EUGENE — For the fourth and final time, a question of what role Taj Griffin will fill at Oregon hovers around fall camp.

The former four-star recruit’s most productive season remains his freshman year when Griffin had 732 all-purpose yards, including 570 on the ground to rank second on the Ducks behind Royce Freeman. His past two seasons were shortened by a torn anterior cruciate ligament and complicated by a position change.

For his senior year, Griffin is back in the competition at running back to replace Freeman. Yet he also spends time at receiver and may finally find a role in the return game.

“Taj can do everything and it is impressive watching him go back and forth, that guy makes every single play,” Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert said following Tuesday’s practice. “We will try to get him the ball as much as we can.”

That has often been the refrain around the Ducks this time of year, but Griffin has never averaged more than eight touches per game with that number decreasing each season.

“I’ve definitely been waiting to play. I have not been used as much as I wanted,” the 5-foot-11, 178-pound senior said. “A back like Royce, he deserved all the focus he got, but now I am trying to step up and take whatever role coach Cristobal thinks I can take. I am ready for whatever.”

Griffin was practicing Tuesday with the second unit at running back, a position lacking experience for the Ducks. That position group is also currently lacking bodies with sophomore Darrian Felix and freshmen C.J. Verdell and Travis Dye still out with injuries that coach Mario Cristobal said are not serious.

Senior Tony Brooks-James is the expected starter at the position, but Griffin is the only other back with more than 30 carries in his college career.

“A lot of times people mistake Taj for strictly being an outside perimeter runner, a screen-type guy, but he’s not,” Cristobal said. “He can run between the tackles. He has gotten stronger, and he’s explosive; we’ve seen that before.”

Griffin averaged 7.4 yards on 77 carries as a true freshman to go with 10 catches for 162 yards. He was the only player in the Pac-12 who had two 60-yard runs and a 40-yard reception in 2015.

The following year, Brooks-James and Kani Benoit emerged as Freeman’s backups while Griffin ran 37 times for 183 yards before missing the final four games after suffering a torn ACL in practice.

The injury limited him in camp last season as he transitioned to wide receiver due to a lack of depth at that position. Griffin sat out the first two games before catching 11 passes for 68 yards and running 18 times for 95 yards on the season.

“Taj is healthy, so he is in a real good place now,” Cristobal said. “He has worked his tail off, and he’s going to be a significant part of our offense.”

It appears Griffin’s role will once again include time at running back and receiver, a workload he welcomes.

Griffin said the Ducks are finding plays at running back that fit his skill set and with physicality a popular phrase at Oregon these days, he has worked on his blocking skills to stay in the backfield on more downs.

“The competition is open, and I am taking a lot of reps because we are short on numbers,” Griffin said. “The more I practice, the more I can be used in different ways.”

Those ways still include time at slot receiver.

“I made sure I didn’t lose my game at that position because stuff happens and people go down, so you never know when they might need me to run a certain play,” Griffin said. “The majority of my time is at running back, but I still make sure I know the route tree and what exactly is going on. I am trying to perfect everything to get as big of a role as possible.”

Griffin returned three kickoffs late last season, marking his debut as a returner for the Ducks. He was the kick returner with UO’s first unit during a scrimmage Sunday and has also fielded punts in practice.

“You will see me there, too,” Griffin said.

Griffin just wants to be seen more during his final season with the Ducks.

“This camp has pushed me,” he said. “I have been put in every situation and scenario they can throw at me. I have made some highlights and will continue to try and maximize as many big plays as I can get.”