uo football Bralon Addison is the dynamo du jour for Oregon football Bralon Addison could be next do-everything player By Rob Moseley The Register-Guard Published: August 20, 2012 12:00AM, Today Wherever Bralon Addison’s quick feet and uncanny instincts have taken him on the football field, there’s one thing he can’t outrun — anticipation. When he arrived at Fort Bend Hightower High in Missouri City, Texas, Addison already had a reputation because of his middle school exploits. “And he didn’t disappoint us,” former Fort Bend Hightower coach Barry Abercrombie said. Oregon receiver Josh Huff was a prep senior in nearby Houston when he first heard of Addison, during the fall of 2009. Thus, Huff was eager to see what the Ducks had on their hands when Addison arrived on campus as a freshman this year. “He was very dedicated from the moment he got here,” Huff said, recalling that Addison came over to watch film during the summer. Since Oregon’s preseason camp began, Addison’s name has been mentioned time and again among the Ducks’ most consistently impressive newcomers. And so it seems that, if anticipation does typically precede Addison, he also doesn’t take long to justify it. What’s in store from Addison in 2012? Presuming he plays — and the buzz this month would suggest that’s almost certain — Addison figures to be the latest in a line of all-purpose freshman standouts that includes Huff two years ago, and De’Anthony Thomas last season. “He’s returning kicks, returning punts, taking snaps in the backfield, snaps at receiver — we’re using him much like De’Anthony,” UO coach Chip Kelly said. If Addison’s role at Oregon will be like that of Thomas, his high school career was closer to that of Huff. Each played receiver as a sophomore, then moved to quarterback. Running Fort Bend Hightower’s offense the last two years, Addison threw 50 touchdowns against just six interceptions, and also averaged better than 1,300 yards per season on the ground. Playing on a team that had just one other major-college recruit, Addison as a senior helped the Hurricanes reach the state final, no small feat in Texas. “That was when Bralon really was at his best,” said Abercrombie, who coached Addison the last four years before moving to another high school this offseason. “With the game on the line, you wanted the ball in his hands. And most of the time he made the play.” Not wanting to subject Addison to excessive contact, Abercrombie limited his special teams role in the regular season. All bets were off in the playoffs, and Addison responded with a punt return for a touchdown during the preliminary rounds, and nearly had another in the title game. “There was no tomorrow,” Abercrombie said. “And we knew we had that ace in the hole.” A punt return for a touchdown by Addison was said by UO players to be one of the highlights of the scrimmage the Ducks held Tuesday. Addison, 5-foot-10 and 189 pounds, excels in that role despite the lack of what some might consider blazing speed. “He’s a dynamic guy,” UO offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich said. “He’s not a 10.2 (second) 100-meter guy. But he’s tough and elusive, and I think that’s what makes him hard to tackle.” Added Abercrombie: “He’s not a big, big kid, but he’s powerful. He’s not a 4.3 guy (in the 40-yard dash), but he doesn’t necessarily have to be because of his escapability. I’m glad he played for me, because I wouldn’t want to try to have to tackle him.” Abercrombie also raves about Addison’s character, pointing out that he twice tried to lobby for teammates to be named players of the week over himself, when his own performance was more than worthy. Addison’s parents are separated, Abercrombie said, but worked together to keep their talented son grounded. “He had really good support from both sides,” Abercrombie said. “Both his mom and dad, they knew he was a good player, but they’d do their best to keep him humble and hold him accountable.” Addison got a further dose of humility earlier this year when he was selected to play receiver in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. “He went from being the best player on the field to being one of many,” Abercrombie said. “Going from being obviously ‘the guy’ to being one of many guys, it kind of humbled him a little bit — not that he wasn’t going to work hard and do the right things.” At the time of the All-American Bowl, Addison was committed to Texas A&M. But a staff change there led him to rethink his plans, and UO receivers coach Scott Frost recruited him to Oregon, along with another receiver from Missouri City, Chance Allen. Now Frost has the task of molding Addison’s skills as a receiver, after a prep career spent mostly behind center. There are myriad techniques to learn. “He’s not perfect, by any stretch,” Helfrich said. “And he knows that, and he’s working at it. All those young receivers are very encouraging that way. They want to be great, and the scale is tipping that direction. They know what they have to do and how to do it.” Huff has seen similar signs from Addison, whom Huff considers “like my little brother” along with Allen. “He’s a smart young man,” Huff said of Addison. “He’s able to learn things a lot faster than others can. And he takes what he learns from the film study onto the field.” Given those statements, it’s no wonder anticipation is building for Addison’s Oregon debut. Based on his past, it won’t take long before it’s justified.
