The Boise State football team discovered all of the freakish talents of Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount on one jaw-dropping run last year at Autzen Stadium.

Blount hurdled two bodies at the line of scrimmage - jumping at least a couple feet into the air while moving to his right. He landed in a balanced position and quickly made a jump cut to his left, shaking the diving tackle attempt of safety Jeron Johnson. Then he rumbled right through safety George Iloka on his way to a 16-yard score.

Boise State defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox, who hopped out of his seat Monday to re-enact that wicked jump cut, remains astonished as he prepares for Thursday's rematch at Bronco Stadium.

"Big time, NFL (talent)," Wilcox said. "Not a lot of people who are his size can move like that."

Blount is 6-foot-2, 240 pounds. He can run the 40-yard dash in less than 4.6 seconds. And he has all the tools of a great back - vision, balance, agility.

He was labeled a "freak" as early as his high school days in Florida - a label he first considered an insult.

"I was like, 'You're a freak, too,' " he said. "Then it was like, 'You're a freak on the field. Nobody can stop you.'

"I guess the term now is 'beast.' I've been seeing that around."

Freak. Beast.

Either way, the Ducks are about to unleash Blount. He shared the backfield with senior starter Jeremiah Johnson last year.

This year, Blount is the senior starter - and he is almost certain to get more than last year's 10.5 carries per game. He averaged 7.3 yards per carry with 17 touchdowns last year.

"He's one of those guys who has the innate ability to get stronger as the game goes on," Oregon coach Chip Kelly said. "It's like a body blow in boxing. It just kind of wears you down. He had a tremendous offseason for us. He's in great physical condition right now. We're ready to strap it up and ride him."

Blount planned to commit to Auburn out of high school. However, his test scores weren't high enough and he landed at East Mississippi Community College, where he rushed for 2,292 yards in two seasons.

He then chose Oregon over Florida State.

He credits his father, a small school linebacker, for his physical running style.

"I've heard stories of him denting in people's helmets and cracking people's helmets," Blount said.

It's not difficult to imagine Blount doing the same.

The Broncos say they must be careful not to go for the big shot at Blount. Instead, they'll grab what they can and wait for the cavalry to arrive.

"Very rarely have I seen one guy make a play on him - form him up and get him on the ground," Wilcox said. "It just doesn't happen."

And oftentimes, Blount just makes would-be tacklers look silly.

In the Holiday Bowl, he hurdled an Oklahoma State defender who went for his legs.

"People underestimate his athletic ability," Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli said. "His hurdles are so quick É and he's still running full speed afterward. He doesn't look like he can do that."

Other times, Blount just plows right through defenders. His first scrimmage play this fall immediately hit YouTube because he stiff-armed a teammate into the turf.

"I haven't seen him hurdle anybody in practice," Oregon safety T.J. Ward said, "but he has run a couple people over."

Kelly calls Blount his "Mariano Rivera" - a reference to the New York Yankees closer. Blount often scored touchdowns late in games last year to finish off weary opponents.

"He's our closer," Kelly said. "He seems to fly when you get into the fourth quarter."