Oregon Football: 5 Players Who Have Surprised Us in 2014

Quarterback Marcus Mariota undoubtedly leads the second-ranked Oregon Ducks; however, there are five players whose contributions have surprised us and have carried the team to an unblemished 4-0 record.

The Ducks reached their first bye week unbeaten by defeating South Dakota, Michigan State, Wyoming and Washington State. Two of those victories—Michigan State and Washington State—were hotly contested battles that the Ducks would not have won without the contributions of some of their younger and previously unproven athletes.

Here are the five players who have surprised us so far in 2014.

Running Back Royce Freeman

Steve Dykes/Getty Images

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.

Wide Receiver Devon Allen

William Mancebo/Getty Images

With a 70-yard touchdown reception against Michigan State, Devon Allen not only introduced himself to Oregon fans, but also to the entire nation.

Allen, who has caught 14 passes for 299 yards and five touchdowns this season, has staked his claim as Oregon’s best receiver. We should mention that he’s only a redshirt freshman.

Not only has Allen been Oregon’s best receiver so far this season, but he’s also the most elusive. In fact, Allen may be the fastest receiver in the entire country.

As a true freshman, Allen won the 110-meter hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in a time of 13.16 seconds, which was the second-fastest time ever recorded by a college athlete. He followed up that performance by winning the 110-meter hurdles at the U.S. national championships, beating 2013 national champion Ryan Wilson and 2013 world champion David Oliver.

As Ducks head coach Mark Helfrich quipped after the NCAA championships, “That might have been too fast." The Ducks coaches feared that Allen would abandon football entirely to focus on becoming an Olympian.

However, Allen returned to football after his track and field duties. It’s a good thing he did. He’s been a stud on the football field for the Ducks this season.

"The guy loves football," Helfrich said, according to George Schroeder of USA Today. "I hope he can be an Olympian in track and field and continue to do the things he's done in football."

Safety Erick Dargan

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

Oregon’s secondary has been a letdown so far this season, ranking No. 117 out of 125 eligible teams against the pass. The Ducks defense has allowed 315.3 passing yards per game this season.

Don’t blame it on safety Erick Dargan. He’s been one of Oregon’s best weapons so far this season.

Dargan has intercepted three passes this season for the Ducks, most notably against Michigan State in the first quarter of Oregon’s 46-27 victory on Sept. 6.

Apparently, Dargan’s interception against Michigan State was nothing compared to the picks he makes behind closed doors in practice.

"He's been exactly how he practices," Helfrich said, according to Tyson Alger of The Oregonian. "That's what's amazing about Dargan. He's had a ton of picks in practice, very similar to the kind of tip play he had [against Michigan State]. He's done that 20 times in practice."

Dargan followed up his performance against Michigan State by intercepting two passes against Wyoming the following week.

The Oregon secondary was supposed to be led by All-American cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu. However, after watching Ekpre-Olomu’s performance against Washington State, a game in which he allowed two touchdown receptions, it’s clear Dargan leads the Ducks secondary.

Linebacker Joe Walker

Dean Hare/Associated Press

Linebacker Joe Walker has been a key for the Ducks defense so far this season and has replaced Derrick Malone in the starting lineup. Walker played so well against Michigan State that he was awarded defensive player of the game by the Oregon coaches. 

Walker played in 12 games for the Ducks last season, but he didn’t get his first opportunity to start until the Alamo Bowl against Texas. However, when Walker got his opportunity against Michigan State’s physical offensive line, he shined.

Overall, the Ducks linebackers haven’t played particularly well so far this season; however, Walker has been a bright spot for the group. His physical style of play has drawn comparisons to former Ducks linebacker Kiko Alonso, the 2013 PFWA NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Walker’s role for the Ducks is still fluid; however, he will be an important part of the Ducks' defensive scheme going forward. Look for him to continue to surprise opponents this season.

Special Teamer Charles Nelson

Ryan Kang/Associated Press

Not only has Charles Nelson, a true freshman, returned a punt for a touchdown this season, but he’s also been Oregon’s best special teams player; just ask Ekpre-Olomu. 

"You can't ask for anything more out of him," Ekpre-Olomu said, according to The Oregonian’s Alger. "He's one of those guys from day one that you knew he was playing and you knew that he was going to make a lot of plays. Special teams wise, he's our best guy right now. Nobody can block him."

Nelson, a 5’9” wide receiver from Florida, hasn’t been afraid to leave his mark on opponents, whether it’s with his legs or his hits.

“Every chance I get, I have to go full speed… I’m not scared of anybody,” said Nelson to Molly Blue of The Oregonian.

No, he’s certainly not.

While fans may have been comparing Nelson to another speedster to wear No. 6, De’Anthony Thomas, Nelson is an entirely different beast. Yes, he’s returned a punt for a touchdown this season, but his most important contributions have come in coverage of kickoffs and punts.

Against Michigan State, with the Ducks leading 32-27, Nelson flew down the field, threw off a blocker, shed a double team and crushed a returner at the 13-yard line.

"The guy tried to tackle him, held him, spun him around, got double teamed and he came off and made the play at the 13," Mark Helfrich said, according to Alger. "That was an unbelievable play. He's special."

Indeed, Nelson is a special player. The scary part for opponents is that Nelson has yet to make an impact as a receiver. There’s no telling how good Nelson could be, but so far, he’s been a pretty nice surprise for the Ducks.

Jason Gold is Bleacher Report’s lead Oregon writer. Follow Jason on Twitter @TheSportsGuy33.