Will the 2024 Oregon State football season be the year of Noah Whittington? The experienced running back will be healthy enough to lead an impressive backs committee of Jordan James and rookie Jay Harris It's on schedule for fourth graders.
During early spring football practice, Oregon State coach Dan Lanning revealed that Whittington's rehabilitation is “proceeding well ahead of schedule.”
The 5-foot-8, 201-pound back has been working toward a return to the field since suffering a season-ending injury in the University of Oregon's 42-6 win over the Colorado Buffaloes on Sept. 23, 2023. continues. He was expected to play a big role in the Ducks' rushing attack before his injury.
Oregon Ducks running back Noah Whittington is lifted into the air after a touchdown.
Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard/USA
experience
Whittington began his college career at Western Kentucky and transferred to Oregon State in 2022.
Whittington was poised to make a splash in the 2023 season after a strong first year at Oregon. In 2022, he finished second on the team with a career-high 779 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns on 139 carries, and added 22 receptions for 169 passing yards and one touchdown.
Given the severity of the injury, the Ducks wanted to bring Whittington back slowly. When asked about his recovery plan, coach Dan Lanning said: There's no need to throw him into the fire. We know what Noah is capable of. So through his practice he adds more and more to his game. ”
Strengths
Whittington brings a strong skill set that adds value to an already deep running back room. His strengths include good vision and instincts for inside zone concepts. He is fast and can use leverage to change his direction while evading tacklers. Whittington is also an effective pass receiver with the ability to gain yards after the catch.
Outlook for 2024
He did not appear in the spring game, but was selected as a starter along with Jordan James. The Ducks also raved about junior transfers Jay Harris (11 carries, 52 yards in the spring game) and Jaden Rimmer (nine carries, 30 yards, one touchdown), with both coaches speaking throughout the spring. He showed off his explosive abilities.
This crowded running back position and the need to distribute carries can create problems, even good ones. After the Oregon State football spring game, Lanning talked about his own wealth at running back.
“Jordan (James), we've all seen what Jordan can do. I'm really impressed with that,” Lanning said. “The other guys in the room were running hard. I'll go back and watch (the footage), but I think there were some plays where we could have been more physical and attacked more at the pad level. But overall, I think we know what's in the room. We have some players who can compete.”
Early comments suggested the 2024 Ducks would take a “three-headed” running back approach, but with the return of Whittington and the development of several additions to the team, the Ducks could be looking at two or three more running backs. Other players could be added to the mix. That's great news for Oregon State, but not so much for opposing defenses in the Big Ten Conference.
