LaMichael James – Syndication Server

Ra’Shaad Samples pulling knowledge from LaMichael James, Kenjon Barner to further Ducks RBs

“When you leave that kind of legacy, you don’t want that legacy to die.”

One of the most encouraging things that former Oregon Ducks running backs coach Carlos Locklyn did during his time coaching in Eugene was pulling on experience from Oregon legends to improve the current players on the roster, as well as himself as a coach.

Throughout his two years in Eugene, Locklyn talked about conversations with the legendary RB coach Gary Campbell and often referred to a group chat that he had with guys like LaMichael James, Jonathan Stewart, Kenjon Barner, Royce Freeman, and more. Keeping the past close to the present was important for Locklyn, and propping up that legacy meant something.

That’s something that Ra’Shaad Samples is looking to continue as the new Oregon RB coach.

“I actually talked to LaMichael while I was on the plane studying the plays,” Samples said on Saturday. “I’ve talked to him, I’ve talked to Kenjon, those guys have been awesome.”

While Samples has some experience in the coaching game, having spent time in both the college and NFL ranks, he is still incredibly young, and at just 29, admits that he grew up watching a lot of these guys play when they were at Oregon. That has made this process of getting to know them more meaningful, in a sense.

“It’s important you know, I grew up watching those guys,” Samples said. “That’s what I told them, ‘I grew up watching you guys, watching this success you guys had as one of the best duos in the backfield.’ And it’s important to keep that alive and also build on it.”

Samples is certainly hoping that the Ducks can produce a similar duo this year, with the likes of Jordan James and Noah Whittington taking over as the lead backs after the departure of Bucky Irving.

Even if they don’t create a legacy as big as James and Barner, though, having that platform to build off of is important in the end.

“When you leave that kind of legacy, you don’t want that legacy to die,” Samples said. “You want more guys in the room who can continue to keep the running back group to living off so that’s what we hope to do.”

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Jackson Powers-Johnson becomes Oregon’s fifth unanimous All-American

Jackson Powers-Johnson becomes the fifth UO unanimous All-American joining other Duck greats.

Winning anything unanimously is nearly impossible. Just look at the MLB Hall of Fame where Mariano Rivera is the only player to receive every vote. Not even Cal Ripken, Ken Griffey, Jr. or even Babe Ruth could accomplish such a feat.

When it comes to college football All-Americans, it’s a bit more common. Oregon has had four unanimous selections coming into this season.

Now it’s five.

Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson was selected as that fifth unanimous All-American as he joined LaMichael James, Marcus Mariota, Penei Sewell and Kayvon Thibodeaux.

JPJ was part of a new offensive line group that had questions coming into the season, but those questions were answered quickly as the unit became very cohesive early in the year. They kept quarterback upright and opened huge holes for the running backs for an offense that averaged almost 40 points a game in 2023.

Series History: A look back at the history of Oregon vs. Cal

On Saturday, the No. 6 ranked Oregon Ducks will face off against the California Golden Bears. The Bears’ trajectory this season has been much different than Oregon’s. They are 3-5 and don’t have much hope for a bowl appearance whereas the Ducks are in a race for the College Football Playoff. Still, every game is just as important, and a win this weekend would be big for Oregon. In preparation for Saturday’s game, I looked back at the long and rich history of the series between these two teams.

This series is as deadlocked as it gets — historically that is. In recent years, the Golden Bears have struggled to maintain a good football program, which has allowed the Ducks to win 13 of the 15 matchups between the two teams.

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But all-time, the story is different. The Bears and the Ducks have played 83 times — with the first game dating all the way back to 1899. 42 of the games have gone to Oregon and the other 41, to Berkeley.

During the 2000s, this series was a marquee matchup each year, as both teams were perenially ranked in various polls. For the first part of the decade, Cal owned Oregon, winning 4 of the 5 games from 2004-2008. But, after Chip Kelly took over in 2009, the unranked Ducks beat the No. 6 Golden Bears 42-3, snapping Oregon’s losing streak. A year later in 2010, the No. 1 ranked Oregon would beat Cal on their way to the BCS National Championship game.

A game that longtime Duck fans won’t want to look back on was the 1993 matchup between the Ducks and the Bears. Deemed by Cal fans as the “Miracle at Memorial,” Oregon led 30-0 at halftime and ended up losing 42-41 after a Bears touchdown and a 2-point conversion on the game’s final drive.

Unlike in years past, Oregon vs. Cal isn’t a game most fans will have had circled on their schedule, but the Golden Bears shouldn’t be overlooked. Last week against USC, Cal put up nearly fifty points and almost beat the Trojans. In order to keep their season alive, it will be important for the Ducks to remain focused on the game ahead of them and not look ahead to USC on November 11th.

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Running Back University? ESPN gives Oregon a claim of the title

LaMichael James, Kenjon Barner, Royce Freeman, De’Anthony Thomas…the list goes on. No wonder ESPN has UO among the top RB schools.

The Oregon Ducks football program has had great running backs throughout its history going all the way back to Bobby Moore, aka Ahmad Rashad, and Mel Renfro in the 1960s. Then in the 80s, Oregon featured tailbacks such as Derek Loville and Tony Cherry.

Oregon’s talent level at the position as only gone through the roof over the past decade and overall. According to ESPN, the Ducks are among the best football schools in the country when it comes to producing high-level tailbacks.

The Ducks happen to be the only Pac-12 team on the list and considering the rich history of USC, that’s quite remarkable. So if there’s a “Running Back U” on the West Coast, it’s Oregon.

Here’s where they stand in ESPN’s RBU rankings:

‘He paved the way for little guys;’ Tez Johnson talks about love for De’Anthony Thomas

De’Anthony Thomas and La’Michael James inspired a generation of smaller athletes, such as Tez Johnson, to do some big things.

Players of Tez Johnson’s stature — 5 feet, 10 inches and 160 pounds soaking wet — are not easily found on a Division I college football program roster. By the looks of it, Johnson would probably fit in better among the fans at Autzen Stadium than on the field.

He looks more like a second baseman than a wide receiver for the Oregon Ducks. Role models of his size are likely few and far between. Thankfully for Oregon, a couple of those role models happen to be former Ducks: LaMichael James and De’Anthony Thomas.

“Before De’Anthony it was LaMichael James. I was watching LaMichael James back before I even knew who the Black Mamba was,” said Johnson at Oregon media day. “I watched LaMichael James when he played against Tennessee and went crazy like ‘OK, Oregon is that team.’”

While LMJ might have been the “in” for Johnson to start liking the Ducks, it was DAT who truly turned the passion up to another level.

“And then De’Anthony Thomas got there and started doing things that I can do as a little guy,” Johnson said. “He really paved the way for little guys to believe that they actually can do it. Him, Tavon Austin, and LaMichael James — those three gave a guy like me hope to dream big.”

It’s not often you get to test your skills directly with a role model, but Johnson was able to go up against Thomas in some offseason workouts this summer. As expected, the younger athlete got the best of the “old man.”

“Running with him in practice was surreal. I’m faster than him now, though,” Johnson said with a laugh. “Back then I wasn’t faster than him, but I’m leaving him now.”‘

Based on what we saw from Johnson both in the Oregon spring game and in practices, there are a lot of people that he will be leaving in the dust on the field, not dissimilar to either LMJ or DAT.

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Green and Yellow Fireworks: Some of the best Oregon Duck highlights in the 21st century

What better way to celebrate the 4th of July than with an Oregon Ducks firework show?

Who doesn’t love a good fireworks show?

On the 4th of July, it is an American tradition to get together with friends and family and celebrate independence by lighting things on fire and watching them explode in the sky.

While you prepare for those festivities to begin on Tuesday night, we wanted to offer some fireworks of our own — some Oregon Duck fireworks.

The past couple of decades in Eugene have been incredibly entertaining. With the rise to national prominence for Oregon football, and the Chip Kelly blur offense that took the college football world by storm, the Ducks saw themselves one of the biggest fan favorites across the nation this century. Go ahead and add in Marcus Mariota’s Heisman season, the enthralling career of Sabrina Ionescu, and the deep tournament runs made by both basketball teams in March.

It’s safe to say that the past 23 years have provided a ton of highlights. I want to bring them to the surface and give you all a fireworks show to start your holiday.

Of course, there are going to be many plays that I missed throughout this all. To every player and every play that did not get mentioned, I apologize. If you have any favorite firework-worthy plays that didn’t get mentioned, comment below and let me know.

Without further ado, let the firework show begin.

Ducks Legend LaMichael James is among the 2023 Oregon athletics Hall of Fame inductees

On Tuesday afternoon The University of Oregon athletic department announced its 2023 Hall of Fame class, and it includes former Oregon RB LaMichael James. James played 3 seasons for the Ducks racking up 5668 all-purpose yards and 56 TDs. James was a member of the 2010 Oregon team which advanced to the national championship game against Auburn.

James was a large part of the Ducks’ success that season, rushing for 1731 yards and scoring 24 total TDs. His efforts in 2010 put him in the running for numerous awards including the Heisman Trophy, which he placed third in voting for, and the Doak Walker Award (Nation’s best RB) which he won.

James was equally dominant in 2011, even though Oregon was unable to make it back to the national championship. That season, James rushed for 1805 yards and scored 19 TDs. After the 2011 season, James declared for the NFL draft where he was taken in the second round by the San Francisco 49ers.

James wasn’t just a football star with the Ducks. In 2010 and 2011, James competed in the 100-meter dash and the 4×100 relay for the Oregon Track and Field team. In 2010, James placed fifth at the Pac-10 championships and first at the Oregon Twilight meet in the 100-meter.

While he didn’t have the same success in the NFL that he did as a Duck, James has been quite successful off the field since his days at Oregon. Currently, James owns three Killer Burger restaurants —one of which is in Eugene — and could open more.

Second only to Royce Freeman in career rushing yards, and the holder of three of the top six rushing seasons, James is a Ducks legend, and arguably one of the greatest Ducks ever. He was a member of the greatest Ducks’ team ever, and his induction to the Oregon Hall of Fame is well-earned.

5 former Dolphins selected to 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class

Some had better NFL careers than others.

With the NFL season and college football seasons coming to a close, there’s a look toward the future while still remembering and honoring the players of the past.

On Monday, the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame announced their 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class which consisted of 18 players and four coaches. With that, five former Miami Dolphins found out that they’d be getting inducted in December.

Here are those who donned the aqua and orange after their collegiate career that’ll be honored in 2023:

LaMichael James to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame

Oregon legendary tailback LaMichael James will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December.

Statement! Statement! Statement!

Those were the words of legendary Oregon football play-by-play announcer Jerry Allen when Ducks running back LaMichael James went straight up the middle for 76 yards against Stanford in 2010.

James is about to make the biggest statement of all.

The former Oregon tailback will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame after being announced as one of 22 members in the Class of 2023 on Monday by the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame.

He will be among 18 former first-team all-Americans and four standout coaches included in the 2023 Class, which was selected from the national ballot of 80 players and nine coaches from the FBS level as well as 96 players and 33 coaches from the divisional ranks.

“We are extremely proud to announce the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class,” said Archie Manning, NFF Chairman and a 1989 College Football Hall of Famer from Mississippi. “Each of these men has established himself among the absolute best to have ever played or coached the game, and we look forward to immortalizing their incredible accomplishments.”

In his three-year Oregon career, James finished with 5,082 rushing yards and 53 touchdowns.

“Selection to the College Football Hall of Fame is a well-deserved honor for LaMichael,” Oregon director of athletics Rob Mullens said. “He is a true Duck legend and one of the most electrifying players in the history of college football. The legacy LaMichael left in Eugene is everlasting and a significant reason for the continued success of our football program. LaMichael’s performance and infectious personality connected him with Oregon fans and gave him a special place in their hearts, and we are extremely proud of him for his election to the Hall of Fame.”

The 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 5, 2023, at the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

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Oregon should expect to see vintage Chip Kelly with UCLA’s offensive attack

Oregon might want to look at film of itself from a decade ago in order to prepare for the Bruins offense on Saturday.

It’s been quite a while since Chip Kelly’s offense has been rolling like this. The current UCLA Bruins are 6-0 and are going to put their perfect season on the line when they stroll into Autzen Stadium Saturday to take on the Ducks.

The uniforms have changed, the uniform manufacturer has changed and of course, the players inside the uniforms have changed. But what hasn’t changed is Kelly’s offensive schemes and ability to light up the scoreboard.

Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson is having a banner senior season as he is completing 75 percent of his passes and is averaging 251 yards through the air as well as 15 touchdowns to go with just two interceptions.

“He’s really familiar with their system. He’s completing the ball at a really high rate right now; he’s operating their offense,” Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said. “Obviously, he’s a weapon with his legs. He understands what they’re trying to accomplish. I think it’s a lot of the same things you see right now with our quarterback. Understanding what’s supposed to be accomplished on the field and executes at a high level and he’s certainly doing that.”

Senior tailback Zach Charbonnet is doing his best LaMichael James impersonation, although he is quite bigger than the former Duck great. At 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, Charbonnet is lumbering down the field at 123-yard-per-game clip. He has found the end zone six times.

Lanning said the Ducks need to keep Charbonnet lumbering down the field and avoid those explosion plays. If he’s going to rack up over 100 yards on the ground, Oregon needs to make sure Charbonnet does it in as many carries as possible.

“Ultimately, it’s about preventing explosive plays. You pull up explosive plays given up this year and created this year, what’s unique is both UCLA and us are, I think a plus 31 ratio right when it comes to explosive plays,” Lanning said. “That’s a really big indicator of wins and losses. But look at the top of our conference, I think maybe Washington is the only team that has more explosive plays created than UCLA and Oregon. When you look at those given up and those created that’s a really big factor in this game. I think the team that walks away with giving up less explosive plays and creating more is gonna have a great advantage.”

DTR can also hurt the opposition with his arm and he has a couple of good receivers to choose from. Jake Bobo is a tough matchup for any corner with his size-speed combo that he possesses. At 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, Bobo leads the Bruins with 64 yards a game and five touchdowns.

Kazmeir Allen has seemingly taken over that possession receiver role from Chase Cota, who moved to Eugene to become a Duck. Allen leads UCLA with 28 catches, but he’s averaging just 33 yards a game.

A lot has been made about Oregon’s experienced offensive line, but UCLA’s big uglies up front have done a good job for the Bruins. Raiquon O’Neal, Atonio Mafi, Duke Clemens, Jon Gaines and Garrett DiGiorgio have started all six games this season.

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