Thomas Tyner is putting his career as a lumber broker in Bend on hold.

The former Aloha High and University of Oregon standout returned to the football field on Tuesday, donning a black helmet and orange No. 4 jersey in his first practice as a member of the Oregon State Beavers.

"I definitely missed it," Tyner told reporters Tuesday. "I think it's just more excited than anything. I'm excited to get to play this season."

Tyner is resuming his football career in Corvallis after a pair of shoulder injuries led the former five-star recruit to medically retire in 2016 following two successful seasons for the Ducks that included 1,284 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Two years later, Tyner is returning to football thanks to an unsettling feeling of what if?

"I don't like living with what ifs," Tyner said. "I feel like the what if was with football for me and I didn't want to go out the way I did."

Casting the "what ifs" aside, the senior transfer joins a loaded backfield that includes fellow Oregon prep star Ryan Nall, change-of-pace backup Artavis Pierce, and TCU graduate transfer Trevorris Johnson, creating one of the deepest units in the Pac-12.

With the Beavers getting fall camp started Tuesday, Tyner looked back at home in the backfield.

"He's the epitome of smooth," Beavers quarterback Jake Luton said. "You watch him run -- he's a big dude and he just glides. He's a really smooth runner. A lot of talent, obviously, but just trying to get up to speed on the playbook. He's pretty new so he'll pick it up. He's got all the talent in the world."

Running back Thomas Tyner looks toward the sideline as the Oregon State Beavers open fall camp with the first football practice of the 2017 season in Corvallis on Tuesday, July 25, 2017.

Listed on the OSU official roster at 5-foot-11 and 232 pounds, Tyner admitted he's still working himself out of fishing shape and back into game shape, while Beavers coach Gary Andersen noted he will get plenty of reps necessary to build up his conditioning and knowledge of the playbook.

"It was good to see him out here," said Andersen. "Thomas has done a great job since he's been here, on the field and off the field. ... I think he's fit right in -- seems very happy, looked good out here today. He was productive."

Two months after deciding he would put off his post-graduate plan to "move to Bend and become a lumber broker" and give football another shot, Tyner was all smiles following his first practice in Corvallis.

"I love it here," Tyner said. "I love coming in here every morning. It's just a happy place for me."

In the video above, Tyner discusses his first practice at OSU, what brought him back to football, learning from Ryan Nall, joining the other side of the Civil War rivalry and more.