Tyner appeared in 11 games last season, gaining 573 yards and scoring five touchdowns, primarily serving as backup to breakout freshman Royce Freeman while he struggled with injuries.
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Oregon opened fall camp Monday, but there wasn’t much to glean out of the reports from those on-site in Eugene.
Losing a talent like Thomas Tyner is never easy and he will be a huge boost to the backfield when he returns in 2016. As a senior transfer, he needs to finish his degree before he can come play for the Ducks for the 2015 season.
“He’s not going to be in fall camp and his availability after that remains to be seen”, Helfrich told a group of reporters.
The injury saps the Ducks’ running back depth soon before a matchup with a Michigan State defense that has ranked first in rushing defense in the country last year and returns many key pieces to a defensive line. Oregon is still the favorite in the Pac-12 North and will be in the mix for a College Football Playoff bid as long as Freeman, Marshall and whoever wins the quarterback battle – my guess, for now, is Jeff Lockie over Vernon Adams – can provide a consistent ground attack.
Helfrich said Nelson’s heart might lean with the offense, but he still could be a factor on defense. He still chipped in with the rushing game, though, carrying the ball 52 times for 392 yards, averaging an excellent 7.54 yards per rush.
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“We want to score the football”, Helfrich said. He practiced at receiver and on special teams in the spring, and Helfrich said the staff will continue to look for the role in which Griffin can become the most consistently productive.
