Oregon senior running back Noah Whittington shot the Ducks to a great start in their Week 2 game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Noting a slack in the Cowboys’ defense, Whittington took off for a 59-yard touchdown run in the opening minutes at Autzen Stadium.Whittington is justifying the trust placed in him by Dan Lanning, handing him the starting running back role ahead of the season. In the Ducks’ Week 1 blowout win over the Montana State Bobcats, he was one of Oregon’s most notable players.He led the Ducks in rushing yards against Montana State, rushing for 68 yards and one touchdown in 10 carries. Whittington was also one of the fastest runners throughout college football in Week 1, ranking No. 6 according to Reel Analytics.Noah Whittington’s speed was a menace to the Bobcats’ defense, reaching his top speed of 20.8 miles an hour in 6.4 seconds. The Ducks’ offense had a 35-yard play off the run, putting the running back’s strength to full use.Whittington’s story is that of a comeback through grit, consistency, and a strong force of will. It didn’t start overnight either, with the runner playing all of Oregon’s 14 games last season after missing most of the 2023 season with injury.Dan Lanning points Noah Whittington as leader in Oregon’s offenseEmerging as the Ducks’ starting running back in the off-season, the senior player is now a strong leader in the team’s offense. Lanning didn’t fail to note his performance against the Bobcats, doling out praise for him and the Ducks running back room. He said:“We’ve got a ton of really good backs, so I’d say I want to watch film, but they earn it every single day in practice. We’ve got a bunch of guys that can play winning football, and again, that’s the challenge for us, to figure out where does that fall. But we get to see it every single day in practice.”He continued:“And these guys would tell you that Noah Whittington has earned that every single day in practice, with his leadership and how he’s worked.”Whittington’s leadership in offense will be pivotal in the Ducks’ 2025 campaign as Lanning’s side attempt to reach for the Big Ten and national championship. The Ducks will have their first conference test against the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday, Sept. 13.