Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com
Preseason Camp Preview: Running Back
07/28/18 | Football, @GoDucksMoseley
All-time career rushing leader Royce Freeman has moved on to the NFL, but senior Tony Brooks-James leads a deep stable of returning talent.
Assessing where things stand for the Oregon football team entering the start of preseason camp Aug. 3.
RUNNING BACK
Who's back: The return of senior Tony Brooks-James means that, after losing all-time leading rusher Royce Freeman to graduation, Oregon still can turn to a guy with more than 1,500 career rushing yards to his name. Also a dynamic return threat, Brooks-James rushed for 498 yards as a junior in 2017. The year before, when Freeman endured an injury riddled season, Brooks-James set his current career-high with 771 yards, on the way to being named the Ducks' 2016 offensive MVP. You don't always see career backups make the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list, but Brooks-James isn't the normal career backup being thrust into a starting role. This is a player who has proven time and again he can handle the load when tasked with first-string reps.
The running back group entering this fall includes another new/old face, senior Taj Griffin. He moved to slot receiver as a junior in 2017, but now he's back in his natural position. Griffin's best trait is making people miss with the ball in his hands, so why not get it to him at the snap, rather than task him with working his way downfield to make a reception? His change-of-direction is unparalleled among the current backs — heck, among most UO backs all-time not named De'Anthony Thomas. But another guy with really explosive lateral quickness is sophomore Darrian Felix. He shed his redshirt in 2017 during the last game of September, and ended up averaging 6.1 yards per carry, second behind only Kani Benoit among Oregon backs last season.
Who's new: Had he been healthy, CJ Verdell might also have played as a true freshman in 2017. Instead he was held back as a redshirt, and has four years of eligibility left entering this fall. Verdell might be the best combination of breakaway speed and pad-popping power in a UO back since LaMichael James. If he gets a step on a defender, he's tough to catch, and he's equally comfortable lowering his shoulders and powering between blockers at the goal line. Cyrus Habibi-Likio is another back who can play big, but he's quicker than some might expect from a guy who goes 6-foot-1 and 207 pounds. The Ducks also added two freshmen in the spring; Jamal Elliott opted to return home to the East Coast, but Travis Dye looked very capable of helping the Ducks this season. The only question will be, given all the other talent in the running back room, can Dye be redshirted? Walk-on Noah Dahl is on hand as well, to round out the depth chart.
ROB'S TAKE
Projected Depth Chart
RB: Tony Brooks-James, RSr.; CJ Verdell, RFr.; Taj Griffin, Sr.; Darrian Felix, So.; Cyrus Habibi-Likio, RFr.; Travis Dye, Fr.; Noah Dahl, So.
What to watch: It's hard to imagine the Ducks being better positioned to overcome the graduation of Freeman. There's a proven performer in Brooks-James, a dynamic change of pace in Griffin, and intriguing young talent up and down the depth chart. Oregon's running backs room also has been energized by the addition of position coach Jim Mastro; past RB coaches Gary Campbell and Donte Pimpleton cut more stoic figures, but Mastro's energy in spring ball was infectious, as he drilled the backs on all sorts of finer points to their technique. Mastro also helped the offense as a whole hone its execution of the Pistol scheme, which he helped develop back at Nevada. Mario Cristobal says Oregon intends to remain multiple on offense — even going under center at times — but it looks like the Pistol will feature more prominently. By lining up the back directly behind the QB, the Pistol disguises which direction a play will be run, making Oregon's backs in 2018 even more dangerous to opposing defenses.
Click here to purchase tickets for the 2018 Oregon football season.
RUNNING BACK
Who's back: The return of senior Tony Brooks-James means that, after losing all-time leading rusher Royce Freeman to graduation, Oregon still can turn to a guy with more than 1,500 career rushing yards to his name. Also a dynamic return threat, Brooks-James rushed for 498 yards as a junior in 2017. The year before, when Freeman endured an injury riddled season, Brooks-James set his current career-high with 771 yards, on the way to being named the Ducks' 2016 offensive MVP. You don't always see career backups make the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list, but Brooks-James isn't the normal career backup being thrust into a starting role. This is a player who has proven time and again he can handle the load when tasked with first-string reps.
The running back group entering this fall includes another new/old face, senior Taj Griffin. He moved to slot receiver as a junior in 2017, but now he's back in his natural position. Griffin's best trait is making people miss with the ball in his hands, so why not get it to him at the snap, rather than task him with working his way downfield to make a reception? His change-of-direction is unparalleled among the current backs — heck, among most UO backs all-time not named De'Anthony Thomas. But another guy with really explosive lateral quickness is sophomore Darrian Felix. He shed his redshirt in 2017 during the last game of September, and ended up averaging 6.1 yards per carry, second behind only Kani Benoit among Oregon backs last season.
Who's new: Had he been healthy, CJ Verdell might also have played as a true freshman in 2017. Instead he was held back as a redshirt, and has four years of eligibility left entering this fall. Verdell might be the best combination of breakaway speed and pad-popping power in a UO back since LaMichael James. If he gets a step on a defender, he's tough to catch, and he's equally comfortable lowering his shoulders and powering between blockers at the goal line. Cyrus Habibi-Likio is another back who can play big, but he's quicker than some might expect from a guy who goes 6-foot-1 and 207 pounds. The Ducks also added two freshmen in the spring; Jamal Elliott opted to return home to the East Coast, but Travis Dye looked very capable of helping the Ducks this season. The only question will be, given all the other talent in the running back room, can Dye be redshirted? Walk-on Noah Dahl is on hand as well, to round out the depth chart.
ROB'S TAKE
Projected Depth Chart
RB: Tony Brooks-James, RSr.; CJ Verdell, RFr.; Taj Griffin, Sr.; Darrian Felix, So.; Cyrus Habibi-Likio, RFr.; Travis Dye, Fr.; Noah Dahl, So.
What to watch: It's hard to imagine the Ducks being better positioned to overcome the graduation of Freeman. There's a proven performer in Brooks-James, a dynamic change of pace in Griffin, and intriguing young talent up and down the depth chart. Oregon's running backs room also has been energized by the addition of position coach Jim Mastro; past RB coaches Gary Campbell and Donte Pimpleton cut more stoic figures, but Mastro's energy in spring ball was infectious, as he drilled the backs on all sorts of finer points to their technique. Mastro also helped the offense as a whole hone its execution of the Pistol scheme, which he helped develop back at Nevada. Mario Cristobal says Oregon intends to remain multiple on offense — even going under center at times — but it looks like the Pistol will feature more prominently. By lining up the back directly behind the QB, the Pistol disguises which direction a play will be run, making Oregon's backs in 2018 even more dangerous to opposing defenses.
Click here to purchase tickets for the 2018 Oregon football season.
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/ FootballTeitum Tuioti: "Whatever I can do to help this team."
Wednesday, October 22
Dierre Hill Jr.: "We lay it out on the line."
Wednesday, October 22
Dan Lanning: "Do the job the right way."
Wednesday, October 22
Dylan Williams: "Showcase my talent."
Tuesday, October 21
