I have heard "dyspeptic rumblings" recently regarding Oregon's recruiting of a marquee running back for the 2009 class and quite possibly the lack thereof. As of today, Scout.com has Oregon with 2 running back prospects they are pursuing and they have only offered one of those. Four-star prospect Dasarte Yarnway, who is labeled as having a high interest in the California Golden Bears, is the #23 ranked RB in the country according to Scout.com. The odds of Oregon actually getting this kid are slim at best in my opinion.
On a brighter note, Rivals.com has recently reported that five-star prospect Bryce Brown, the #1 ranked RB in the country, has determined that he will make a visit out to Oregon at some point during the season. He is currently listed as a soft verbal to Miami, but there is no doubt that he could flip-flop on his commitment between now and signing day. Motivation for his visit is his relationship with Oregon QB Chris Harper. They both lived in Wichita, Kansas and became great friends while playing high school football there. I found this interview with Brown regarding his current status with Miami. Shifting his commitment away from them may be more likely than Oregon actually acquiring Yarnway.
With that being said I believe Oregon already has a special running back in LaMichael James. The kid was a four-star prospect from the state of Texas and ranked by Rivals.com as the #12 best running back in the country for 2008. The kid has speed that you can't teach and possesses a shifty quality eerily similar to Barry Sanders. He is listed at 5'9" and 180 lbs....definitely more of a scat back for Oregon's offense. Ultimately, he would fill the void of Jeremiah Johnson next year for Oregon and still provide the "Lightning" to Blount's "Thunder." Living in Oregon it seems that all the media pundits are freaking out over Jacquizz Rodger's, the freshman phenom from Oregon State, who is of similar stature to James and whom has nearly the same style of play. I know rankings can ultimately mean nothing, but according to Rivals.com Rodgers was listed as only a three-star prospect and the #26 best running back overall. Bob Rickert, a writer for the Oregonian who profiles the Oregon ducks on his blog for Oregonlive.com, believes James is the future. This is an excerpt from one of his older columns:
"His quickness is just electifying and his ability to make people miss, even after just a few practices is pretty special. My own worry that Oregon really needs a premier back in this year's recruiting class is growing smaller with every week of practice. They need at least one back for sure, but James is clearly part of the future the day Johnson steps off campus and into the NFL."
Take a peak at James' skills for yourself...I don't think you'll be disappointed.
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