Last Thursday, when LaMichael James collapsed onto the turf of Autzen Stadium writhing in pain and clutching his right elbow, a breathless silence overtook 58,796 of Oregon football’s closest supporters. Considering that James’ tenure as the starting running back for the Ducks has been filled with broken records, national accolades and conference titles, this was to be expected.
James is the undisputed heart and soul of Oregon football. He epitomizes the program’s speedy, undersized philosophy and has dazzled fans with his elusiveness and blazing speed for the greater part of his two-plus seasons as a starter.
But while James has impressed since day one and helped power the Ducks to new heights, I think a lot of us have failed to give proper recognition to the manner in which the redshirt junior first scrapped his way onto the field. Coming out of high school James wasn’t a local legend like De’Anthony Thomas; he was rated as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com and didn’t see the field until his second year with the program. You may have blocked it from your collective memories, but it took an ill-advised violent outburst by James’ former backfield mate, current Tampa Bay Buccaneer LeGarrette Blount, to hand him the bulk of responsibilities at running back in 2009.
We all know what has happened since. James has ascended to the top of the mountain in college football, all the while making the challenge look far too easy. Earning first-team All-Pac-10 and first-team All-American honors, claiming the Doak Walker Award, finishing as a Heisman Trophy finalist — James has done it all in a very short time frame.
So his indefinite absence or limited presence with the team must be a significant hindrance, right? Not so fast. While it’s impossible to argue that the Ducks are better off without James, I think anyone who believes that Oregon’s offense is set for a drop-off simply hasn’t been keeping close tabs on the team for the past few seasons.
Chip Kelly, Darron Thomas and James are the three biggest names associated with Ducks football at the moment. They’ve redefined Oregon football and have raised the bar for future generations in what has traditionally been a mediocre program. But the trio also shares a similar path to notoriety. All three emerged from humble beginnings and the shadows of more high-profile predecessors.
Entering 2009, Chip Kelly was a former Division I-AA assistant tasked with filling the shoes of Mike Bellotti, Oregon’s all-time winningest head coach and the man who guided the Ducks to their first BCS berth — and sustained national prominence. At the beginning of 2010 — with a mere 33 collegiate passing attempts under his belt — Darron Thomas stepped in as the team’s starting quarterback to fill the absence of Jeremiah Masoli, a preseason Heisman Trophy-candidate and fan favorite. All he did was lead Oregon to the BCS National Championship game. As I already mentioned, James took a relatively rocky path to stardom as well, filling in for Blount during a season in which the bruising runner was expected to dominate for Oregon. Stockpiled talent can turn an apparent disaster into a coup before your eyes.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=22667@@
So while it’s tempting to expect Oregon’s offense to slip a little in James’ absence, I’m hesitant to. Kenjon Barner has formed a lethal one-two punch with James the last two seasons and De’Anthony Thomas has already proven himself to be a playmaker as a runner, receiver and special teams weapon. Both have the potential to be a superstar at any other school in the country. An increased role for either might yield results that would delight even the most optimistic Oregon fans. In short, a respite for James would allow some of the team’s less-heralded playmakers to get snaps that could benefit Oregon either later this year (in the case of another backfield injury) or when James finally exits Eugene for good (it may be hard to believe, but that reality is fast-approaching).
In fact, some time off could be revitalizing for James. The Texarkana, Texas native had one of the heaviest workloads in the country last year (294 carries) and is among the Pac-12’s leaders in rushing attempts again in 2011. James is best known for his open-field sprints and he made a concerted effort to add bulk this offseason. But we all see the punishing his relatively small frame takes between the tackles on a weekly basis.
So if James sits out on Saturday against a nationally ranked squad from Arizona State, don’t grit your teeth. Like you, I would love to see him cement his legacy with another incredible primetime performance. But at this point in the season, with the Ducks primed for another BCS berth, individual priorities should take a back seat. Oregon has a bevy of talent on the sideline and a lighter load for James could prove to be more valuable for Oregon’s program down the line.
Lieberman: Injury to LaMichael James could be blessing in disguise for Oregon
Daily Emerald
October 11, 2011
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