SANTA ANA, Calif. — With Adrian Peterson in purgatory, the Vikings’ hollowed-out running game remains unsettled as the offseason chugs along with no detente reached between the team and its disgruntled superstar.

Just another day in the life of second-year scat back Jerick McKinnon.

His undefined role hinges on whether Minnesota persuades Peterson to honor a $12.75 million contract in 2015 or trades his muddled status to another team — abstractions that mean little to McKinnon, who refuses to dabble in Peterson politics.

He is hunting bigger game.

The ball carrier is fully recovered from back surgery that short-circuited his 2014 rookie season and eager to prove durable enough to produce over a 16-game NFL season.

“There’s no doubt in my mind I can last the season,” McKinnon said this week. “If that’s something I have to prove, that’s not a big deal for me. I’ll prove it this year. I’m just really excited to get back out there with my teammates and coaches and show how far I’ve come since surgery.”

Drafted in the third round last year out of Georgia Southern to replace little-used Toby Gerhart, McKinnon rushed for 538 yards (4.8 yards per carry) in 11 games before a nagging back injury forced him to the operating table in early December.

“It was humbling,” he said. “I’ve been playing football a long time. To have it taken away from you, it was something that’s devastating. From the time I woke up from surgery, I was really focused on getting myself right.”

McKinnon, 22, rehabbed with Vikings trainers for two months at Winter Park. He left March 7 for Southern California to start off season training with several offensive teammates. He is crashing with Kyle Rudolph at the tight end’s Newport Beach house overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Each is working back from season-marring injuries, and they share a no-nonsense approach to the cyclical training and conditioning required of a professional football player.

“He just works,” Rudolph said. “It’s rare that you get rookies that were that successful in college come in and just buy in immediately.”

Rudolph organized the Vikings workout crew that includes quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, wide receiver Charles Johnson and newly signed tight end Brandon Bostick, whom the Packers released last month.

McKinnon (5 feet 9, 208 pounds) is working to build up more upper-body strength and endurance to withstand the pounding, and improve his pass protection.

Despite Peterson’s 15-game absence, the Vikings finished a respectable 14th in rushing behind McKinnon and Matt Asiata’s combined 1,108 yards. The tandem generated 1,555 yards from scrimmage.

“If A.P. comes back, there’s no doubt he’s going to be the starter,” McKinnon said. “But it’s not going to change my mind-set or how I approach things or how I work. Whatever they do, my mind-set is to come in and be that guy next year.”

McKinnon caught 23 passes for 121 yards. He ran tough and expects to run tougher in 2015.

Last year, McKinnon averaged 2.15 yards after contact, 11th in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information. But it also exacted a toll late in the season. McKinnon tried playing through his debilitating injury only to shut it down with five games remaining.

“Being young, you’ve got to learn how to keep your body safe,” he said. “I learned from it.”

Class is back in session.

Briefly

The Vikings signed running back DuJuan Harris to a one-year contract Thursday. The 5-foot-7 Harris gained 64 yards last season on 16 carries for Green Bay.

Follow Brian Murphy at twitter.com/murphPPress.