Reader Jason Smith sent this along, and it’s valuable insight into the awesome athletic potential of Oregon freshman running back Tra Carson.
In his brief appearances in the rotation as a true freshman, Carson has excited Duck fans with his power running and hard-nosed blocking leading plays as a fullback. In spot duty he’s rumbled and rambled for 135 yards on 24 carries, a healthy 5.6 yard average, showing determination and effort running between the tackles, bouncing outside for a long run of 29 yards. He also caught one pass for six yards, but hasn’t scored a touchdown yet.
photo left: Carson broke LaMichael James’ school record for touchdowns as a Liberty-Eylau Leopard, but he’s more than just a 227-lb. bruiser: this kid can ball. (photo by Evan Lewis, Texarkana Gazette.)
Carson looks good, looks like he belongs despite being just a few months from being on a high school campus. The Ducks will need him to progress even more with LaMichael James doubtful for a while. He could be extremely valuable spelling Kenjon Barner, with De’Anthony Thomas doing a vital job of adding some oomph and whoosh to the Oregon passing attack, breaking free for 114 yards and two touchdowns Thursday night against Arizona. Chip Kelly and Mark Helfrich need DAT’s explosiveness and body control to complement Josh Huff, now more than ever with 200 yards a game missing from the Oregon offense.
Barner is arguably the best 1B back on the West Coast, but listed at 5-11, 195, it’s hard to think of him as an every-down running back. He only has 27 carries all season; James has 95, including a fateful 30 against the Bears. If Carson can come in and take part of the load, it makes the Ducks deeper and more versatile, giving them an extra dimension for a big game with 5-1 ASU, the likely champion in the PAC-12 South after a 3-0 start in conference play, meaning the Ducks will have to beat them twice to earn the Rose Bowl. Carson can give them some extra power and punch and make the tough yards.
But young #28 is more than a bulldozing power back. The Liberty-Eylau product (same school that produced James) was a phenomenal high school basketball player. Smith notes that as a prep point guard, Tra averaged 25 points a game in the playoffs and was District MVP. “Tra is one hell of an athlete, a guy his size who can crossover and dunk in traffic…pretty impressive.”
Watch him in this highlight video, driving and dunking, going coast-to-coast, and draining three pointers. A kid like this who can move in space and excel in two sports, can handle the pressure of picking up the slack for a sidelined star. Clearly he’s an athlete with coordination and uncommon ability, not just a straight-ahead pounder.
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