The Ducks turned to a running back in the CFP semifinal who has already has plans to leave the team after the season.
Jay Harris stats today: Oregon RB focal point of Ducks offense vs. Indiana despite being in transfer portal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Oregon Ducks’ backfield was notably thin for Friday’s College Football Playoff semifinal.
In the Ducks’ rematch against the Indiana Hoosiers, following a regular-season loss, multiple running backs were unavailable for Dan Lanning, including RB2 Jordan Davison. Usual RB1 Noah Whittington was listed as questionable and reportedly would not be joining the starters due to injury.
That opened an opportunity, and early on, Jay Harris took advantage, receiving the bulk of the Ducks’ carries in the first half. Harris’ role came despite his already being in the transfer portal.
Here’s what to know about Harris, his performance against Indiana, and his plans to leave Oregon after the 2025-26 season.
MORE: Full Oregon RB depth chart vs. Indiana
Jay Harris stats today
- Carries: 8
- Yards: 22
- YPC: 2.8
- TDs: 0
- Receptions: 2
- Receiving Yards: 17
With Oregon's backfield in flux, from injuries to players in the transfer portal, it was unknown how the carries would be split up in the Peach Bowl. Pretty quickly, however, Lanning revealed which player would receive most of the work.
Despite being one of the Oregon running backs in the transfer portal, Harris surpassed 30 scrimmage yards over the Ducks' first few drives on Friday night.
With his season-high in carries being seven, Harris already surpassed that total in the first half of the CFP semifinal alone.
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Why is Jay Harris playing while in the transfer portal?
Most of the time, once players enter the transfer portal, they stop playing for their current team. Sometimes, that's a personal decision, but some coaches have also simply viewed it as a distraction from their team — especially in the CFP — if someone has plans to leave the program.
After Harris entered the transfer portal, it appeared the Ducks would only have two healthy running backs for the Peach Bowl. But once Harris was spotted at Monday's practice, per Ducks Wire, it became clear that he wouldn't yet be leaving the team, still contributing for the CFP matchup due to Oregon's lack of running back depth.
Per Ducks Wire, when asked if Harris would be available Friday despite being in the portal, Lanning simply said "yes."
In most scenarios, it's unlikely Lanning would have allowed a portal player to continue playing for the Ducks, but Oregon's plethora of issues at running back meant they needed Harris in a huge game.
When did Jay Harris enter the transfer portal?
Harris was officially processed into the transfer portal on Wednesday, Jan. 7, per 247Sports. He was reported as having plans to transfer on the prior Sunday.
Harris continued to practice with Oregon despite the news of his impending transfer, and he was not listed on the team's availability reports.
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Has Jay Harris committed anywhere yet?
Harris has not yet announced his commitment to a new team in the transfer portal.
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How old is Jay Harris?
Harris is a redshirt junior who has spent two years of his career at Oregon. Prior to then, he played at Northwest Missouri State in 2023 and 2022.
His age is not known, but given his status as a member of the 2022 recruiting class, he's likely between 21-23 years old.
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