BCS National Title: 10 Reasons LaMichael James Will Steal Cam Newton's Spotlight
With now less then a month to go until we kickoff in Arizona, the anticipation continues to grow and grow for this game. Since there is so much time in between games, the National Title is always broken down from every angle, yet once the game finally gets here, the players still find a way to surprise us.
The biggest story since this matchup was decided was Cam Newton being announced as the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner. With this trophy comes a lot of expectations for Newton and the Tigers. People believe that Newton will put up some record-breaking numbers in the title game.
While there are plenty of reasons to believe that Newton will shine in the spotlight, here are 10 reasons why LaMichael James can steal that spotlight away during the National Championship.
Experienced Offensive Line
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One thing the Ducks have had to count on this year is the experience of their offensive line. While the Ducks have a lot of youth in their backfield, the offensive line has managed to create holes in the running game and give time in the passing game.
This offensive line will be put to the test in January when they go up against Auburn. While Auburn is not the biggest defensive front the Ducks have seen, they are physical and have some playmakers that could create havoc.
With the experience and skill of the offensive line, James could benefit from some big holes which he can turn into home runs in an instant.
The Heisman Circuit
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Winning the Heisman trophy is every kid's dream when they are growing up playing football. Cam Newton achieved that dream this month, and it will be a moment he never forgets—unless he has to give it back some day.
The downside to winning the Heisman is the Heisman circuit. Newton's time will be pressed as he will be expected at dinners, events, interviews and shows to talk about his achievement. While Cam has proved to be cool under pressure, the Heisman may be enough to keep his mind from being 100 percent on the game.
James Is a Work Horse
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People who have not watched the Ducks that much this year can easily associate James with his highlight runs and amazing plays. What they may not know is that James is extremely comfortable running between the tackles and chipping away at the opposing defense.
Throughout the year, James has been able to run the ball almost thirty times a game and kept asking for it more and more. A trend that began in early September was that the more carries James got, the stronger he ran. On the flip side to that trend was that the more carries James got, the more he was able to wear down a defense and allow him to break the big one.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Chip Kelly's Playcalling
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Since arriving in 2007, Chip Kelly has done wonders with the Oregon offense. Kelly has found new and exciting ways to get his skilled players into the open field and put them in one-on-one matchups that have led to big time plays.
With over a month to prepare for this game, Kelly should be able to put a solid plan together. While Kelly will have to be mindful of the Auburn defensive line, he has shown the ability to continue to put his players in open space and allow them to make plays.
The Heisman Curse
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Going along with the fact that Cam's time will be split between game preparation and the media, past winners have shown an overall decline when playing in the National Championship.
A couple of things happen between December and January. The momentum that Newton had getting past Bama and South Carolina gets time to slow down, In addition, for the thirty plus days between games Newton will hear about how great he is and how the Tigers are expected to beat Oregon.
Will he be able to maintain his focus like he did during the regular season?
Redemption For Last Year's Rose Bowl
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Last year, LaMichael James was brought in to carry the load when LaGarrette Blount took a swing at a Boise State player. James shined for much of the 2009 season but finally ran out of steam when he went up against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.
While James still ended the game with 95 total yards, he never got up too speed and had to take himself out of the game at key moments due to a injury to his shoulder. Most notably was in the third quarter: James was running strong inside of OSU territory and had to exit the game. A play later, Blount fumbled and kicked the ball out of the end zone, effectively ending the game.
James will be given a second chance this year and has been running like someone who has something to prove all year. On January 10th we will see if he can erase the memories of last year's Rose Bowl.
Downfield Blocking
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While James often breaks a big run, the most overlooked aspect of the Ducks offense is the blocking ability of their wide receivers. That part of their game will be getting a huge boost with the return of Lavasier Tuinei.
Tuinei was hurt during the Cal game and was forced to miss the last two weeks of the season. With his expected return, the Ducks will be able to strengthen their outside blocking and could give James the block he needs to go for a big gain.
Underdog Role
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Since the day these two teams have been matched up against each other, the talk has been that Auburn will be too big, too strong, and Oregon will be picked apart by Cam Newton. For over 30 days, the Ducks will continually hear this talk and will need to use this underdog role as fuel.
James has looked at various games in the past two years as challenges, and this will be his biggest one to date. With spending all this time hearing about how good Auburn and Newton are, the Ducks and James will be itching to hit the field and take on the Tigers.
NFL Eyes Watching The Title Game
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While James is only in his second year as a starter at Oregon, he did redshirt his first year which makes him eligible for the NFL Draft. James is a smart kid who knows that many pro teams will be tuning in to watch this game, and James will be someone they have their eye on.
James has not come out and said that he will be leaving after this year, but his performance would justify it. With the uncertainty in the NFL, James may come back, but a signature performance on this stage would certainly boost his draft stock.
Big Game Performer
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James has proved all year long that when the Ducks had the spotlight on them, he would come through. In Oregon's big games this year, James would average over 150 yards and actually put up over 200 in both the game at home against Stanford and at USC.
Not only is this the biggest game for James and his career, this is the biggest game in Oregon's history. When the lights come on and the cameras are rolling, look for James to be shining.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
