Oregon football is facing a season with high expectations under Mario Cristobal. Which five Ducks are trending up after spring ball?
Mario Cristobal has as talented a team as any in college football heading into the 2019 season and after spring ball, it’s clear that Oregon will be an absolute force in the Pac-12.
The Ducks are bringing in a top recruiting class to add to a team that’s bringing back most of its starters and looks to be preseason top-10. The Ducks are going to be scary in 2019, and more so if some newcomers and under-the-radar stars step up to the plate and continue to trend in the right direction.
Which Ducks are trending up after spring ball?
If your head coach ever has this to say about you, you know you’re doing something right:
"“The guy is a great competitor. He’s great for the culture. Certainly, he has earned the right to increase his role on this football team.”"
Mario Cristobal has been beaming about sophomore bruising back Cyrus Habibi-Likio this spring and the public scrimmage gave fans a glimpse as to why the head coach is high on him. He rushed 12 times for 45 yards — though that’s not a great average — but scored the game’s only rushing touchdown and had three catches for 24 yards.
Habibi-Likio was known as the team’s third-down and goal-line back last season, but he’s hoping to break that notion and become an all-around runner for the Ducks. This spring was a good start.
Although he’s likely behind Travis Dye and CJ Verdell, while fighting with Darrian Felix for No. 3 carries, he’ll be used more this season as a do-it-all threat.