The Oregon Ducks football program has always been very good at recruiting skilled players. The list of running backs at Oregon goes on and on. Here is a list of the top 5 Oregon running backs in history...
5. Kenjon Barner - Barner was a great running back for the Ducks, and attended the UO from 2009 through 2012. He was a part of the Ducks team during their most successful era. Kenjon was not the feature back during his first three years, but I don’t blame him because this was during the LaMichael James era. But he then blew up with a 1,700 yard season his senior year. Kenjon Barner also ended up being drafted into the NFL, and has formed a fairly good career as a kick/punt returner.
4. Jeremiah Johnson - Johnson's numbers don't prove much greater than an average running back with his best rushing season being 1,200 yards. What Oregon fans remember most about Johnson is the 2008 Civil War when he ran for an 83 yard touchdown run and stiff armed basically every single Beaver.
3. Derek Loville - Loville was a loyal running back and played at Oregon during all four years of his college career. He finished with a total of almost 3,300 rushing yards, and 41 touchdowns. The majority of these yards came from his junior and senior years, where he averaged over 1,000 rushing yards those two years. Derek Loville didn't play for Oregon during their most competitive years, but despite their team struggle he still ran the ball hard. Oregon's best year as a team was Loville's senior year in 1989 where they ended up 3rd on the Pac 10 Conference.
2. Royce Freeman - Freeman ran all over the Pac 12 during his 4 years of college. He rushed for a total of 5,600 rushing yards and 60 rushing touchdowns during his years at Oregon. He has the best numbers out of any Oregon running back ever, and played in one of our National Championships. It is just this simple, nobody wants to tackle somebody who runs as fast as a college sprinter, yet looks like a college thrower. Royce Freeman ran a 4.5 second 40 yard dash, while weighing just about 240 lbs.
1. LaMichael James - Earlier I mentioned a great running back, Kenjon Barner. Barner would've exceeded above what numbers he had if there wasn't a roadblock in his way. Oregon's best running back ever, LaMichael James. James only attended Oregon for three years and still managed to rush for over 5,000 rushing yards, as well as 53 rushing touchdowns. James averaged only a few yards short of 1,700 rushing yards per year. James was also on the team during their National Championship against Auburn. LaMichael James is simply the best running back in Oregon Football's history.
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