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Rumors around Eugene began to surface toward the end of fall camp that true freshman running back Royce Freeman was a sight to behold and that he was going to be part of the Ducks offense in 2014.

Running backs coach Gary Campbell insisted that Freeman would have a role in the game plan come Week 1. “He’s in the mix, no question,” Campbell said, via Hayden Kim of the Daily Emerald. “We don’t recruit guys by their size, we recruit them by productivity, and I think he (Royce Freeman) can produce in this offense.”

Freeman has not only been a part of the offense, but he’s also already taken over as the starting running back for the Ducks. Who saw that coming?

It was thought that Freeman would have a small role in the offense behind junior Byron Marshall and sophomore Thomas Tyner, who combined to rush for 1,749 yards in 2013. However, Freeman exploded onto the scene, especially in the second half against Michigan State when he scored two late touchdowns to secure an Oregon victory.

On the season, Freeman has rushed for 261 yards on 48 attempts, good for a yards-per-carry average of 5.4, and has scored five touchdowns.

While Freeman may not be Oregon’s every-down back, he’s been the team's most effective running back and is the Ducks' go-to back in the fourth quarter due to his size—6’0” and 229 pounds—and brute strength.