LaMichael James Named to College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023

Oregon legend, LaMichael James earned himself a spot into one of college football's highest honors.

Former Oregon Ducks running back LaMichael James will be a part of the College Football Hall of Fame's 2023 class. James is among 18 former first-team all-Americans and four standout coaches that will be inducted.

𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱 🦆@LaMichaelJames will be inducted into the 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗲 in the Class of 2023! #GoDucks x @cfbhall pic.twitter.com/ePa8pFhZHC

— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) January 9, 2023

James will be the sixth Oregon football player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame, joining quarterback Norm Van Brocklin, running back John Kitzmiller, tackle John Beckett, running back Mel Renfro and Ahmad Rashad. Former Oregon coaches Len Casanova and Mike Bellotti are also Hall of Fame inductees.

“Selection to the College Football Hall of Fame is a well-deserved honor for LaMichael,” UO director of athletics Rob Mullens said in a statement. “The legacy LaMichael left in Eugene is everlasting and a significant reason for the continued success of our football program”.

James was part of the Oregon program from 2009-11, earning three Pac-12 titles and reaching three BCS Bowl games, including the 2011 BCS National Championship against the Auburn Tigers. The Texas native finished his Oregon career with 5,869 all-purpose yards and 58 touchdowns, averaging 6.6 yards a carry.

In the three seasons he spent with former head coach Chip Kelly and the Ducks, his sophomore season in 2010 would solidify just how dominant James was as a college football player. James broke the Pac-10 freshman single-season rushing record with 1,546 yards in 2009. He followed that up with an even better sophomore season, leading the country in rushing (1,731 yards), yards from scrimmage (1,939) and touchdowns (24).  

Those stats earned him the Doak Walker Award and a trip to New York as a Heisman finalists. James was grouped with Kellen Moore from Boise State, Andrew Luck at Stanford and the eventual winner Cam Newton from Auburn for the prestigious trophy. James also helped lead Oregon to its first-ever 12-win season, culminating in its first national championship game appearance that same year.

James runs against UCLA / © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

James would finish his Oregon career the following year with a 12-2 record, a conference championship and a Rose Bowl victory to go along with his already impressive trophy room in 2011. Though he battled an elbow injury after an early October game against Cal, he still managed to fight through the adversity and stack up some impressive numbers. He finished with a career-high 2,015 scrimmage yards and 19 touchdowns, averaging 7.6 yards a carry.

READ MORE: Former Oregon WR Dont'e Thornton Commits to Tennessee

James was fortunate enough to be a part of the NFL from 2012 to 2015 with the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins following his junior year departure. He played in 24 games recording 1,709 total yards both as a running back and as a returner with one touchdown.

The Ducks finished with a 34-6 record in James’s three seasons, while finishing at No. 11 in the national rankings in 2009, No. 3 in 2010 and No. 4 in 2011. Oregon’s early 2010 teams have helped them get to where they are on a national scene in today's game with their success.

Kelly brought a high tempo spread offense to Eugene and paved the way to get a few Oregon greats to play the way they did, including Marcus Mariota, DeAnthony Thomas, Kenjon Barner, Josh Huff, and many more. 

James' ties with Oregon continue to this day with Dan Lanning as he took part in the 2022 spring game as an offensive coordinator for the green team. Today, James currently owns and operates Killer Burger franchises in Lake Oswego and Beaverton, with a third location set to open in Eugene later this month.

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