After only five games, Oregon true freshman running back Brandon Smith is already hearing a name that carries plenty of weight: Saquon Barkley.
The comparison has been floating around the Ducks’ locker room, with Dierre Hill Jr. among those making the connection. Smith’s mother has seen it, too.
And after Smith stepped into a major role in Oregon’s 34-26 win over then-No. 20 Northwestern, it got a lot harder to ignore.
Smith ran eight times for 82 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown in the victory that helped keep No. 23 Oregon’s College Football Playoff hopes alive. The opportunity opened up after Hill Jr. and Jordon Davison left with leg injuries, and Smith made the most of it.
On Wednesday at the Hatfield-Dowlin Center, Smith talked about the Barkley chatter, the mindset that kept him ready, and what comes next with No. 12 Ohio State waiting on Saturday.
“I think it’s kind of cool because Saquon Barkley is kind of like my favorite running back right now. So it’s kind of exciting to hear that. I kind of model my game after him.
"You see some of the runs I had, I had people say I look like him. Like, my mom said I look like him. So I think it’s kind of accurate.”
Smith said Hill Jr. helped set the tone before he entered the game, making sure he understood the moment in front of him.
“Right before I got in, Dierre (Hill Jr.) was just kind of talking to me about, like, this is my opportunity, it’s time to go. So just kind of understanding that, like, with those two players out for the second half, it’s kind of just my time to step in and just have no drop off, continue their way and just understanding that’s my time.”
That kind of patience has been part of Smith’s path all along. He said the early weeks, when his snaps were limited, were about staying locked in and trusting the process.
“The first few weeks where I didn’t get much playing time, kind of just putting my head down, and just they were just telling me to work.
"When it’s my time, it’s my time, and when I get my time, I got to ball out. When they went down in the second half, and they pulled me to the side and told me, and I just kind of listen to them.
"Those are like my big bros. They get me going. And then (running back) Simeon (Price), coach Sam (Ra’Shaad Samples), really pushed me to my hardest.”
Smith also pointed to the route that brought him to Oregon in the first place. After being released from his previous signing with the University of Arizona, he said he had to trust himself once he landed with the Ducks.
“Honestly, just getting released from my last signing (University of Arizona) and then signing to Oregon, I just got to understand, like, I had to bet on myself, knowing that coming to Oregon is like a big program.
"Two freshmen had good seasons. So I kind of came in knowing that those two guys are going to be the guys.
But I can still play. I just have trust in myself and my craft, knowing that I can make a few plays.”
Even when he’s not getting a heavy workload, Smith said he tries to stay mentally sharp by watching and learning before the snap.
“I like to sit back and watch and go through the play behind. I don’t really get as much one and two reps. So knowing what I have to do because if I get put into the moment and I mess it up, then I’m probably not going to get another chance at it.”
He also had plenty to say about the people blocking for him, especially Tommy.
“Tommy’s my guy. I’ve been knowing him for a little bit now, and the chemistry that we have is just amazing.
"I mean, I love him to death. He’s a big guy.
Open up holes for me. So, man, I love all my linemen, but Tommy’s hilarious.”
Looking ahead to Ohio State, Smith said Oregon believes it can run the ball against the Buckeyes.
“I think we have a good chance. USC did a pretty good job running the ball on Ohio State.
So that just means… I think we have a good chance running the ball. I mean, every game we into, we think, ‘run the ball.’
"It doesn’t matter whether a team has success or not. It’s just whether the offense can execute on a higher level.”
Smith said he’s also trying to keep outside noise from getting in the way of what he does on the field.
“I kind of just, like, try to stay off social media because that’s where, like, you know, all the outside noise come in. And pretty much the outside noise kind of just affects my performance. I kind of get too big-headed.
"So, just me trying to stay level-headed and just staying off social media and also just getting words from my teammates, just understanding that one game doesn’t define me and that certain moments in the game where I flash it doesn’t matter. I got to go back to work.”
In Other News...
Oregons Freshman Lineman Is Emerging From The Ducks Toughest Daily Test
Tommy Tofi has been working his way into a starting role for Oregon this season, a gradual rise that says as much about his own progress as it does about the Ducks uneven offensive line. The true freshman guard has benefited from veteran help around him, but the biggest push has come in practice, where Oregons experienced defensive linemen have given him the kind of daily stress test that can speed up a young linemans growth.
Dan Lanning has even pointed to Tofis development as something that resembles the path Josh Conerly Jr. took in Eugene, with the staff seeing a natural climb rather than a sudden leap. For Oregon, the encouraging part is not just that Tofi is holding his own, but that he is doing it in a season when the line has needed answers and the Ducks have kept leaning on him for more responsibility. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lanning Explains Why Oregons O-Line Suddenly Looks More Settled
For the first time this season, Oregon rolled out the same starting offensive line in back-to-back games, and the difference showed in a 34-26 win over Northwestern. The Ducks moved the ball well and kept the operation clean up front, with the group finishing without a penalty while giving the offense a steadier look than it had at other points in the year.
Dan Lanning still framed the line as a work in progress, which fits a season shaped by injuries and competition for jobs. Trent Ferguson and Immanuel Iheanacho have both affected the mix, but Lanning pointed to the current groups consistency and attention to fundamentals as reasons the unit has started to look more settled, even if the Ducks know more shuffling could still be ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Faces A Dangerous New Ohio State Quarterback Test
A fresh quarterback wrinkle is waiting for Oregon this week, and it comes in a setting that can make even a seasoned offense feel a little less predictable. Ohio State freshman Luke Fahey is set to make his first home start against the No. 23 Ducks after stepping in on the road against USC, where he completed 21 of 38 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown when the Buckeyes were forced to adjust because of an injury to the starter.
For Oregon, the challenge is less about the rsum and more about the unknowns that come with a young quarterback who has already shown he can handle a big stage. Ryan Day and Dan Lanning both weighed in on Faheys performance and upside, which only adds to the sense that this matchup could hinge on how quickly Oregon sorts out what kind of test it is getting from a passer still early in his college career. [Read more 🡒]