2015 in Review: Running Backs
by Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com
Reviewing Oregon’s 2015 season and looking ahead to spring drills.
DEPTH CHART
RB: Royce Freeman, So.; Kani Benoit, So.; Taj Griffin, Fr.; Tony Brooks-James, RFr.; Lane Roseberry, Jr.; J.J. Jones, Jr.; Jarret LaCoste, Jr.; Langston Stuckey, Fr.; Thomas Tyner, Jr.
Starter: Oregon’s .500 record halfway through the regular season probably had as much as anything to do with the fact that sophomore Royce Freeman didn’t generate much national buzz in 2015. Because his play surely was deserving. Freeman rushed for a UO single-season record 1,836 yards with 17 touchdowns as a sophomore. He ranked fourth nationally in rushing, and was the only player in the country to account for 100 yards from scrimmage in every game this past season.
Freeman only fell short of 100 rushing yards twice, in losses to Michigan State and Utah. Those were two of the better defensive fronts the Ducks faced all season, and starting quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. was hampered in each by a finger injury that limited the effectiveness of the passing game. But Freeman did all he could in Oregon’s third regular-season loss, running for a season-high 246 yards against Washington State. He accounted for 130 yards and three touchdowns in the Alamo Bowl, though again, an injury to Adams in the second half allowed TCU’s defense to key on Freeman as the Horned Frogs rallied to win.
Reserves: The Ducks relied on strength in numbers to spell Freeman over the course of the season. All three of his primary backups — Kani Benoit, Taj Griffin and Tony Brooks-James — were hampered by injuries at times in 2015, but they combined for 1,222 yards and nine touchdowns over the course of the season. Griffin hinted at the skill set of De’Anthony Thomas with his quick change of direction, and ran for 110 yards and a touchdown at Colorado. Benoit’s 62-yard touchdown at Arizona State was one of the biggest plays of the season, and a week later against Cal the trio combined for 254 yards on 23 rushes, an astounding 11 yards per carry. Between Griffin’s explosiveness, Brooks-James’ sheer speed and Benoit’s footwork and balance between the tackles, they all bring a little something different to the table, valuable versatility behind Freeman.
The only other back to log any carries in 2015 was scout-team offensive player of the year J.J. Jones, who rushed four times for 15 yards against Georgia State. Jarret LaCoste also worked with the scout team, while Lane Roseberry worked his way back into the rotation midway through the season after rehabbing from an injury.
Redshirts: The emergence of the three backups behind Freeman was a welcome development after Thomas Tyner opted to sit out the season while rehabbing an injury. He had a redshirt year available and retained two years of eligibility, though he wasn’t a visible presence around the team over the course of the season. The other redshirt was new walk-on Langston Stuckey, who was selected from an open tryout and got reps as a scout.
SPRING PROJECTION
RB: Royce Freeman, Jr.; Kani Benoit, Jr.; Taj Griffin, So.; Tony Brooks-James, So.; Lane Roseberry, Sr.; J.J. Jones, Sr.; Jarret LaCoste, Sr.; Langston Stuckey, RFr.; Thomas Tyner, RJr.
What to watch: Freeman may not generate much more national buzz in the coming year, given the depth of a running back class nationally that includes Christian McCaffrey of Stanford, Leonard Fournette of LSU and Dalvin Cook of Florida State. But after he became the first UO true freshman to surpass 1,000 rushing yards in 2014, then set the school single-season record in 2015, Freeman takes a back seat to nobody entering 2016. He’s a quiet guy who doesn’t like attention, but as a leader he’ll be the ultimate lead-by-example player. The ‘X’ factor at present is the status of Tyner, and whether he rejoins the mix going forward. If so, that’s another dynamic athlete available to position coach Gary Campbell. If not, Benoit, Griffin and Brooks-James each demonstrated at various times last fall that he can spell Freeman for stretches.
