Seventeen years ago Oregon running backs coach Gary Campbell put on his snazziest suit and reached into Texarkana, Texas to snatch a shifty speedster from Liberty High School, a kid named LaMichael James.
He redshirted in 2008 and the whispers out of a practice were all about this little guy blowing up the varsity on the scout team, a darter no one could tackle, a guy who ran like smoke through a keyhole but could still break tackles and drive for tough yards.
Ball joins a great tradition of speed in space
Flash forward to the 2026 class, and the Ducks just signed his mentee, Tradarian Ball from crosstown Texas High, a four-star, 5-10, 175-pound running back named the best prep running back in the Lone Star State by Dave Campbell Texas Football.