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Ranking the best rushing tandems in Oregon Ducks football history

When it comes to the running back position, the Oregon Ducks have always seemed to find a lot of success. Over the past several decades, that’s a spot in the offense that has received a lot of attention, and rightfully so, as multiple all-conference and future NFL players came through Eugene.

That’s partly why it feels a little weird going into the 2022 season without a “known quantity” in the backfield. After the departure of CJ Verdell and Travis Dye, the Ducks don’t have an RB on the depth chart with more than 500 total yards (Byron Cardwell rushed for 417 in 2021.) Oregon will be placing a lot of faith in the current backs on the roster — Cardwell, Sean Dollars, Seven McGee, and Jordan James — to shoulder the load going forward and keep up the tradition of a strong running game in Eugene.

While it feels likely that we could see the blossoming of a new dominant duo in the coming months, the departure of Verdell and Dye got us thinking about the past. Who are the best rushing tandems that Oregon has ever seen? I’m not talking about the best running backs, but the best 1-2 punches. The best compliments to each other. The pairs who never gave the defense a chance to breathe, because as soon as one went off the field, a player of equal caliber came in to replace him.

Doing the research to answer this question wasn’t straightforward. We took into account career rushing yards, receiving yards, touchdowns, and ranks on Oregon’s all-time career rushing list. Then you have to factor in that a lot of these guys didn’t play their entire careers together, and may have only overlapped for a season or two. We added weight to their combined place on the all-time rushing list — if the No. 7 and No. 11 players were a duo, they might be ranked higher than the No. 2 and No. 23 player, for example. Lastly, we took into account a couple of players who made a huge impact in their short times at Oregon; the combined ranking may not look great, but anyone who watched them knows they belong pretty high on the list.

After taking all of that into consideration, the results were pretty fascinating. You have a pair of undisputed winners, a few quarterbacks that snuck onto the list, and a pair of players who anyone under the age of 40 may struggle to remember. In the end, it offered a fun look at the past several decades of Oregon history, and showed truly how important the running back position has been for the Ducks. Enjoy.

QB Dennis Dixon // RB Terrence Whitehead

Photos by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images — Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

Dennis Dixon

Years played: 2004-2007
Rushing yards: 1,208
Rushing TDs: 12
Receiving yards: N/A
Receiving TDs: N/A
Rushing Rank: 31st

Terrence Whitehead

Years played: 2002-2005
Rushing yards: 2,832
Rushing TDs: 18
Receiving yards: 1,239
Receiving TDs: 8
Rushing Rank: 8th

Combined

Best season together: 2005
Combined stats in season: 257 rushes // 1,312 yards // 9 TDs
Combined rushing ranking: 39

Analysis

As luck would have it, the first tandem on our rankings comes with a bit of an asterisk involved. The duo of Dennis Dixon and Terrence Whitehead was only on the field as starters together for a total of three games, with Dixon serving as the backup to Kellen Clemens for the start of the 2005 season. Clemens broke his ankle near the end of that year, paving the way for Dixon to take over as the starter, which kicked off his legendary Oregon career.

However, just because Dixon wasn’t starting under center didn’t mean that the Ducks didn’t utilize his running ability. He had 17 rushing attempts and 1 touchdown before taking over, which helped add on to what was one of Whitehead’s best seasons. In the final three games of that year with Dixon and Whitehead on the field, the two combined for 61 rushes, 241 yards, and 2 TDs.

While these two crossed paths just briefly, they each went on to have great careers with the Ducks and hold a spot in history on the career rushing list. Many Oregon fans will look back on their time in Eugene fondly, which gave us a good starting point for our tandem rankings.

RB Derek Loville // RB Latin Berry

(AP Photo/Rob Schumacher)

Derek Loville

Years played: 1986-1989
Rushing yards: 3,296
Rushing TDs: 41
Receiving yards: 754
Receiving TDs: 4
Rushing Rank: 4th

Latin Berry

Years played: 1986-1989
Rushing yards: 1,570
Rushing TDs: 11
Receiving yards: 679
Receiving TDs: 3
Rushing Rank: 24th

Combined

Best season together: 1989
Combined stats in season: 393 rushes // 1,977 yards // 18 TDs
Combined rushing ranking: 28

Analysis

Nobody can argue Derek Loville’s place in Oregon history. After an incredible career saw him near the top of the all-time rushing list with the Ducks, he then went on to have a stellar NFL career, winning three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos.

It’s Latin Berry who a lot of Oregon fans will have to learn more about. I’ll admit that when starting my research, I wasn’t very familiar with Berry. He ranks 24th on the career rushing list and likely suffered from the Kenjon Barner factor of playing alongside one of the best backs the Ducks have ever seen. Berry spent his entire career at Oregon as the second-fiddle to Loville, but still managed great production and has his place in history.

The duo’s best year together saw Oregon finish with an 8-4 record and a win over Tusla in the Independence Bowl. Loville and Berry may not be the first names to come to mind when you talk about historic Duck duos, but they certainly belong on this list.

QB Marcus Mariota // RB De'Anthony Thomas

Photos by Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports // Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports

Marcus Mariota

Years played: 2012-2014
Rushing yards: 2,237
Rushing TDs: 29
Receiving yards: 28
Receiving TDs: 2
Rushing Rank: 14th

De’Anthony Thomas

Years played: 2011-2013
Rushing yards: 1,890
Rushing TDs: 26
Receiving yards: 1,296
Receiving TDs: 15
Rushing Rank: 19th

Combined

Best season together: 2012
Combined stats in season: 244 rushes // 1,900 yards // 22 TDs
Combined rushing ranking: 33

Analysis

Was there any rushing tandem more fun to watch than Marcus Mariota and De’Anthony Thomas? Granted, they weren’t the best duo, but the two probably combined for more electric plays than any other tandem on this list. A lot of that is likely boosted in part by Mariota’s standing as a Heisman-winning quarterback, but the fact that he is 14th on the Oregon all-time rushing list is extremely impressive. A true dual-threat QB who helped change the game, it will be hard to find any passer that can pass Marcus on this list.

His running mate — DAT — was the epitome of electric. Whether it was breakaway kick-returns or screens out of the backfield, Thomas helped revolutionize Oregon’s offense and put them on the map as one of the most fun teams to watch in the nation. The two don’t have the best combined rushing rank, but that’s due in large part to the fact that neither was primarily a runner. Marcus of course was a QB first and foremost, and DAT specialized in the passing game. The fact that they can end up this high on the list is a testament to the both of them, though.

RB Sean Burwell // RB Ricky Whittle

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Sean Burwell

Years played: 1990-1993
Rushing yards: 2,758
Rushing TDs: 21
Receiving yards: 1,033
Receiving TDs: 4
Rushing Rank: 9th

Ricky Whittle

Years played: 1992-1995
Rushing yards: 2,545
Rushing TDs: 22
Receiving yards: 838
Receiving TDs: 3
Rushing Rank: 10th

Combined

Best season together: 1992
Combined stats in season: 370 rushes // 1,827 yards // 10 TDs
Combined rushing ranking: 19

Analysis

Both Sean Burwell and Ricky Whittle may be overlooked when it comes to the history books, but their stats show that they have earned their spot in Oregon lore. Sitting at No. 9 and No. 10 in the career-rushing list, Whittle and Burwell have one of the best combined rankings of any duo on this list. Their time came just before the turn of the Ducks’ program — Oregon was 11-12 in the two years when Burwell and Whittle played together — but that shouldn’t take away from their history at all.

RB Maurice Morris // RB Onterrio Smith

Photos by Otto Greule/ALLSPORT // Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Maurice Morris

Years played: 2000-2001
Rushing yards: 2,237
Rushing TDs: 17
Receiving yards: 307
Receiving TDs: 3
Rushing Rank: 13th

Onterrio Smith

Years played: 2001-2002
Rushing yards: 2,199
Rushing TDs: 19
Receiving yards: 149
Receiving TDs: 2
Rushing Rank: 16th

Combined

Best season together: 2001
Combined stats in season: 378 rushes // 2,277 yards // 19 TDs
Combined rushing ranking: 29

Analysis

If we’re talking about two players who had a massive impact during their short careers in Eugene, it’s hard to put many people ahead of both Maurice Morris and Onterrio Smith. Both spent just a pair of seasons with the Ducks, but used that time to bolt up the career rushing list, sitting at No. 13 and No. 16, respectively.

Morris will be most remembered for his performance in the 2002 Fiesta Bowl, where his 49-yard touchdown run was highlighted by him sitting on a Colorado player and never going down. Smith will, unfortunately, be remembered more for his failed drug tests in the NFL, but his time in Eugene was certainly entertaining and productive.

RB Royce Freeman // RB Tony Brooks-James

Photos by Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports // Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports

Royce Freeman

Years played: 2014-2017
Rushing yards: 5,621
Rushing TDs: 60
Receiving yards: 814
Receiving TDs: 4
Rushing Rank: 1st

Tony Brooks-James

Years played: 2015-2018
Rushing yards: 1,863
Rushing TDs: 18
Receiving yards: 392
Receiving TDs: 2
Rushing Rank: 21st

Combined

Best season together: 2017
Combined stats in season: 366 rushes // 2,281 yards // 19 TDs
Combined rushing ranking: 22

Analysis

You could have put almost anyone with Royce Freeman and they were going to find their way pretty high on this list. That’s simply how good Royce was. He still sits at No. 1 on Oregon’s all-time rushing list, and it will be pretty hard to see anyone passing him in the near future. With 5,621 yards and 60 touchdowns, there’s a good chance that Freeman will hold the title of Oregon’s best RB for at least a decade down the road.

Don’t let that overshadow the career that Tony Brooks-James had in Eugene, though. While he played second-fiddle to Freeman for most of his time with the Ducks, TBJ still managed to climb up to No. 21 on Oregon’s all-time list and made his mark on the program.

QB Jeremiah Masoli // RB LeGarrette Blount

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Jeremiah Masoli

Years played: 2008-2009
Rushing yards: 1,386
Rushing TDs: 23
Receiving yards: N/A
Receiving TDs: N/A
Rushing Rank: 27th

LeGarrette Blount

Years played: 2008-2009
Rushing yards: 1,084
Rushing TDs: 19
Receiving yards: 15
Receiving TDs: 0
Rushing Rank: 37th

Combined

Best season together: 2008
Combined stats in season: 266 rushes // 1,722 yards // 27 TDs
Combined rushing ranking: 64

Analysis

Maurice Morris and Onterrio Smith definitely accomplished a lot during their short stints with the Ducks, but when I think about players leaving a mark on the program and getting out of town, there’s nobody who did it better than Jeremiah Masoli and LeGarrette Blount.

While the stats show that Blount played two seasons, he really only played one after being suspended for the majority of 2009 after his famous punch against Boise State in Chip Kelly’s first game as the head coach. Still, in his time with the Ducks, he managed over 1,000 yards and 19 TDs, and kicked off what would be one of Oregon’s most successful ‘Pro Ducks’ careers.

Masoli has a similar “flash in the pan” success story. In his two years as the Ducks’ starter, his ability as a dual-threat quarterback put Oregon on the map as an electric and fun offense. When you look at their combined rushing rank, some might argue that they don’t belong this high on our list, but if you consider what they meant for the rise of Oregon’s program as a whole, it’s easy to see the prominence of this tandem. Their career stats won’t compare to other guys on this list, but very few duos had better production in a single season.

RB Travis Dye // RB CJ Verdell

Photos by Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch // Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

CJ Verdell

Years played: 2018-2021
Rushing yards: 2,920
Rushing TDs: 26
Receiving yards: 619
Receiving TDs: 4
Rushing Rank: 6th

Travis Dye

Years played: 2018-2021
Rushing yards: 3,111
Rushing TDs: 21
Receiving yards: 869
Receiving TDs: 8
Rushing Rank: 5th

Combined

Best season together: 2021*
Combined stats in season: 343 rushes // 2,153 yards // 25 TDs
Combined rushing ranking: 11

Analysis

There’s a reason that a lot of Oregon Duck fans are sad to see the CJ Verdell and Travis Dye era come to an end. A lot of it was marred by injuries, and there were few stretches where we saw them both healthy for a long period of time, but the two backs were as good as it gets when it comes to Oregon history.

Though Verdell missed a good portion of his final two seasons, he still finished his Oregon career at No. 6 on the all-time rushing list, and will always be thought of as a “what could have been” player if he’d stayed healthy, especially in the Ducks’ 2021 season. Dye, on the other hand, never seemed to get the credit he deserved, because he didn’t exactly look the part.

While Verdell was a bowling ball of a player, able to use his physicality and breakaway speed to terrorize defenses, Dye was an undersized, quick back who was more physical than he looked and a good pass-catcher as well. Dye is the one who will end his career higher on the rushing list, sitting at No. 5, and his ability to step up in the wake of Verdell’s injury this past season was remarkable.

Nonetheless, it’s understandable to feel like this duo never reached their ceiling, despite sitting at No. 3 on our list. Whether it was due to injuries or the offense that they played in, it feels like an alternate reality could have seen this two higher in the rankings.

RB Jonathan Stewart // RB Jeremiah Johnson

Photos by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images // Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Jonathan Stewart

Years played: 2005-2007
Rushing yards: 2,891
Rushing TDs: 27
Receiving yards: 334
Receiving TDs: 4
Rushing Rank: 7th

Jeremiah Johnson

Years played: 2005-2008
Rushing yards: 2,336
Rushing TDs: 30
Receiving yards: 303
Receiving TDs: 1
Rushing Rank: 11th

Combined

Best season together: 2006
Combined stats in season: 223 rushes // 1,869 yards // 21 TDs
Combined rushing ranking: 18

Analysis

I’m not sure there are any two players on this list who are “cooler” than J-Stew and Jeremiah. Jonathan Stewart helped the ascension of the Ducks by coming to Eugene as one of the highest-rated recruits in program history, and his play for Oregon surely backed it up. After earning the No. 7 spot on the all-time rushing list, Stewart went on to have an incredibly successful NFL career with the Carolina Panthers.

While Johnson’s best season understandably came after J-Stew left, his 2006 production was impressive, running for 10 TDs on 103 carries. Despite splitting carries with the workhorse that is Jonathan Stewart for three years, JJ still managed to work his way up to No. 11 on the rushing list. This duo doesn’t have the highest combined stats, but they certainly worked incredibly well together and left Oregon with a solid legacy.

RB LaMichael James // RB Kenjon Barner

Photos by Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports // Steve Dykes/Getty Images

LaMichael James

Years played: 2009-2011
Rushing yards: 5,082
Rushing TDs: 53
Receiving yards: 586
Receiving TDs: 4
Rushing Rank: 2nd

Kenjon Barner

Years played: 2009-2012
Rushing yards: 3,623
Rushing TDs: 41
Receiving yards: 541
Receiving TDs: 7
Rushing Rank: 3rd

Combined

Best season together: 2011
Combined stats in season: 433 rushes // 3,138 yards // 33 TDs
Combined rushing ranking: 5

Analysis

It’s not often that you make one of these rankings and have a clear-cut No. 1 choice that is so far separated from the rest of the pack that you don’t even have to question their standing. That’s what LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner were for the Ducks.

This duo was so good both on the field and in the stat book, that it’s hard to emphasize how important they were for the fanbase. During what could arguably be described as the peak of the Ducks — 2010 to 2014 — these guys were at the center of it. LMJ was one of the most electric players in the nation, creating highlight after highlight each and every Saturday, and while Kenjon was thought of as the second-fiddle, he even proved after James left for the NFL that he could easily handle, and excel, in the feature-back role.

When you look at the combined ranking — 5 — it’s impossible to put anyone else in the top spot. When you think of the pinnacle of rushing tandems at Oregon, these guys are in a class of their own. I don’t know if we’ll ever see a duo top what Kenjon and LaMike did during their time in Eugene, and I’m okay with that. These guys were truly special.

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