Will Stein Doesn't Hold Back On Oregon's Running Back Situation

Ahead of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against the Indiana Hoosiers, Oregon Ducks offensive coordinator Will Stein addressed Oregon's lack of depth at the running back position.

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel throws out a pass as offensive coordinator Will Stein during practice with the Oregon Ducks Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024 at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

As the No. 5 Oregon Ducks arrived in Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday evening ahead of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers, Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein spoke to the media and talked about the Ducks' running back depth.

Running backs Jordon Davison (injury) and Jayden Limar (transfer portal) are listed as "Out" on Oregon's official availability report. As a result, the Ducks are expected to rely on Noah Whittington and Dierre Hill Jr. out of the backfield in the College Football Playoff Semifinals against Indiana on Friday.

Oct 18, 2024; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Jay Harris (22) celebrates scoring a touchdown during the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Will running back Jay Harris be the next man up for Stein and the Oregon offense? Unlike Limar, Harris has not been listed on the Ducks' availability reports despite entering the transfer portal, but Stein's comments on Harris imply that he will play against Indiana.

What Will Stein Said About Jay Harris

Stein was asked about Harris' potential impact against Indiana upon Oregon's arrival in Atlanta:

"Yeah, shoot, I've seen Jay Harris perform in practice for the past two years," Stein said. "When he got here from D-II, he barely knew the plays, so we had to develop him in that sense. Then I think you really saw him start to flourish last fall at practice. He had a great camp, great spring."

"The football gods, everything kind of works out a certain way. I don't think we all knew how good Dierre and Jordon were going to be for us this year. But when they got opportunities in games, it was like, 'Whoa, these guys are different.' That doesn't mean that other players are worse. You've just got to find people and find their roles. Jay, I think he's an exceptional back. He's got great balance. He can run. He can really catch the ball. So I think he's at a spot now to really flourish given the opportunity," Stein continued.

On the season, Harris has carried the ball 26 times for 116 yards and one touchdown with three receptions for 57 yards.

Oregon Offensive Coordinator Will Stein leads a drill with quarterback Dante Moore at Autzen Stadium in Eugene Dec. 14, 2025 before the first-round CFP game against James Madison. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Will Stein Addresses Oregon's Running Back Depth

Stein also spoke about the Ducks' running back depth in general before the rematch with Indiana.

"It's the same thing when we didn't have receivers. You've got to compromise. You've got to be adaptable. This offense has really been built through 11 personnel and 12, and then we played some 21 this year because of because of injuries to wide outs. Still feel like we have enough to work in that personnel. But yeah, we definitely have to get the right guys. That's the whole key to football. Can you get the best 11 on the field to give you the best chance of moving the football and scoring," said the Oregon offensive coordinator.

Jan 1, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Jordon Davison (0) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the second half of the 2025 Orange Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Hard Rock Stadium. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

As Stein mentions, the Oregon offense has dealt with injuries throughout the season. When wide receivers Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr. were briefly sidelined, Ducks receivers Malik Benson and Jeremiah McClellan, as well as tight end Jamari Johnson, became top targets for Oregon quarterback Dante Moore.

Bryant Jr. was injured against Iowa, a game that Dakorien Moore and Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq didn't play in, and Oregon subsequently ran for 263 yards in the rain against the Hawkeyes.

The injury to Davison still stings as Stein will have to find a new goal-line running back in the semifinals of the CFP, and Limar's transfer decision leaves the Ducks rather thin at running back.

Davison leads Oregon with 15 touchdowns, and he is second on the team behind Whittington with 113 carries and 667 rushing yards. Limar has carried the ball 46 times for 262 yards and three touchdowns, adding 11 catches for 75 yards in the passing game.