their sixth straight overall. For James and the rest of the Oregon running backs, the game plan is simple: run hard and have fun.
“I tell everybody that we all feed off of each other,” Crenshaw said. “When LaMichael goes in and has a 20 yard run and Kenjon goes in and he’s gonna want to get a 30 yard run. Then when Remene gets in he’s going to want to get a 40 yard run and then when I get in there I’m going to want to get a 50 yard run. This is how we compete. But at the same time we all know our roles and position. We all know LaMichael is the guy right now and we need to back him up.”
And when James was asked of the Washington defensive front he said, “Our o-line is blocking great, so I have no worries.”
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