Oregon Ducks Royce Freeman

Oregon running back Royce Freeman runs in for a touchdown as UCLA defensive lineman Owamagbe Odighizuwa falls behind him in Pasadena, Calif., during Oregon's 42-30 win in October.

(Mark J. Terrill/The Associated Press)

With Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota graduated and gone to the NFL, a case could be made that running back Royce Freeman is now the face of the Oregon Ducks' offense.

Of course, the jury is out for about seven months regarding whether Freeman's sophomore season can live up to his 1,365 rushing yards and 20 total touchdowns as a freshman, when he became one of only four true freshmen in Pac-12 Conference history to rush for at least 1,000 yards. Freeman enters 2015 part of another crowded backfield that includes junior Thomas Tyner -- who was plagued with injuries for much of the 2014-15 season before leading UO with 186 rushing yards in two College Football Playoff games -- and redshirt freshman Tony Brooks-James.

In the meantime, however, it is Freeman's face that adorns one of four regional covers of ESPN The Magazine's college football issue.

The four covers were revealed by ESPN on Instagram on Monday evening.

Are Oregon and star RB Royce Freeman back in the hunt? One of four covers created for ESPN's College Football Preview. Photo by John Loomis. A photo posted by ESPN College Football (@espncfb) on Jun 15, 2015 at 5:22pm PDT

Other athletes on the college football covers included Alabama running back Derrick Henry, TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin and Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones, who went from third-string last August to the Buckeyes' starter in a 42-20 victory against the Ducks in January's College Football Playoff championship.

Duck players are largely enjoying this week off following final exams and are expected to return to Eugene next week for the start of summer conditioning practices. The Pac-12 will hold its media days July 30-31 in Los Angeles. Less than two weeks later the Ducks will hold their first practice of the season: Fall camp opens Aug. 10.

-- Andrew Greif

agreif@oregonian.com

503-221-8100

@andrewgreif