Oregon Football: 4 Position Battles to Watch in Spring Practice

As the last few seconds ticked away off the clock in Pasadena, the future could have not looked brighter for the Chip Kelly and his technicolored Ducks. Coming off their first Rose Bowl victory in 94 years, the back-to-back-to-back conference champions looked poised to continue their dominance into the new year.

Then came the offseason.

QB Darron Thomas' sudden departure to the professional ranks, allegations of recruiting impropriety and Kelly's brief flirtation with the NFL have chipped away (no pun intended) at the security of another championship season, and have raised doubts over an otherwise-strong returning squad from Oregon.

However, Ducks fans shouldn't stress too much over the coming season. Oregon returns 14 of 22 starters from Pasadena, and Kelly's strong recruiting has once again provided a new crop of promising young talent battling to fill the voids left by Thomas and other departures. 

Here are four of the most important battles to watch for during this spring in Eugene. 

QB: Bryan Bennett vs. Marcus Mariota

It is telling of the Oregon offseason that the team's most important position battle is one that was unexpected at the end of last season.

With Darron Thomas' unexpected leap to the pros, the spotlight has been thrust in the direction of Bryan Bennett, the quick-legged sophomore who helped the Ducks to a win over Arizona State last year with a strong performance off the bench.

Bennett's strong showing during the game has led some to claim he has even more upside than Thomas, and has made him the obvious choice to replace him under center. 

However, the decision is not an open-and-shut case due to the inclusion of 6'4" freshman Marcus Moriata, a highly-touted grab from Honolulu that has until this point remained a mystery to Duck faithful.

While Bennett may have experience, Kelly has never shied away from making the unconventional decision, and if Moriata is as talented as rumored and makes a strong showing during spring practice, he could find himself leading the potent offense. 

Kicker: Rob Beard vs. Alejandro Maldonado

Not commonly a heated battleground during spring practice, the competition for kicker this year has taken on an added level of importance due to last year's heartbreaking last-second loss to USC on the foot of a shanked 37-yard try.

Rob Beard, who was named starter at the beginning of last year before being sidelined with a leg injury, and Alejandro Maldonado, who replaced him, both return from last year's squad. The favorite is most likely Beard, coming back off of a full recovery and untarnished with bad memories, unlike Maldonado, whose shanked try may still sting in the coaches minds after causing such a crucial loss last season.

Both of them will also have to keep an eye out for Jackson Rice, the Ducks punter coming off a great last season, and Dylan Ausherman, a juco transfer who won't be on campus until fall but still may challenge for the job.

Wide Receiver: Who Will Make Up the Corps?

Lavasier Tuinei's graduation has left an important question mark in an already mostly unproven receiving corps. Tuinei carried much of the receiving weight during the Ducks' Rose Bowl win last January, and Oregon will need to find a similar target for whoever is sitting behind center come August. 

Josh Huff and DeAnthony Thomas are the likely candidates to replace Tuinei's production in the offense, yet neither provides a replacement for Tuinei's physical attributes. LaMichael James' absence also means Thomas will be called upon more in the running game, meaning one of the 15 (yes, that's the correct number) remaining wide receivers on Oregon's depth chart will have to step in.

Rashaan Vaughn and Eric Dungy are most likely to fill the slots left open, as they provided limited support last year, but they will both face stiff competition for the right to line up. 

Tight End: Colt Lyerla vs. Curtis White

Replacing TE David Paulson, a second-team All Pac-12 selection, will be no easy feat. Paulson provided perhaps the Ducks' biggest threat in the red zone, and Kelly will have to find another big target for whomever he places at quarterback.

The likely candidates to replace him is sophomore Colt Lyerla, a former 5-star prospect who's shown flashes of brilliance when appearing last year, averaging over 21 yards per catch, but has struggled to stay consistent when rotated in, and is rumored to have certain behavioral issues. Battling Lyerla for the starting spot is Curtis White, another highly-touted prospect who spent last year nursing various leg injuries.

Both White and Lyerla have great physical promise as well as impressive skill during their time with the program, but neither have much in-game experience, and whoever takes the starting spot will likely depend upon who shows more promise in the coming weeks.