LaMichael James
Encyclopedia
LaMichael Keondrae James (born October 22, 1989) is a college football
running back
for the Oregon Ducks
football team
. The 2010 season was a breakout one for James, as he rushed for 1,682 yards during the regular season, the highest in the nation. He finished third in balloting for the Heisman Trophy
and received the Doak Walker Award
. In 2011 he became Oregon's career rushing leader.
, James became the starting running back for the Ducks in 2009
. He helped the Ducks to upset victories over Utah
and California
with 152 and 118 rushing yards, respectively. He again rushed for over 100 yards on October 10 against UCLA
with 152 yards on 20 carries.
Once again, James eclipsed the 100 yard mark with 154 yards rushing on 15 carries against Washington
on October 24, and on October 31 with 183 yards to upset then #5 USC
. He led all BCS-conference running backs with 6.9 yards per carry.
On December 7, 2009, James was named Pac-10 Offensive Freshman of the Year.
On March 12, 2010, head coach Chip Kelly
announced that James would be suspended for the season opening game of the 2010 season
, following his guilty plea for physical harassment against his former girlfriend.
Against Portland State James rushed for 227 yards on 14 carries and scored two touchdowns in a 69-0 shutout win, the Ducks' second shutout on the year. The next week against Arizona State James was held to only 94 rushing yards, but the total was enough to move James past the 2,000 yard mark for his career. Against Arizona James rushed for 126 yards, 2 touchdowns and surpassed LeGarrette Blount
's single season scoring record. James had a season high against the Stanford Cardinal by garnering 3 touchdowns, and 257 yards on 31 rushes. Over the course of the season James had eclipsed the century mark 9 times, only failing to reach 100 yards twice. All in all James has had 18 100+ rushing yard games in his career, a record at the University of Oregon.
Despite missing the first game of the 2010 season, due to suspension, James managed to break the Pac-10 all-time sophomore single season rushing record, and led the country in both rushing yards (1,682) and touchdowns (22), ultimately earning a trip to the annual Heisman Ceremony in New York as a finalist. As a result of James' season success he received the 2010 Doak Walker award, given to best running back in the country, along with earning Consensus 1st team All-American, and Pac-10 All-Academic awards. The Ducks finished regular season play undefeated (12-0) and ranked #2 in both the BCS and the AP poll. They played the top-ranked Auburn Tigers in the 2011 BCS National Championship Game
in Glendale, Arizona. In that game, James had two touchdown receptions, including one that set up the game-tying two-point conversion. Nevertheless, James' season ended with disappointment when Auburn kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired for a 22-19 win.
In the first game of the 2011 season
against LSU
, James became Oregon's career rushing leader, surpassing the mark previously set by Derek Loville
. In the 3rd game of the season against Missouri State, James ran for 204 yards, 3 touchdowns, and for his 4th career 200+ yard rushing game. On September 24th in a game against Arizona, James rushed for an Oregon single game record of 288 yards on 24 carries.
On October 6th, 2011, against California, ESPN radars clocked James at 24 MPH. Also on October 6th, 2011, in the same game against California, James fell awkwardly on his right arm and left with an air cast. In a post-game statement, he announced X-rays were negative for a break and that he had suffered a dislocated elbow but popped it back into place before leaving the field.
. His father was killed prior to his birth and his mother was in and out of his life. His grandmother died of cervical cancer when he was a junior in high school, after which LaMichael chose to live by himself in their home for the remainder of his time at Liberty-Eylau High School
.
Physical harassment
On February 17, 2010, James was arrested on charges of domestic violence. On March 12, 2010, James pleaded guilty to physical harassment, receiving 24 months probation. Following the guilty plea, it was announced that James would be suspended for the first game of the 2010 season. Given the publicity and resulting gossip surrounding the matter, a sentencing memorandum was released detailing the official events of the evening.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Oregon Ducks
Oregon Ducks
The Oregon Ducks refers to the sports teams of the University of Oregon, located in Eugene, Oregon. The Oregon Ducks are part of the Pacific-12 Conference in the Division 1 of the NCAA. With seventeen varsity teams, the Oregon Ducks are best known for their football team and Track and Field...
football team
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
. The 2010 season was a breakout one for James, as he rushed for 1,682 yards during the regular season, the highest in the nation. He finished third in balloting for the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
and received the Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
. In 2011 he became Oregon's career rushing leader.
College career
After the suspension of LeGarrette BlountLeGarrette Blount
LeGarrette Montez Blount is an American football running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2010....
, James became the starting running back for the Ducks in 2009
2009 Oregon Ducks football team
The 2009 Oregon Ducks football team represented the University of Oregon in the college football season of 2009. The team was led by head coach Chip Kelly in his first season as a head coach at the Division I FBS level. Kelly was only the third Ducks head coach since 1977 and led the Ducks to a...
. He helped the Ducks to upset victories over Utah
2009 Utah Utes football team
The 2009 Utah Utes football team represented the University of Utah in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team, coached by 5th year head football coach Kyle Whittingham, played its home games in Rice–Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah....
and California
2009 California Golden Bears football team
The 2009 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition during the 2009 season...
with 152 and 118 rushing yards, respectively. He again rushed for over 100 yards on October 10 against UCLA
2009 UCLA Bruins football team
The 2009 UCLA Bruins football team , under second year head coach Rick Neuheisel, opened the season at the Rose Bowl on September 5 against San Diego State. One scheduling change was that the last game of the season against USC was moved from the "Championship Saturday" weekend of December...
with 152 yards on 20 carries.
Once again, James eclipsed the 100 yard mark with 154 yards rushing on 15 carries against Washington
2009 Washington Huskies football team
The 2009 Washington Huskies football team represented the University of Washington in the college football season of 2009-2010. The team's head coach was Steve Sarkisian. The Huskies played their home games at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington...
on October 24, and on October 31 with 183 yards to upset then #5 USC
2009 USC Trojans football team
The 2009 University of Southern California Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California during the college football season of 2009–2010. The team played their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and was coached by Pete Carroll, who was in his ninth and final...
. He led all BCS-conference running backs with 6.9 yards per carry.
On December 7, 2009, James was named Pac-10 Offensive Freshman of the Year.
On March 12, 2010, head coach Chip Kelly
Chip Kelly
Charles "Chip" Kelly is the head football coach at the University of Oregon. Widely regarded as one of the most innovative offensive minds in college football today, the 2009 and 2010 Pac-10 Coach of the Year, 2010 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, 2010 Walter Camp Coach of the Year, 2010 Sporting...
announced that James would be suspended for the season opening game of the 2010 season
2010 Oregon Ducks football team
The 2010 Oregon Ducks football team represented the University of Oregon in the 2010 college football season. The team was led by Chip Kelly in his second season as a head coach. The Ducks played their home games at Autzen Stadium for the 44th straight year....
, following his guilty plea for physical harassment against his former girlfriend.
Against Portland State James rushed for 227 yards on 14 carries and scored two touchdowns in a 69-0 shutout win, the Ducks' second shutout on the year. The next week against Arizona State James was held to only 94 rushing yards, but the total was enough to move James past the 2,000 yard mark for his career. Against Arizona James rushed for 126 yards, 2 touchdowns and surpassed LeGarrette Blount
LeGarrette Blount
LeGarrette Montez Blount is an American football running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2010....
's single season scoring record. James had a season high against the Stanford Cardinal by garnering 3 touchdowns, and 257 yards on 31 rushes. Over the course of the season James had eclipsed the century mark 9 times, only failing to reach 100 yards twice. All in all James has had 18 100+ rushing yard games in his career, a record at the University of Oregon.
Despite missing the first game of the 2010 season, due to suspension, James managed to break the Pac-10 all-time sophomore single season rushing record, and led the country in both rushing yards (1,682) and touchdowns (22), ultimately earning a trip to the annual Heisman Ceremony in New York as a finalist. As a result of James' season success he received the 2010 Doak Walker award, given to best running back in the country, along with earning Consensus 1st team All-American, and Pac-10 All-Academic awards. The Ducks finished regular season play undefeated (12-0) and ranked #2 in both the BCS and the AP poll. They played the top-ranked Auburn Tigers in the 2011 BCS National Championship Game
2011 BCS National Championship Game
The 2011 Tostitos BCS National Championship Game was the final college football game to determine the national champion of the 2010 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision season. The finale of the 2010-2011 Bowl Championship Series was played at the University of Phoenix Stadium, the host...
in Glendale, Arizona. In that game, James had two touchdown receptions, including one that set up the game-tying two-point conversion. Nevertheless, James' season ended with disappointment when Auburn kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired for a 22-19 win.
In the first game of the 2011 season
2011 Oregon Ducks football team
The 2011 Oregon Ducks football team represents the University of Oregon in the 2011 college football season. The team is led by Chip Kelly in his third season as a head coach. The Ducks play their home games at Autzen Stadium for the 45th straight year...
against LSU
2011 LSU Tigers football team
The 2011 LSU Tigers football team represents Louisiana State University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers are led by seventh year head coach Les Miles and play their home games at Tiger Stadium...
, James became Oregon's career rushing leader, surpassing the mark previously set by Derek Loville
Derek Loville
Derek Kevin Loville is a former American football running back who played 8 years in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos from 1990 to 1998. He played for Archbishop Riordan High School...
. In the 3rd game of the season against Missouri State, James ran for 204 yards, 3 touchdowns, and for his 4th career 200+ yard rushing game. On September 24th in a game against Arizona, James rushed for an Oregon single game record of 288 yards on 24 carries.
On October 6th, 2011, against California, ESPN radars clocked James at 24 MPH. Also on October 6th, 2011, in the same game against California, James fell awkwardly on his right arm and left with an air cast. In a post-game statement, he announced X-rays were negative for a break and that he had suffered a dislocated elbow but popped it back into place before leaving the field.
Personal life
James was raised by his maternal grandmother in Texarkana, TexasTexarkana, Texas
Texarkana is a city in Bowie County, Texas, United States. It effectively functions as one half of a city which crosses a state line — the other half, the city of Texarkana, Arkansas, lies on the other side of State Line Avenue...
. His father was killed prior to his birth and his mother was in and out of his life. His grandmother died of cervical cancer when he was a junior in high school, after which LaMichael chose to live by himself in their home for the remainder of his time at Liberty-Eylau High School
Liberty-Eylau Independent School District
Liberty-Eylau Independent School District is a public school district in southeastern Bowie County, Texas ....
.
Physical harassment
On February 17, 2010, James was arrested on charges of domestic violence. On March 12, 2010, James pleaded guilty to physical harassment, receiving 24 months probation. Following the guilty plea, it was announced that James would be suspended for the first game of the 2010 season. Given the publicity and resulting gossip surrounding the matter, a sentencing memorandum was released detailing the official events of the evening.
Awards and honors
- 2010 Doak Walker AwardDoak Walker AwardThe Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
- 2010 Heisman TrophyHeisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
finalist (3rd) - 2010 Premier Player of College Football Trophy finalist (3rd)
- 2010 AFCAAmerican Football Coaches AssociationThe American Football Coaches Association is an association of over 11,000 football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and the profession of...
All-American - 2010 First Team AP All-American
- 2010 FWAAFootball Writers Association of AmericaThe Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
All-American - 2010 WCFFWalter Camp Football FoundationThe Walter Camp Football Foundation is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA. The organization also presents various awards.-Awards:*Walter Camp Player of the Year*CT Player of the Year...
All-American - 2010 First Team All-Pac-10
- 2010 Pac-10 First-Team All-Academic
- 2009 Pac-10 Offensive Freshman of the Year
- 2009 Sporting News Third Team All-American
- 2009 AP Third Team All-American
- 2009 Rivals.com Second Team All-MLG team
- Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week, twice (Oct. 31, 2009, Oct. 4, 2010)
- Oregon's career rushing leader