College Football: Winners and losers from 2018 spring ball

Winner: Oregon Ducks

The Oregon Ducks are breaking in another new head football coach in Mario Cristobal but the 2018 season looks bright in Eugene, Ore. — no, that’s not a pun about the Gatorade flavor-based uniform colors the Ducks wore on April 21.

All three Oregon quarterbacks looked like potential starters, although it’s clear that Justin Herbert is the man in Autzen Stadium. He has the NFL size, poise and accuracy to be a top-five pick in the 2019 NFL Draft if he can stay healthy this season. The rising junior quarterback finished 12-of-21 passing for 126 yards and a touchdown against Jim Leavitt’s defense.

The Ducks also looked really strong in the run game after having to replace Pac-12 record setting running back Royce Freeman.

Everything about the Ducks’ spring game was a positive as Cristobal looked firmly in charge of his program and the new addition of Jim Mastro has added some pistol elements to the running game. The return of Jim Leavitt will prove to be a huge coup before 2018 is over and the Ducks will make a serious run for the Pac 12 North title. The weather in Eugene was sunny and warm (for Oregon in April) and of course it didn’t rain in Autzen, as the saying goes.

I really liked the entire product I saw from Oregon and feel like it truly was a win for them this spring.