When Jonathan Stewart officially became a member of the Oregon football team on Feb. 2, Duck fans were overcome by visions of a Heisman Trophy and a shot at a national championship.
After all, the Ducks had landed what many thought was the nation’s top
running back recruit. The mere sight of
the young man brings with it thoughts
of football glory. At 5-foot-10 and
220-pounds, Stewart is a mountain of muscle that rushed for 7,757 yards and scored
95 touchdowns during a glorified prep career at Timberline High School in Lacey, Wash.
He rushed for 2,301 yards and 32 touchdowns during his senior year alone, was all-state three years in a row and could have played for any school in the nation.
Translation: He isn’t coming to Eugene to sit on the bench.
While I agree it’s a head coach’s job to put his best talent on the field, I don’t think Mike Bellotti should hand Stewart the starting job — or even the second running back spot — when he arrives in the fall.
The Ducks already have a solid group of running backs that should make Stewart earn every carry he gets during the 2005 season. Rising senior Terrence Whitehead transformed himself into an All-Pacific-10 Conference back last season, amassing 1,144 yards. The Los Angeles native will take over the school’s all-time rushing lead from Derek Loville if he equals that total in 2005.
While lacking ideal speed, Whitehead gained the respect of his teammates and coaches by grinding out tough yards between the tackles. He was also the Ducks’ second-leading pass catcher with 44 receptions for 405 yards.
Not bad for an athlete who originally came here to play safety.
An off-season ankle surgery limited Whitehead’s participation during spring drills, but when he did see the field, the 5-foot-10,
220-pounder was more than solid. He should be Oregon’s unquestioned starter come fall, no matter how good Stewart turns out to be.
Terrell Jackson also proved to be a quality back during spring drills. Ranked as one of the top 15 running backs in the country by SuperPrep in 2004, Jackson redshirted last year and figured to be Oregon’s running back of the future.
At 5-foot-9 and 196 pounds, the Moreno Valley, Calif., native showed an explosive burst and the power to run between the tackles. His 10-yard touchdown run during Oregon’s spring game, during which he made at least three people miss, showed he was for real. But with the addition of Stewart, Jackson’s place in Oregon’s plans is unknown.
With Whitehead’s proven track record and Jackson’s performance during the spring, the duo should enter the fall as the top two backs on the Ducks’ depth chart.
If Stewart wants playing time, he should to have to earn it.

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