Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com
Freeman's Autzen Swan Song Awaits
11/24/17 | Football, @GoDucksMoseley
Saturday's Civil War (4:05 p.m., ESPN2) is the final home appearance for UO career rushing leader Royce Freeman.
Earlier this week, Willie Taggart was asked to put in perspective just what the career of running back Royce Freeman meant to the Ducks.
Taggart, in his first year at Oregon, acknowledged that others might have a better sense of the legacy Freeman built over the last four years. Still, Taggart paused to consider the question.
Where to start answering? With Freeman's 5,499 career rushing yards, or 58 rushing touchdowns, both second in Pac-12 history? With his go-ahead-and-date-your-sister character, or his toughness playing through injuries that have required Freeman to sit out Tuesday practices this fall?
Eventually, Taggart found a way to sum it all up.
"The G.O.A.T.," he offered, using an acronym for "greatest of all time."
At Oregon, that's high praise, and probably fodder for debate. Others might lobby for LaMichael James, the first UO back to go over 5,000 yards, until Freeman broke his UO career record this year — a record James set in one fewer season. Jonathan Stewart, Derek Loville and Reuben Droughns went on to distinguished NFL careers. Don Reynolds and Ahmad Rashad (nee Bobby Moore) had 1,000-yard rushing seasons when the schedule was shorter, offenses were less explosive and the Ducks weren't recruiting at the level they have the last several years.
But by the objective measure of career rushing totals, Freeman sits atop the Oregon record lists, entering his regular-season finale with the Ducks, against Oregon State in Autzen Stadium on Saturday (4:05 p.m., ESPN2). And he's been everything Taggart could have hoped for this season, carrying the UO offense while it endured Justin Herbert's midseason injury, and setting the tone in the locker room.
"In the time I've been here, asking Royce to help me get this football program back, he's been awesome," Taggart said. "I hope a lot of our young guys have watched him and the way he carries himself, because that's how we want all our Ducks to be.
"He's been everything, to me."
Freeman made his mark at Oregon from the very beginning, scoring two touchdowns in his collegiate debut against South Dakota in the 2014 season opener. He had four touchdowns in a win over Washington, on the Ducks' path to the College Football Playoff championship game. A school single-season record 1,836 yards followed in his sophomore season, including a career single-game best 246 yards against Washington State.
Freeman's junior campaign was marred by injuries suffered in a loss at Nebraska, causing him to miss a game for the only time in his career, against Colorado. But he closed the season with three straight 100-yard efforts, and then agreed to remain at Oregon for his senior season, and help Taggart get the program back on track.
The results? Freeman has 1,353 rushing yards entering the Civil War. The Ducks are 6-5, eligible for the postseason, having looked a game or two better than that with a healthy Herbert at the helm. Now, Freeman is poised to take the field in Autzen Stadium for the final time in that storied career.
"It's gonna be special," he said. "I've played here for quite a while, the fans have been nothing but supportive of me, and it's a rivalry game. So it should be fun."
Freeman got off to a prolific start to this season, rushing for 541 yards and 10 touchdowns in the first four games. But then Herbert was sidelined by a collar bone injury, and Freeman hurt his own shoulder the same night against California. For the rest of the season, his participation in practices each Tuesday was limited to light drills, before suiting up for his lone full-pads practice of each week on Wednesday.
"It's important to take mental reps regardless," Freeman said. "The coaches have done me a favor by adjusting some things, taking the physical part out of it from time to time. But (I'm) always staying locked in."
The adjusted scheduled paid dividends. Freeman looked good as new just a couple of weeks after the injury, at Stanford. He ran for 144 yards that night, kicking off a stretch of games in which Oregon went just 1-3, but Freeman ran for 565 yards — against defenses gearing up to stop him in Herbert's absence.
"He's doing what a senior leader, what a big-time player, needs to do," co-offensive coordinator Mario Cristobal said. "That's what big-time players do. Everybody's hurt, everybody's banged up — it's time to step up."
Last week against Arizona, following Oregon's bye week, Herbert returned, and Freeman ran for 135 yards and four touchdowns. Up next is the Civil War, and further down the road an appearance at the prestigious Senior Bowl.
Years from now, folks will still be arguing about Oregon's greatest ever running back. James will have his enthusiasts. But no doubt, some will advocate for Freeman, after all he's accomplished over the past four years.
Count the new UO coaching staff among them.
"During this time of year, the weather's not as nice, the conditions are a bit different, but he's done exactly what he needs to do," Cristobal said. "We've obviously been blessed to have a guy like that with us. He's been awesome."
Taggart, in his first year at Oregon, acknowledged that others might have a better sense of the legacy Freeman built over the last four years. Still, Taggart paused to consider the question.
Where to start answering? With Freeman's 5,499 career rushing yards, or 58 rushing touchdowns, both second in Pac-12 history? With his go-ahead-and-date-your-sister character, or his toughness playing through injuries that have required Freeman to sit out Tuesday practices this fall?
Eventually, Taggart found a way to sum it all up.
"The G.O.A.T.," he offered, using an acronym for "greatest of all time."
At Oregon, that's high praise, and probably fodder for debate. Others might lobby for LaMichael James, the first UO back to go over 5,000 yards, until Freeman broke his UO career record this year — a record James set in one fewer season. Jonathan Stewart, Derek Loville and Reuben Droughns went on to distinguished NFL careers. Don Reynolds and Ahmad Rashad (nee Bobby Moore) had 1,000-yard rushing seasons when the schedule was shorter, offenses were less explosive and the Ducks weren't recruiting at the level they have the last several years.
But by the objective measure of career rushing totals, Freeman sits atop the Oregon record lists, entering his regular-season finale with the Ducks, against Oregon State in Autzen Stadium on Saturday (4:05 p.m., ESPN2). And he's been everything Taggart could have hoped for this season, carrying the UO offense while it endured Justin Herbert's midseason injury, and setting the tone in the locker room.
"In the time I've been here, asking Royce to help me get this football program back, he's been awesome," Taggart said. "I hope a lot of our young guys have watched him and the way he carries himself, because that's how we want all our Ducks to be.
"He's been everything, to me."
Freeman made his mark at Oregon from the very beginning, scoring two touchdowns in his collegiate debut against South Dakota in the 2014 season opener. He had four touchdowns in a win over Washington, on the Ducks' path to the College Football Playoff championship game. A school single-season record 1,836 yards followed in his sophomore season, including a career single-game best 246 yards against Washington State.
Freeman's junior campaign was marred by injuries suffered in a loss at Nebraska, causing him to miss a game for the only time in his career, against Colorado. But he closed the season with three straight 100-yard efforts, and then agreed to remain at Oregon for his senior season, and help Taggart get the program back on track.
The results? Freeman has 1,353 rushing yards entering the Civil War. The Ducks are 6-5, eligible for the postseason, having looked a game or two better than that with a healthy Herbert at the helm. Now, Freeman is poised to take the field in Autzen Stadium for the final time in that storied career.
"It's gonna be special," he said. "I've played here for quite a while, the fans have been nothing but supportive of me, and it's a rivalry game. So it should be fun."
Freeman got off to a prolific start to this season, rushing for 541 yards and 10 touchdowns in the first four games. But then Herbert was sidelined by a collar bone injury, and Freeman hurt his own shoulder the same night against California. For the rest of the season, his participation in practices each Tuesday was limited to light drills, before suiting up for his lone full-pads practice of each week on Wednesday.
"It's important to take mental reps regardless," Freeman said. "The coaches have done me a favor by adjusting some things, taking the physical part out of it from time to time. But (I'm) always staying locked in."
The adjusted scheduled paid dividends. Freeman looked good as new just a couple of weeks after the injury, at Stanford. He ran for 144 yards that night, kicking off a stretch of games in which Oregon went just 1-3, but Freeman ran for 565 yards — against defenses gearing up to stop him in Herbert's absence.
"He's doing what a senior leader, what a big-time player, needs to do," co-offensive coordinator Mario Cristobal said. "That's what big-time players do. Everybody's hurt, everybody's banged up — it's time to step up."
Last week against Arizona, following Oregon's bye week, Herbert returned, and Freeman ran for 135 yards and four touchdowns. Up next is the Civil War, and further down the road an appearance at the prestigious Senior Bowl.
Years from now, folks will still be arguing about Oregon's greatest ever running back. James will have his enthusiasts. But no doubt, some will advocate for Freeman, after all he's accomplished over the past four years.
Count the new UO coaching staff among them.
"During this time of year, the weather's not as nice, the conditions are a bit different, but he's done exactly what he needs to do," Cristobal said. "We've obviously been blessed to have a guy like that with us. He's been awesome."
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