30 in 30: Oregon's Backfield Runs Deep With Talent and Cohesion

With the Old Guard gone, Oregon turns to a stable of young backs ready to make their mark. Number 28 in the 30 in 30 countdown shines a light on the unknowns ready to take over for Dye and Verdell.

When Sean Dollars announced on May 20th, 2018, that he was headed to Oregon, the optimism was sky-high for the Mater Dei running back. He ranked as the #1 all-purpose back in the country then, and he was considered a continuation of Oregon’s storied running back crop of the past 25 years.

What followed was a timeline of frustrations, setbacks, injuries, and a depth chart littered with veterans keeping him at arm’s lengths length. Through three seasons, Dollars has just 15 carries for 128 yards, and he has yet to see the end zone.

Sean Dollars will–and this goes without saying–benefit from the turning of the page in the Ducks’ backfield. There is too much talent and dedication on his part. But with CJ Verdell (NFL) and Travis Dye (2nd place in the South) gone, Dollars isn’t the one player on the roster ready to capitalize on the influx of available carries.

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2021 was frustrating in many ways for Oregon’s offense. Two freshmen wide receivers, Dont’e Thornton and Troy Franklin, were buried on the depth chart, and clearly needed to play more. They were offset by two freshmen tight ends in Moliki Matavao and Terrance Ferguson, who played a ton, but were underutilized in a criminal manner.

One bright spot was the emergence of Byron Cardwell, a late addition to the 2021 recruiting class who was the most electric part of an Oregon game by the end of the season. His size and speed are ideal, and his vision and patience were breaths of fresh air.

With Cardwell and a healthy Sean Dollars, optimism would be high entering the season. Head coach Dan Lanning and his staff weren’t done, though. Lanning, who saw first-hand at Georgia what a deep and versatile running back room provides, set out to re-create that at Oregon.

In four short months, he did just that.

To close out the 2022 cycle, Oregon landed Jordan James, a 4* back who looks like the kid that shows up at an SEC school. He’s all of 5-11 and 210 pounds, and his name was a constant among his peers at Oregon’s media day on Wednesday. Then through the portal came Noah Whittington, a lightning-fast player from Western Kentucky who played under new position coach Carlos Locklyn.

Lastly, and perhaps most impactfully, Mar’Keise “Bucky” Irving left Minnesota after just one year and headed west to Eugene.

Almost overnight, Oregon’s running back room was stocked up. For a guy like Dollars, the easy out was to transfer and start anew. His path to the field was once again filled with landmines.

Instead, he embraced the challenge.

“I’m 120 percent locked into whatever comes my way,” he said Wednesday. “I feel like guys that we have in the room right now, we all have our different traits and different types of special abilities to go out there and be able to contribute to the game. Really, it’s an iron sharpens iron type of deal, and you understand the visions that the coaches have, and you have to understand the vision of the guys beside you.”

Cardwell echoed that sentiment. As a true sophomore, he takes the mantel as the veteran in the room alongside Dollars. Reflecting the competition Lanning wants from the team, players envision the crowded room as an opportunity, not a hindrance.

“There’s no pride involved,” Cardwell said.

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For Oregon to reach its peak in 2022, that must remain the case. The Ducks are five deep at the position if James is as advertised, if Irving and Whittington slide in seamlessly, and if Cardwell and Dollars stay healthy. The truth is that one or two of them will inevitably have a limited role. Oregon’s present and future look strong if the pride stays dormant and the larger goals remain the focus.

On Wednesday, players showcased that comradery. Irving said Whittington, still learning the streets of Eugene himself after being on campus just a couple of months, recruited him the hardest.

There’s strength in numbers. Inside the running backs room, for now, there’s unity, too.

Oh, and there’s a lot of talent.

“The physicality — we run hard, and that’s all the backs in the room,” Irving said. “We’re going to be a great running back room.”