Da'Jaun Riggs' increased knowledge of Ducks' offense sets him apart this spring
Da'Jaun Riggs' increased knowledge of Ducks' offense sets him apart this spring
The list of exciting, high-upside players on the Oregon Ducks roster coming into the spring football season was long, with guys like Dante Moore, Makhi Hughes, Dillon Thieneman, Dakorien Moore, and Isaiah World all generating a ton of buzz. Through the first nine practices, fans haven't been disappointed as stories come out about those players living up to the hype in Eugene.
Many of those fans are projecting a breakout season in 2025 for redshirt freshman running back Da'Jaun Riggs. He didn't get a ton of snaps last year, but with 11 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown, enough was seen to project highly for the future.
Want a sample of what some people are saying? Former Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart says that when he watches Riggs run, he sees a bit of LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner. Current Oregon RB Noah Whittington has dubbed him "Bucky 2.0" for the similarities in his running style with Bucky Irving.
Earlier this week, Oregon OL great Geoff Schwartz said on the Bleav in Oregon Podcast that he looked like the best player on the field against Washington and Illinois in 2024.
"The thing about watching film, he stood out," Schwartz said. "He played faster than all 21 guys on the field, and I get that it was backups, I don't give a (expletive)."
Those are all fans weighing in, though. What do the coaches have to say? We asked on Tuesday, and the results were just as glowing.
"(Riggs) has grown up. He's definitely grown up. He's matured in the offense, he looks comfortable right now," RB coach Ra'Shaad Samples said. "That second half of the season, Dink really started to get comfortable, and I know you guys saw him rattle off a couple of runs, and that's been consistent. He shows up every day and is the same person. He's natural. He's a really natural runner. It doesn't take much for him. It isn't hard for him. He makes it look really easy."
It will be hard for Riggs to carve out a share of the workload in Oregon's crowded backfield this season, with Whittington returning for another season and Tulane transfer Makhi Hughes coming in with high expectations, but from what we've seen him put on tape, the redshirt freshman has the talent to hold his own and demand a cut of the carries.
"I'm going to try and figure out if I can call the NCAA and see if we can play with two footballs," Samples joked on Tuesday. "We've got to find ways to get these guys the ball, and it's a hard job. It's a good problem to have."
One thing that Riggs has on his side this year that he didn't last year is a deeper understanding of the offense. While pure talent was relied upon as a true freshman, he now can further ingratiate himself into the system and build on his talent to stake his claim in the backfield.
"It's the difference in knowing the system and not knowing and learning it," head coach Dan Lanning said. "And he's a guy that now understands where to hit on a certain path, understands, you know, where he's going to be at in a route, where he's at. So like, picking up the system, I think it's huge for him, but he's proven to be a guy that's elusive that can also get vertical fast. Plays the game the right way."
When the Ducks' spring game rolls around two weekends from now on April 26, there's an endless list of players who fans will be chomping at the bit to see in action once again. Based on what we saw last year and based on what we're hearing this spring, Riggs will undoubtedly be near the top of that list.
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