Can the Oregon Ducks defense shut down Boise State's Heisman Trophy-hoping running back?

EUGENE- The Oregon Ducks prepare for their second game of the season next Saturday night against the Boise State Broncos at Autzen Stadium. After barely winning against Idaho last week, the Ducks face a new challenge as they will face one of the nation's best running backs, Heisman candidate Ashton Jeanty.

“I think this is the best running back I've seen since I've been here,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said Monday. “He's definitely an NFL guy.”

The junior from Jacksonville, Florida, has already proven himself to be a threat to opposing defenses, dominating the running game in the Broncos' season opener against Georgia Southern. Jeanty ran for 267 yards on 20 carries – a school record for a game. The running back's first touchdown of the 2024 season was a 77-yard run. He scored five more touchdowns in Boise State's 56-45 win over Georgia Southern, breaking another school record.

“This is one of the best games for me,” Jeanty said after the game. “But we still have 11 games, so, I don't know, maybe I have a better one.”

“It's our mission to stop him from doing that against us,” Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon said. “If we can stop him from running the ball, we can win the game.”

Last season for the Broncos, Jeanty had seven games in which he rushed for at least 150 offensive yards and only three games in which he didn't score a score. With so much success as a sophomore in the 2023 season, many wondered why Jeanty decided to stay at Boise State instead of transferring to a Power Four program. Given Jeanty's athletic ability and excellent numbers, many top programs would likely compete heavily to sign the running back, yet Jeanty wasn't interested in hanging up the orange and blue jersey.

“For me, it's just being able to leave a legacy,” Jeanty said. “It's just not the same elsewhere, going there for a year and maybe getting a little more money. It's just nothing special. And doing it with this team, to me, is what makes it really special.”

Jeanty is a force for Boise State's offense, and Oregon's defense is tasked with stopping his running game. If the Ducks can effectively stop Jeanty, they could force the Broncos to rely more on their passing game, potentially opening up opportunities for Oregon's secondary.

“He never goes down on first contact,” Lanning said of Jeanty. “He's one of the best stiff-arm guys we've ever faced. He's really, really physical.”

Jeanty's vision, athleticism and strength make him a dual-threat running back who can break through the line and embarrass defenders in the open field. Oregon's defensive front will need to be disciplined and physical to contain Jeanty and prevent him from making explosive gains in yardage.

The Ducks will face Heisman contender Jeanty at home at Autzen Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m. PT. The game will be streamed live on Peacock.