Oregon Football: Royce Freeman, Tyrell Crosby Decide On Las Vegas Bowl

Oregon Football will be without Royce Freeman on Saturday, but Tyrell Crosby will play against Boise State.

On Thursday it was announced that Senior Running Back Royce Freeman will not play in the Las Vegas Bowl on Saturday, ending his Oregon Career at Autzen Stadium and finishing a stellar career in an Oregon uniform scoring more points than Oregon State in his final Civil War. Freeman scored two touchdowns(12) vs the Oregon State Offense(10).

Freeman leaves the University of Oregon as one of the most decorated athletes in recent history, second to Marcus Mariota. He played all four seasons with the Oregon Ducks, saw three different coaching staff’s and will watch the fourth start his career coaching in the Las Vegas Bowl. Freeman is a sure-fire NFL Draft pick.

Until last season he was spoken of highly, but after showing durability this season on the field will likely fall somewhere in the Top 50 overall. An NFL Combine Invite could help push him higher.

If the circumstances were different this season and Oregon was playing in the College Football Playoff, I doubt that Royce Freeman would miss that game, but being what it is he is within his right to stay healthy and prepare to get paid. I understand. I also appreciate his tone and candor off the field when I spoke with him over the last few seasons. Freeman is a ‘team’ player all the way. I expect that Kani Benoit will pick up the start vs Boise State.

Tyrell Crosby has helped lead on the Offensive Line all season. He is a high round NFL Draft pick and announced on Friday that he will play in the Las Vegas Bowl. The call to play for Crosby was more emotional. He is from Las Vegas. He is also changing his number to 58 for the game to honor the 58 victims of the Las Vegas Shootings earlier this year.

While the Coaching Staff has changed over the last year, what was taught was important. For some it was a life lesson, for others it was technique and fundamentals. Both Freeman and Crosby embraced the change and the lessons of 2017. While Freeman will be missed on Saturday, he has to be respected for his decision and for what he has given to Oregon Football over the last four seasons.

I expect a bittersweet moment when Oregon scores Saturday, knowing that with each touchdown it will be one less chance to see Crosby lift the scorer over his head in celebration.

Next: Oregon Football Recruiting: The Dilemma At Wide Receiver

The Oregon Ducks and Boise State Broncos kickoff at 12:30 pm Pacific Time Saturday on ESPN in the Las Vegas Bowl.