Ducks head coach Mario Cristobal takes pride in a smashmouth style of football. The Ducks may have a future NFL first-rounder under center, but their offense is still predicated on establishing the run and bludgeoning the opposing team.
Through much of the early season, though — despite having the personnel of an extremely talented rushing team on paper — Oregon resided near the bottom of the conference in rushing. They struggled to convert in crucial short-yardage situations, such as the fourth-and-1 in the waning moments against Auburn, couldn’t string together successful positive plays and seemed to have no clear No. 1 back, or even a semblance of a rotation.
Game by game though, the pieces came together. Oregon’s rushing totals skyrocketed from near-last to third in the Pac-12 behind only Utah and Arizona. Not only were they having success, but seemingly every week, it was a new back snatching the spotlight.
One in particular — despite receiving the fewest touches of the group of four — has made the most of his carries, delivering a bevy of highlight plays on the year. His name is Darrian Felix.
A former three-star recruit hailing from Fort Myers, Florida, Felix isn’t the fastest — that title belongs to Travis Dye. Nor is he the strongest — that title belongs to the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Cyrus Habibi-Likio.
“I can do a lot of stuff,” Felix said of his running style. “I’m fast, quick, powerful. It’s kind of hard. I can really do everything; I’ve just gotta get my weight up. … I don’t really know how to describe it, it just comes.”
In truth, Felix has a little bit of it all: breakaway speed, agility in the hole and enough power to run you over if you’re not careful. He’s even made the occasional play in the passing game.
Felix, now a junior, is a year older than his fellow runners. After an impressive year as a freshman when he appeared in nine games, he seemed to be a breakout candidate heading into his sophomore campaign.
After just two games, though, his year came to an end as an injury forced him to use a medical redshirt. Meanwhile, the freshmen trio of Dye, CJ Verdell and Habibi-Likio passed him by. He didn’t let it discourage him and instead of resenting his teammates’ success, he learned from the youthful group.
“Just create open lanes,” Felix said. “Just read the line. Really have to learn how to run behind my pads. CJ can run behind his pads, Trav, he can run behind his pads. Just to combine that and see them do it, it helps me out a lot.”
Felix is finally healthy, but he’s learning that the grueling, unforgiving process of football pauses for nobody. He’s had flashes, but just like Habibi-Likio and Dye, hasn’t carved out a consistent role.
In the season opener against Auburn, he had what was perhaps the day’s most impressive run as he flashed his quickness with a lightning-fast cutback run, resulting in a touchdown. It’s moments like his 80-yard day versus Nevada or even his impressive fourth quarter performance in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum that have fans vying for more.
Although some of his brighter moments have come away from Autzen Stadium, Felix loves to show off in front of a home crowd.
“[There’s] definitely something special about Autzen,” he said. “It’s just the energy and vibe that Autzen has that I think nobody in the country has in their stadium. I think the fans, the coaches, the players just get me hype and I just go to work.”
Like many of his teammates, he’s waited his turn. As Oregon’s season nears a close and the spotlight grows ever brighter on the potential Playoff Ducks, a signature moment could be in store for Felix.
