The Oregon Ducks went into Saturday’s game against the BYU Cougars expecting a physical affair that was going to be won with grit and toughness. While there would be explosive plays on the perimeter that could sway the outcome, the bulk of the contest would be played within the trenches.
So it was encouraging when, on the second play of Oregon’s opening drive, running back Bucky Irving slipped through a couple of tackles and bounced it outside for 5 yards. On the very next snap, he broke through the line, lowered his shoulder into a defender, jump-cut another, and picked up 36 more yards, setting the Ducks up with a 1st-and-goal opportunity.
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The two runs did a great job of showing exactly what Irving, a transfer from Minnesota, brings to the table for the Ducks.
On Tuesday, I got the chance to speak with Irving after Oregon’s practice. I asked him if he could describe his running style in a couple of words.
“Elusive,” he quickly said. “Physical.”
When asked a similar question on Monday, head coach Dan Lanning had a different word to describe Irving’s mentality.
“I’ve seen Bucky run with violence,” Lanning said.
“I’ve just got that mentality of ‘Don’t let the first guy bring me down,'” Irving said.
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There weren’t many people who could bring Irving down on Saturday, as he rushed 14 times for 97 yards, the most by any Oregon player this year. There were numerous instances where Irving showed physicality or elusiveness in his game, but no play better encapsulates all three attributes as well as this 11-yard run to open up the second half.
Got the chance to talk to Bucky Irving today and I asked him to describe his running style in a couple of words.
“Elusive,” he replied. “Physical.”
Dan Lanning described it as “violent.”
This run vs. BYU on Saturday perfectly embodies all 3 of those things. pic.twitter.com/jaDy3f7CrV
— Zachary Neel (@zacharycneel) September 20, 2022
While Irving gets the credit for the numbers on the stat sheet, as any good running back is always sure to do, he made a point to identify the guys who help him attain the success he’s had so far this season.
“I feel like our offensive line doesn’t get the recognition for the great job that they do every week,” Irving said. “I want to always give them a compliment or a great job for what they’re doing to open great holes for all of our running backs.”
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The Ducks’ veteran front is one of four teams in the nation yet to give up a sack this season, and they’re responsible for opening holes big enough to allow Oregon to rush for 176 yards per game, which ranks No. 52 in the nation.
There are plenty of backs who are capable of succeeding on Oregon’s depth chart, but the most enthralling through the first three games has been the transfer from Minnesota. Maybe it’s because he’s new, and we are hard-wired to be attracted to the latest and the greatest. There’s something different about Irving that has caught my eye through 12 quarters this season, though. He’s multiple and can do many things.
He’s physical. He’s elusive. He runs with violence.
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