Darrian Felix off to career-best start to season in crowded Oregon Ducks backfield

Darrian Felix

Oregon running back Darrian Felix carries during the second half of the Ducks' home opener against Nevada, Saturday, September 7, 2019, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. Photo by Serena Morones, for The Oregonian/OregonLive.

EUGENE — Health sidelined Darrian Felix most of last season, but it’s worked in his favor in what has quickly become the best sequence yet for the Oregon running back.

Felix, who had just 47 rushing yards in three games while redshirting last season, has scored in back-to-back games to start the season for the Ducks. His 62-yard score and 80 yards on eight carries in last week’s win over Nevada were all career-bests for the redshirt-sophomore.

“I look at (the touchdown) as more to come,” Felix said. “Stay humble, stay working, stay grinding, just more to come. ... I feel like I’m very, very 100 percent healthy. Getting (running backs) coach (Jim) Mastro and coach (Mario) Cristobal to trust me, I think they really believe in me and I appreciate them.”

Felix also had a 21-yard reception last week, another career-best. All of that a week after being trust onto the field and scoring during the season opener against Auburn, when CJ Verdell and Travis Dye both went out momentarily

“I think he’s a guy for two years we said is an explosive guy," offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo said. "I think you finally saw it. A guy that can really rip down the field and do some really good stuff. Has some really good hands, comes out of the backfield. Has done a nice job for us all the way since spring. I think he’ll continue to take steps forward.”

Speed is what allows Felix to get on the field and then be an explosive option with the ball in his hands. The 5-foot-11, 197-pound Felix is probably Oregon’s fastest running back.


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Mastro said he’s a combination of the powerful Verdell and the elusive Dye.

“He’s really elusive,” left guard Shane Lemieux said. “He’s really good at the jet stuff, the jet game, and he’s really good at running outside the tackles. He can cut it up inside too. All of our backs got a little different stuff. Travis is so elusive. CJ is elusive but he has more the power. I think Darrian Felix is a really quick guy. It was good blocking up front and he just split it.”

The question going forward is how often will Felix get to showcase those skills. Mastro has said the weekly play is to prepare “two-and-a-half” running backs to play each game and Verdell and Dye are clearly Oregon’s top two, leaving Felix and Cyrus Habibi-Likio battling for the remaining reps.

“He’s had some health issues early on but nothing too serious, some nicks and stuff that have kept him out, now he feels healthy,” Cristobal said. “He’s showing it in the way he’s practicing and obviously the way he performs. He’s 100 percent in that mix and that’s the way it’s going to look going forward. We feel like we have some guys that are pushing each other, making each other better.”


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