The 2015 Oregon Ducks football season has officially begun.
The Ducks held their first official practice in helmets and shorts Monday at Autzen Stadium. Although they won’t don shoulder pads until Wednesday and full pads until Friday, new and returning Ducks set out to make strong impressions on the coaching staff during walk-throughs.
Head coach Mark Helfrich said the team’s biggest strength is its horizontal leadership. He looked toward a few particular veterans to mentor and “ween in” the newcomers.
“We want Rodney Hardrick, Jeff Lockie and Tyler Johnstone to tutor [the newcomers],” he said. “All those guys have been there recently. They all have a great feel of what it’s like to transition, and all those things you go through as a high school senior to a true freshman in college.”
Lockie said he’s excited to finally own a leadership role as he enters his fourth fall camp. With dual threat-quarterback Vernon Adams’s status still uncertain, Lockie may at quarterback in Oregon’s first game against Eastern Washington on Sept. 5.
Despite Adams’ looming presence, Lockie chose to stay in Eugene and compete for a starting job, for which he said he has “no reason to feel pressure.”
“Today, college football is musical chairs for quarterbacks, but I came here for a reason,” Lockie said. “This is where I wanted to be, at this university with these coaches in this town, so there’s no reason for me to leave. I like where I am.”
His head coach agreed.
“It’s so weird in college football right now,” Helfrich said. “As soon as somebody is named the starter, the first question for the backup is, ‘Where are you transferring?’ It’s just assumed, and that’s weird. It says something about him to be able to sit through it.”
Helfrich said he has no timetable for choosing a starting quarterback, but ideally he’d establish one five to six days before the first game.
The offense will have to proceed without running back Thomas Tyner, who underwent shoulder surgery Friday and will miss the fall season. He was not listed on the team’s roster distributed to the media on Monday.
“His availability after that remains to be seen,” Helfrich said.
When asked why Tyner’s surgery didn’t happen sooner, Helfrich said, “A lot of things go into a situation like this — measurable and immeasurable.”
In Tyner’s absence, Byron Marshall could see more snaps at running back. Marshall rushed 168 times for 1,038 yards as a sophomore when he primarily lined up in the backfield. He moved to wide receiver last year due in part to the emergence of Royce Freeman, and caught 74 passes for 1,003 yards.
“We have guys who, going into fall camp, are ‘x’ percent receiver and ‘y’ percent tailback and you fiddle with those percentages. We’ll just experiment like heck in fall camp,” Helfrich said.
Marshall said that plan is just fine with him.
“I’m embracing my new role as a receiver, but it’s going to be cool going back and forth,” Marshall said.
Charles Nelson may also see an increased workload on offense, but Helfrich said the defense is “still trying to fight for him.”
“He naturally considers himself more of an offensive player,” Helfrich said of Nelson. “He’s just too gifted to not be everywhere, including special teams as a returner and cover guy.”
Helfrich said the first two weeks of camp are really meant for players, especially new ones, to get the mistakes out of their systems.
“The young guys are so concerned about being perfect, they either overthink it or tighten up. Just be fast and free. The first million mistakes are on the coaches,” Helfrich said.
“Just go.”
Notes:

• Tyler Johnstone was carted off from practice on Monday with an unknown injury. The injury was not to his knee, which kept him out for the entire 2014 season, a source told Andrew Greif of the Oregonian/ OregonLive.
• Offensive lineman Stetzon Bair was also left off of the Ducks’ roster. Bair will not return to the program, according to Rob Mosely of GoDucks.com.
• Helfrich said true freshman running back Taj Griffin is “full go” after suffering a knee injury during his senior season of high school. The 247 Sports four-star recruit may also play wide receiver this year, Helfrich said.

Follow Kenny Jacoby on Twitter @kennyjacoby