Oregon Ducks get another elite performance from unsung hero in massive blowout victory over Illinois
Running back Jordan James gets plenty of praise for his contributions to the Oregon Ducks offense, and rightly so. He's the thumper and the grinder, capable of wearing down opposing defenses, and head coach Dan Lanning loves what he brings.Oregon has more than just one running back, though, and Noah Whittington continues to emerge as […]
Running back Jordan James gets plenty of praise for his contributions to the Oregon Ducks offense, and rightly so. He's the thumper and the grinder, capable of wearing down opposing defenses, and head coach Dan Lanning loves what he brings.
Oregon has more than just one running back, though, and Noah Whittington continues to emerge as a lightning rod of electric ability, providing the Ducks with yet another elite playmaker capable of gashing defenses on the ground and through the air.
Whittington had seven touches for 65 yards and two touchdowns in the first half against Illinois, showcasing his athleticism and his ability to run through a defender on his way to the end zone.
Whittington is a year removed from suffering a bad knee injury that cost him most of the 2023 season. Now fully healthy and looking explosive, he's proving to be a reliable source of big plays for the Ducks.
"This guy does everything right every single day, works his absolute tail off," head coach Dan Lanning said about Whittington after the game. "I was really thrilled to see him have some success tonight, and he'll be the first one to tell you, it starts with the guys up front for him. But he ran hard. He created some big plays, had a huge catch last week, and was able to turn that into some really positive runs this week."
The big performance comes a week after making an impressive contested touchdown grab in the end zone. Whittington, a smaller back at 5'8" 200 lbs, runs with a ton of energy. Don't tell him he's a small back with his desire to deliver a hit instead of take one. Whittington can line up all over the offense, and the more Whittington can do, the harder it will be for defenses to slow down this explosive Oregon offense.
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