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The Oregon Ducks head into 2022 with a brand new group of running backs for new head coach Dan Lanning.
Travis Dye and CJ Verdell, one of the most dynamic running back duos in school history, have each departed – Dye down south to USC and Verdell to the NFL.
Incoming sophomore Byron Cardwell is primed to step into a big role in year two after rushing for over 400 yards as a true freshman, but the depth behind him is relatively untested.
However, coach Lanning did make sure to bring in an experienced back via the transfer portal, nabbing Noah Whittington thanks to a connection with coach Carlos Locklyn, who is now Oregon’s running back coach after working with Whittington at Western Kentucky.
Lanning thus far has been impressed with what Whittington brings to this Oregon offense, specifically his style of play and coachability.
“I mean, Noah’s a worker,” Lanning commented on Tuesday. “He’s very explosive, runs really hard, plays with a different type of effort, which is one of those things don’t ever want to spend your time coaching. You get to coach the details of Noah because he runs so hard and plays so hard.”
Whittington was dynamic for the Hilltoppers last season, rushing for over 600 yards and averaging a whopping 6.1 yards per carry.
Cardwell and Sean Dollars will probably be the top two names on the running back depth chart when the fall rolls around, but Whittington’s experience and hard working mentality should help him see the field plenty during the first year of Lanning’s head coaching career.
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