It’s been practically two full months since the 2019 season ended for the Oregon Ducks; a season that will be long remembered as a year of resurgence for the Oregon football program.
A Pac-12 Championship. A Rose Bowl victory. A second consecutive star-studded recruiting class signed, sealed, and all but delivered. Those types of accomplishments simultaneously restore the integrity of a proud program while also serving as an emphatic launch point for a new era under the direction of Mario Cristobal.
Yet, as strange as it may seem, the time for reminiscing and the savoring of moments from the recent past is over – at least insofar as it relates to Cristobal and his coaching staff. The countdown to spring practice can be marked by days, if not hours, and with it marks the first tangible signs that preparations for the upcoming 2020 season are underway.
With spring football set to begin in earnest for the Ducks on March 5, culminating with the annual spring game on April 18, WFOD is taking the time between now and then to examine the prevailing storylines at each position group.
Today, our Spring Storylines series continues with a look at running back.
How much might Sean Dollars’ role expand in 2020?
After combining to rush for 2,215 yards a season ago, junior running backs CJ Verdell (who led the team with 1,220 yards on the ground), Travis Dye (658), and Cyrus Habibi-Likio (337) are set to return in 2020 to give the Ducks one of the most stable running back situations in the Pac-12, if not the country. Given the state of the Oregon offense following the graduation of quarterback Justin Herbert and four starters along the offensive line a season ago, running back is the one position on the offensive side of the ball where very little is unsettled as the 2020 campaign draws closer and closer.
That, however, doesn’t mean there isn’t any intrigue at the spot. While Verdell, Dye, and Habibi-Likio are all but entrenched as the Ducks’ top three backs heading into the upcoming season, there’s another trio of running backs on the roster who will look to steal their way onto the field in some capacity.
Topping that list is redshirt freshman Sean Dollars, a former four-star recruit who was regarded as the nation’s no. 2 all-purpose running back in the 2019 class, per 247Sports’ Composite rankings. He is expected to be joined in the competition for reps with fellow redshirt freshman Jayvaun Wilson and true freshman Trey Benson, who isn’t expected to arrive on campus until later this summer. Of the three, however, it’s Dollars who is anticipated to make the biggest impact in his second season under the tutelage of Oregon running backs coach Jim Mastro.
The only question is, where?
A season ago, Dollars flashed some of the dynamic potential he possesses after rushing for 81 yards on seven carries in four games, highlighted by a 63-yard scamper late in a blowout victory over Montana last September. Yet, assuming good health and good academic standing from Verdell, Dye, and Habibi-Likio, it doesn’t appear as if there will be many carries available for Dollars should he fail to unseat any of the aforementioned seasoned veterans in the established running back pecking order this offseason.
That said, there are two things working in Dollars’ favor as he prepares to enter the 2020 season:
1) He’s a versatile player that is capable of carving out a wide range of roles for himself on offense or special teams. Whether it be as a running back, slot receiver, or return man, Dollars is equipped with a skill-set that allows him to be a jack-of-all-trades sort for the Ducks, not totally unlike Kenjon Barner during the early portion of his Oregon career.
2) He has Joe Moorhead drawing up plays as his offensive coordinator. Though the Ducks were for the most part functional on offense under former offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo, Arroyo never had the reputation or demonstrated the ability to be especially forward-thinking or innovative with the ingredients he had on offense. And while a reasonable argument can be made that Arroyo didn’t have a lot to work with at the skilled positions beyond Herbert, Moorhead figures to be much more bold and daring with his offensive philosophy by comparison.
Add it all up, and it’s still not totally obvious where Dollars will make his initial mark, but given the year of experience under his belt, his diverse set of physical tools, and the presence of Joe Moorhead, it’s fair to say Dollars could be among the offensive players with the most to gain with a strong performance this spring.
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Top Photo: Oregon RB Sean Dollars (Eric Evans Photography)