A little over a year ago, Jerick McKinnon scored the game-winning touchdown as Georgia Southern stunned Florida, the small school upsetting one of the big boys without completing a single pass.

If McKinnon wasn't already on the radar of some NFL teams, he would be after rushing for 125 yards and that touchdown on nine carries against the Gators, including a 66-yard run.

But what exactly was McKinnon? He played slot receiver, cornerback and safety in high school before his coach moved him to quarterback. Georgia Southern recruited him as an athlete and made him the backup quarterback in their triple-option scheme as a freshman. Throughout his college career, he played pretty much every backfield position while moonlighting as a defensive back. A few NFL teams worked him out as a corner, thinking his athleticism could be best used there.

"It was really just wide open for me, coming from a small school that had an untraditional offense. And I played option quarterback. I think it was based all off projection so a lot of teams I guess had a question mark in their heads," McKinnon said last week. "But Minnesota gave me the opportunity and that's all I can ask for. I just tried to make the most out of it when I came here."

While McKinnon's status for Sunday's game is in doubt after he missed another practice today, he has made a much bigger impact than anyone expected this season. He was originally slotted in as one of the backups to Adrian Peterson and the Vikings wanted him to learn about the pro running game by watching the Pro Bowler. It seemed the team planned to use him as more of a pass-catcher.

But then Peterson was banished, and everything changed. McKinnon was starting by Week 6 and thanks to several big runs, he has averaged 4.8 yards per carry while rushing for 538 yards.

When asking about life after Peterson, it seems McKinnon is at least part of the answer. It's crazy how much has changed in a year for McKinnon, going from Georgia Southern to a starting NFL gig.

"I didn't expect to be starting or having any, I guess, success like I've had," McKinnon said. "But I always prepared myself for the unknown so that when that opportunity did come up I would be ready and not stunned and shocked or unprepared for the moment."

It hasn't been easy. The learning curve has been steep coming from a smaller school that ran an offense that doesn't translate to the pro game. In Georgia Southern's option attack, McKinnon often had to sprint laterally trying to get around the edge. Now, in the NFL, he must be patient when running between the tackles.

But the coaching staff has raved about his vision, the kind of thing that can't be taught, and the rookie has surprised with his willingness and ability to run between the tackles.

"In a pro-style [offense], you have to be more patient opposed to being real quick," McKinnon said. "That was something that I thought would be a big challenge. But it was actually more comfortable than I thought it would be. Going through the Senior Bowl and coming here, there were some times where I would be too fast. But I kept working on being patient. I talked to the other running backs on the team and they helped me learn and become more and more comfortable with it."

And it shows. And the Vikings are benefiting from his surprisingly quick transition to the pros.