Amid Oregon’s scorching start to the 2023 season, in which they are 5-0 and have outscored opponents by a combined 199 points, one element of the Ducks’ offense has been overshadowed. No, not Bo Nix and his BO-dacious posters over N Park Avenue. The running backs.

Often an afterthought, the Oregon rushing attack led by the trio of Bucky Irving, Jordan James and Noah Whittington, all three of which average over 7.2 yards per carry, has propelled the Ducks to rank sixth nationally in rushing offense.

Irving and James will be relied on heavily going forward in conference play as Whittington left the Ducks win over Colorado with an undisclosed injury and would not return.

“Next guy up,” head coach Dan Lanning said of his running back group. “We’re gonna miss Noah.”

Often utilized in early downs and in pass-catching situations, Irving has led the way in the Oregon backfield despite receiving fewer touches on average than last year. “I don’t really care about the credit. I just want to win football games,” Irving said to GoDucks.“I don’t got to touch the ball as long as we are winning the game.”

“Bucky is the energy guy,” Whittington said of his teammate after a Week 4 practice. “He’s gonna start the drive off and do a phenomenal job.” Irving leads the Ducks in both touches and yards rushed and finished with 88 yards and a touchdown in Oregon’s 42-6 victory over Stanford.

Under new offensive coordinator Will Stein, James has blossomed by posting seven total touchdowns so far in 2023. Losing five pounds and gaining lean muscle, James’ work in the weight room has paid dividends to the tune of 209 total rushing yards through the first four games compared to 189 throughout the entirety of 2022. “That’s a dog right there,” Whittington said of  James after practice. “He’s got a very very bright future ahead of himself.”

James will see an increased role in Whittington’s absence. “I’ve got to step up,” James said to GoDucks after Oregon’s victory over Stanford. “It’s a big role because Noah’s a great player but I’ve just got to step up and do what I can.”

In Whittington’s absence, James rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown. “I love running backs that look for contact,” Lanning said to GoDucks after the game, “[like] Jordan James. When he touches the ball, he looks to score.” 

When asked what makes James so special as a runner, Whittington didn’t mince words. “His first step, his burst is crazy, he has very strong legs, you should see him squat someday,” Whittington said. Both in the weight room and on the field, James has dominated the competition.

“Every great team I’ve been on has used multiple backs,” Stein said before the season to GoDucks. “Obviously there’s kinda going to be your 1-A 1-B.” With different skill sets of speed and power, the duo thrived in Week 5 to the tune of 176 total rushing yards in Oregon’s dismantling of Stanford.

As a whole, the Ducks’ running back room has been tremendous. Since hiring Carlos Locklyn last season, the Ducks’ running backs have yet to lose a fumble. “That’s what we pride ourselves on: owning the ball,” Whittington said. “It’s kinda like a sin, putting the ball on the ground.”

The future isn’t bad either. Freshmen backs Dante Dowdell and Jayden Limar combined for 106 rushing yards and two scores against Portland State. In Whittington’s absence, they will be relied on for added production. “We’ve got plenty of guys back there that can tote the rock and are ready to go,” Lanning said . “We have the guys there that can do a good job.”

The Ducks’ running backs have shone the brightest against their toughest opponents. The Irving-Whittington-James trio combined for 188 total yards in Oregon’s 42-6 against Colorado. The Duck’ rushers will continue to be tested against conference rivals Oregon State and Utah, both of which have stout run defenses.

As Oregon’s strength of schedule only grows, the running back room will be tested weekly. “This offense that he [Lanning] has developed here is for playmakers,” Locklyn said to GoDucks.

Oregon’s offense is thriving, and its running backs are an immense part of that.