Oregon Football: Ducks with the Most to Gain in Spring Practices

For head coach Mark Helfrich and the rest of the Oregon football program, the 2014 season is a thing of the past. It’s time to kick off the 2015 season and put together another championship-caliber campaign.

The Ducks have lost their best player—2014 Heisman winner Marcus Mariota—and others to the NFL and graduation. However, Oregon still possesses the scariest offense in college football and some of the best skill position players in the nation.

Defensively, Oregon will need to replace the six starters it lost and continue to be one of the most prolific ball-hawking teams in America.

Making it back to another College Football Playoff will be challenging, especially considering the losses Oregon has incurred. If the Ducks are to make another run in 2015, numerous players are going to have to step up in a big way.

For those players wanting to make a significant leap in 2015, it all starts in spring practices, which kick off on March 31.

Here are five players who can help themselves in a big way during spring practices, which conclude on May 2 after Oregon’s spring game.

Jeff Lockie

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

While incoming transfer Vernon Adams Jr. should be favored to be Oregon’s quarterback in 2015, incumbent backup Jeff Lockie can throw a serious wrench into the competition by performing well in spring practices.

As I’ve written before in this space, Oregon QB competitions usually end up being won by the underdog. At one point, Lockie figured to be the Ducks QB in 2015 and would have been the favorite had Adams not transferred.

Now, with Adams in the fold, Lockie is once again the underdog. However, Lockie has two big advantages over Adams: 1) Lockie has studied under Mariota for a couple of seasons and is very familiar with how the Ducks operate, and 2) Lockie will be Oregon's No. 1 QB for spring practices, as Adams cannot join the Ducks until June when he graduates from Eastern Washington.

Lockie isn’t Mariota—nor does he claim to be. He also doesn’t have the playing experience that Adams has. But what Lockie does have is time within Oregon’s offense, a rapport with the skill position players and a chance to make an impression in the spring.

Lockie, for his part, seems to be genuinely excited by the prospect of an open QB competition:

"This is it. ... When you feel this comfortable and have been here this long, it's definitely something," said Lockie, according to Andrew Greif of The Oregonian. "If you threw me into this pit a little while ago, I might have been a little shakier, but there's nothing to be scared of at this point. It's kind of exciting."

No matter what Lockie does in spring practices, he’s going to have to beat out Adams for the job come June. That being said, Lockie has a huge opportunity to get a leg up on Adams before he arrives.

No player has more of an opportunity to make an impression during spring practices than Jeff Lockie. If he can't grab what’s in front of him, he may end up serving as a right-hand man once again.

Darren Carrington

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

Just as wide receiver Darren Carrington was leaving a major impression on a national stage, his season got shut down by the NCAA due to a failed drug test before the CFP title game.

In his last two games of the season—against Arizona in the Pac-12 title game and the Rose Bowl versus Florida State—Carrington caught 14 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns. Not only was he Oregon’s most productive receiver during that two-game stretch, but he also morphed into an absolute game-changer.

Carrington’s impact may not have changed the outcome of the CFP title game, especially considering how Oregon’s defense couldn’t stop Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott; however, he certainly would have made a difference for Oregon. 

That’s in the past, though. Despite the suspension, Carrington has one of the brightest futures in Eugene and is only a sophomore. He’s got size at 6’2”, great hands, speed and the ability to make game-changing plays down the field.

With Bralon Addison coming back from an ACL injury and Byron Marshall returning for his senior season, Oregon may have the best group of wideouts in the entire country, especially if Devon Allen’s injury heals and Dwayne Stanford improves.

However, no Oregon wide receiver has more potential than Carrington. It would be wise of him to make an impression in spring practice and earn his role as Oregon’s most dynamic wideout.

Tyler Johnstone

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

Oregon’s left tackle spot was a major concern at the beginning of the season after incumbent Tyler Johnstone went down with his second ACL injury before the season. However, Jake Fisher manned the spot impeccably for 13 games.

Now, with Fisher moving on to the NFL, the job falls back into the hands of Johnstone.

As well as Fisher played in 2014, Johnstone has been fantastic as Oregon’s left tackle throughout his career, and, if healthy, he should represent a minor upgrade over Fisher.

While it’s unknown if Johnstone will be able to fully practice during the spring, his presence along the line will still be very important during spring practices. He has a ton to gain as the leader of the offensive line and will be tasked with bringing some of the younger players up to speed.

Johnstone doesn’t have a ton to gain in terms of improving his status or jumping into a starting role. If he’s healthy, he’s going to be the starter. But Johnstone, if he wasn’t already, needs to become one of the offensive leaders, especially since Mariota, Fisher and Hroniss Grasu will not be with the team this season.

Arrion Springs

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

With both of Oregon’s 2014 starting cornerbacks moving on to the NFL, the Ducks will likely turn to Chris Seisay, who started in the Rose Bowl and national title game in place of Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, and sophomore-to-be Arrion Springs.

Seisay played well against Florida State and Ohio State and will likely head into camp as Oregon’s No. 1 cornerback. Springs—who was ranked as the No. 7 cornerback in the country in the 2014 class, according to 247Sports—played a limited role in nine games this season.

Springs is a gifted athlete and was highly recruited coming out of high school. While he didn’t really make an impression as a true freshman, expect him to be one of Oregon’s best defenders next year.

Oregon defensive coordinator Don Pellum believes that both Seisay and Springs are talented players and that they just need some seasoning. “Seisay and Springs are both good players. They’re just young,” Pellum told Jason Vondersmith of the Portland Tribune. “I think we have quality players (in the secondary). I think we’ll have some guys to work with.” 

Springs can secure his spot as one of Oregon’s starting CBs in spring practice and will get to face some of the best competition in the nation every day at practice.

He can prove to the Oregon coaches that he is ready for the starting role by shutting down guys such as Carrington, Marshall and Addison.

Canton Kaumatule

247Sports.com

Oregon’s most important recruit—and perhaps one of the most important in recent memory—is 5-star defensive end Canton Kaumatule.

Kaumatule, who is already on campus in Eugene, is listed at 6’7”, 290 pounds, and he should be able to come in and start from day one for the Ducks.

Due to the departure of Arik Armstead, the Ducks have an opening along their defensive line, and Kaumatule is just the guy to fill the role. More importantly, he will be given every opportunity during the spring and summer to earn the role.

Because he’s already been in Eugene for some time now, he should be ready to hit the ground running when spring practices get underway in about five weeks from now. 

Kaumatule has already made an impression on members of the media. According to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Crabtree, Kaumatule was one of the most impressive players at the Under Armour All-America Game:

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That’s exactly what Kaumatule was at Tuesday’s second practice at the nation’s most prestigious high school all-star game. After a strong Monday performance, he backed it up with an even more dominating effort Tuesday. 

Kaumatule wowed during one-on-ones with a combination of pass-rush moves, but what impressed so much was his quickness and his agility. He moved like a power forward on the basketball court, instead of a 6-foot-7, 290-pound defensive end. 

‘Just like everybody else out here, I’m just trying to make things happen,' Kaumatule said. “I think I’ve been executing and hustling, and I’ve kept my composure. I was kind of shaky before I got here, but I’m proud of how I’ve done so far. I’ve got to just stay hungry and be humble, while doing what I can on the field.”  

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Kaumatule is exactly the type of player Oregon needs on the defensive line. He’s big, physical and mean. The Ducks need for Kaumatule to make an impression in spring practice and earn a starting spot. 

Statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com unless otherwise stated. All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise stated. Recruitment info and rankings courtesy of 247Sports.

Jason Gold is Bleacher Report’s lead Oregon writer. Follow Jason on Twitter @TheSportsGuy33.