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The Oregon Ducks are coming off a strong 2014 season that ended with a Pac-12 Championship, a Rose Bowl Championship, and finishing as the runner-up in the inaugural College Football Playoff. Their path to defend their conference title in 2015 took a hit on Sunday when reports surfaced that junior running back Thomas Tyner would miss the entire season after undergoing shoulder surgery. While Tyner’s talents will certainly be missed this fall, the Ducks are equipped to find continued success even in his absence.
According to reports, Tyner initially injured his shoulder against the Washington Huskies in October but continued to be a productive member of the offense the rest of the season. Lingering pain during the offseason eventually led to his decision to get surgery, sidelining him for the entire 2015 season. In two years at Oregon, Tyner has rushed for 1,284 yards and 14 touchdowns, including 573 yards and five touchdowns in 2014, and led the team in rushing in both games of the College Football Playoff. Heading into the fall, he figured to see significant playing time as the No. 2 running back behind sophomore Royce Freeman.
In most cases, losing a player like Tyner who was slated to carry a significant portion of the offense, would be a devastating blow but not at Oregon. Freeman returns at the top of the depth chart after enjoying a breakout season as a true freshman last season, rushing for 1,365 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2014. The most obvious candidate to step in and fill Tyner’s role this fall would be Byron Marshall, who led the Ducks in rushing in 2013 with 1,038 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground before converting to wide receiver in 2014 where he led the team with 74 receptions for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns. He still chipped in with the rushing game, though, carrying the ball 52 times for 392 yards, averaging an excellent 7.54 yards per rush.
Beyond the pair of 1,000-yard rushers at their disposal, Oregon also has a strong influx of talent coming to Eugene in 2015. Redshirt freshman Tony Brooks-James, the No.-14 running back in the 2014 recruiting class, and true freshman Taj Griffin, the No.-4 ranked running back in the 2015 class, join redshirt sophomore Kani Benoit (23 carries, 98 yards in 2014) to fill out the depth chart.
Losing a talent like Thomas Tyner is never easy and he will be a huge boost to the backfield when he returns in 2016. But while he’s sidelined, Oregon has the depth of talent at running back to overcome his loss and continue to be a contender in the Pac-12.
You can follow Tyler Brett on Twitter @ATylerBrett, on Facebook and on Google.
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