LaMichael James will not return for his senior season.

A source inside the Oregon football program has confirmed to The Oregonian today what has long been expected, that the

.

James, who also tops Oregon's career marks in rushing touchdowns and scoring, will play his final game as a Duck on Jan. 2 against Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

The junior from Texarkana, Texas, was named

this morning.

Oregon athletic department spokesman Dave Williford, however, said he talked

with James on Wednesday afternoon, and that the fourth-year junior has not yet made a firm decision. James himself was not made available for questions but posted the following on his Facebook page: “I have not answered nor said I’m forgoing my (senior) season.¤.¤. My main focus is on the game Jan. 2”

LaMichael James has requested a draft evaluation, according to an athletic department source. Underclassmen considering entering the draft can request an evaluation by the league's College Advisory Committee regarding their chances of being selected and when. Jan. 15 is the deadline for draft-eligible underclassmen to declare for the 2012 NFL Draft.

James returning as a fifth-year senior could be considered bigger and more unusual news than him electing to enter the NFL Draft after three productive seasons that made him the program's all-time leader in rushing (4,923) and career rushing touchdowns (52).

Pat Brady, James’ former coach at Liberty-Eylau High School, said he hadn’t talked to his former player about his immediate plans.

"If it's what he wants to do, it's a good thing,” Brady said. “Obviously it's his dream, and I think it would be a good step for him."

The fourth-year junior was eligible to enter the 2011 draft after completing three years of college football. He finished third in the Heisman Trophy balloting last year and certainly would have been selected.

But James returned for another go around with the Ducks and took measures to improve his NFL potential by adding 15 pounds of muscle and returning punts. He returned 12 for 135 yards and a touchdown this season after having just one return in 2010.

The added size and development as a returner will only help James, who is considered to be on the smallish side for an NFL running back at 5-foot-9, 195 pounds. However, he has above average speed and great quickness, skills NFL teams covet.

"Me personally, I don't know if I'd see him as an every down back in the NFL right now,” Brady said. “But he has all the tools and the ability to do all of those kinds of things. He can return kicks. He can be a receiver-type tailback. I think he'll be a good NFL tailback. He's stronger than he's ever been in his life, and he's a little bigger.

projects James, on pace to graduate next spring with a Sociology degree, to be an early third-round pick.

Dallas rookie running back DeMarco Murray, a third-round pick out of Oklahoma, signed contract last summer worth $2.97 million over four years.

While a fourth big season for James probably wouldn’t raise his stock, suffering a severe injury certainly would damage it. James missed two games this year with a dislocated right elbow and left the USC game early after his left arm bent awkwardly.

"I know he dealt with a little bit of an injury, but I think he's shown more durability,” Brady said. “”That (elbow) could have been a season-ending injury and he just sat out a couple weeks…Then to twist the other one like he did. I saw that one too. That could have been bad, and he was able to play the next week and play well. He's shown he's ready.”

Brady, who said he hadn’t talked to James since after the Pac-12 title game, let it be known that James entered this season figuring it would be his last at Oregon.

"I think the plan from the get-go, going into the season, was to have a good year and set himself up (for the NFL)," Brady said.

Days before the Pacific-12 Championship game on Dec. 2, James said he hadn't given any thought to that possibly being his final performance at Autzen Stadium. Following Oregon's 49-31 win over UCLA in which he rushed for 219 yards and three touchdowns fans chanted "one more year, one more year," urging James to return in 2012.

"I love the fans," James said after the game. "They support me through thick and thin, always. The most important thing to me is my teammates."

James' entry into the NFL would give the Ducks five running backs in the league. Others there now are Carolina's

, Tampa Bay's

, Denver's

and Detroit's

.

Oregon has been off from practicing for the Rose Bowl since Monday. The Ducks return to practice Friday.

- Ken Goe of The Oregonian Staff contributed to this report.

--Aaron Fentress

Follow @AaronJFentress