Oregon Football: 5 reasons Ducks will win 2017 national title

5. Royce Freeman will dazzle as he inserts himself in Heisman race

As a true freshman, Royce Freeman immediately supplanted 1,000-yard rusher Byron Marshall as the Ducks starter at tailback. Freeman rewarded the coaching staff’s decision, finishing fifth in the Pac-12 with 1,365 rushing yards and leading the league with 18 scores on the ground. He also caught 16 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown, as well as throwing a 26-yard TD pass on his only throwing attempt in college to date.

Freeman followed up his freshman year with another strong performance as a sophomore. His 1,836 yards in 2015 were fourth-most in the FBS, and he added another 348 receiving yards to finish with over 2100 yards from scrimmage. Once again he scored 19 combined rushing and receiving touchdowns.

Entering 2016, Freeman was on all the preseason watch lists and a player to watch in the Heisman race. But nagging injuries hampered his performance, and Freeman finished with fewer than 1,000 rushing yards after sitting out two games and getting limited carries in others. His regression mirrored the broader fortunes for Oregon in 2016.

As he prepares for his senior season, Freeman has fallen off the national map. He was a belated addition to the Doak Walker watch list for running backs after originally being snubbed. But with a solid offensive line and better health, the Ducks star will once again stand among the best running backs in the country. Oregon’s fortunes will turn once again with his own rise.