Mario Cristobal offers high praise for work by Oregon RB Travis Dye

Losing CJ Verdell was a huge blow for Oregon’s running game. But Travis Dye has risen to the occasion — and it hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Dye is having a great year after taking over for Verdell, who suffered a season-ending leg injury against Stanford. The junior is tied for the Pac-12 lead with 10 rushing touchdowns and ranks fourth with 609 rushing yards, good for 76.13 per game. But Dye is also getting involved in the passing game, tallying 16 receptions for 185 yards and a receiving touchdown in three games since Verdell’s injury.

Oregon coach Mario Cristobal had nothing but good things to say about Dye and how he’s stepped into his new role.

“He is as valuable of a player as there is in the entire country for us,” Cristobal told reporters Nov. 1. “The guy’s the heart and soul of our team [and a] tremendous leader. Those are big numbers and you can expect probably more because he’s capable, he’s ready, he’s eager for it. For our team to get better, guys like him will continue and have to continue playing at a high level. But he prepares for it.”

Cristobal also talked about how Dye makes an impact off the field, specifically with how he gets ready for games. That rubs off on his teammates, which Cristobal said helps make everyone better.

“His pride and preparation, his ownership and the way he gets ready for every week,” Cristobal said. “How he takes care of his body, how he prepares his mind, how he is always affecting, in a positive way, his teammates and their preparation, as well. All that stuff comes into play in a big-time way, particularly here, as we enter another challenging opportunity for us this Saturday.”

Travis Dye sets FBS record against UCLA

Oregon running back Travis Dye became the first player in FBS history to score a touchdown on four consecutive rushing attempts as the No. 10 Oregon Ducks played the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl on Oct. 23. Dye closed the second quarter with a pair of touchdowns before opening the third quarter the same exact way for a new record.

Following his fourth touchdown, Dye had one of the strangest stat lines a running back can have. By that point of the third quarter, Dye had four touchdowns and only 17 yards on eight carries. Dye ended the game with just 35 yards rushing and 36 yards receiving, despite the scoring explosion.

As Oregon defeated UCLA 34-31, Oregon improved to 6-1 on the season with their only loss coming against Stanford in a shocking upset. The win also pushed Oregon up to a No. 7 ranking in the nation, closing in on a coveted College Football Playoff appearance.