Oregon Football: Jordan James and Traeshon Holden's Special Bond

The Oregon Ducks football team has bonded off the field, leading up to their first season in the Big Ten conference. Oregon running back Jordan James and wide receiver Traeshon Holden have a special bond.

Oregon White Team wide receiver Traeshon Holden waves to the crowd as the team takes the field during the Oregon Ducks’ Spring Game Saturday, April 27. 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Football is often described as a brotherhood. Spending almost every moment of your college career beside a few similar faces can forge a bond that seems almost unexplainable for athletes. So it’s not surprising a few dynamic duos have emerged since the Oregon Ducks offseason practices.

One such friendship includes senior wide receiver Traeshon Holden and junior running back Jordan James. Both battled in all fourteen games for the Ducks last season. Holden racked up 452 yards and six touchdowns on 37 receptions. James punched in 759 yards and 11 touchdowns on 107 carries. Both are expected to do some serious damage on the field this year for the green and yellow.

Oregon’s Jordan James speaks during Oregon football’s media day Monday, July 29, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

“Jordan, that's my boy,” said Holden during a recent fall camp media availability.

Holden shared that the two hung out frequently over the off-season, building a bond across position groups.

“We've grown real close this off season, so we probably hang out a lot more. But his energy, bringing it to the running back room is just like, we need it, and that was a big emphasis yesterday,” Holden said.

As two veterans, both James and Holden know they’re expected to rise as leaders of their position groups. Both also face high expectations, with James on the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list and Holden competing against one of the most talent-deep receiver corps in the nation. Holden shared that he hopes James is able to believe his own hype this season.

Oregon wide receiver Traeshon Holden stretches during practice with the Oregon Ducks Friday, Aug. 9, 2024 at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

“We're talking to him, and I feel like once he really knows, like he's that dude, then like he's gonna be scary for a lot of people,” Holden said.

Though these two Ducks mean business, they’re also not taking things too seriously for their latter years with the program. As Oregon coach Dan Lanning said at the beginning of fall camp, he wants to have his guys have an excitement to get out there. Individually, and through their friendship, both Holden and James have that drive.

“Oh, we playing the game all day. I'll be whooping him. I'll be whooping him. Me. No, yeah, that's
all we do. Play the game, kick it, yeah, it's my boy,” Holden said.

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