EUGENE — Justin Herbert is being challenged by another new Oregon football coach.

A year ago, Willie Taggart reopened the competition at quarterback during spring practice.

Herbert, the incumbent starter from the end of the Mark Helfrich era, quickly proved himself to be head and shoulder pads above the competition, prompting Terry Wilson and Travis Jonsen to transfer out of the program.

This spring, Mario Cristobal said Herbert needs to evolve from being a good player to a “dominant” player for the Ducks to return to prominence.

Challenge accepted.

“I don’t think that I’ve done much here yet,” Herbert said before taking the field for the first spring practice on Wednesday. “I’ve got much bigger goals for this team.”

Herbert, who said he added another 10 to 15 pounds of muscle to his 6-foot-6 frame during the offseason and is listed at 231 pounds, is trying to put together a complete season in 2018.

With USC’s Sam Darnold and UCLA’s Josh Rosen leaving early for the NFL draft and Washington State’s Luke Falk graduating, Herbert is one of the most prominent returning quarterbacks in the Pac-12, along with Washington’s Jake Browning and Arizona’s Khalil Tate.

“We’ve just got to keep taking steps forward,” Herbert said. “We had a good year last year and brought a bunch of guys back. We’re just kind of building timing with receivers and bringing the running backs up to speed, because I know we lost a couple big guys.”

Oregon said goodbye to four-year starter Royce Freeman, the program’s all-time leading rusher, and steady backup Kani Benoit.

Tony Brooks-James, a fifth-year senior who was a member of Freeman’s recruiting class, is finally on top of the running back depth chart.

“It’s a good feeling, but the pressure is on,” Brooks-James said. “I’ve got to stay there now. I’ve got some guys behind me that can take my spot.”

Brooks-James has rushed for 1,557 yards and 14 touchdowns during his career.

Senior Taj Griffin, who has 848 career rushing yards and six touchdowns, is listed as a running back after spending most of last season at wide receiver. Sophomore Darrian Felix, who saw limited action in 2017, is Brooks-James’ backup on the two-deep.

New running backs coach Jim Mastro is also trying to get redshirt freshmen C.J. Verdell and Cyrus Habibi-Likio and true freshmen Travis Dye and Jamal Elliott up to speed this spring.

“It reminds me of the 2014 year, getting back to the basics and doing things the right way,” Brooks-James said of the team’s mindset this year. “You start by doing the little things right. Coming to practice and doing what we’re supposed to, like wearing the right socks and the right gloves and everything like that, just being as a team and pretty much counting on the team to hold each other accountable.”

After leading Oregon with 42 receptions for 517 yards and four touchdowns, Dillon Mitchell is moving from outside receiver to Charles Nelson’s position in the slot.

“You get more creative on the inside than you do on the outside, I think,” Mitchell said. “I’ve talked to Charles about it. I kind of learned all my stuff from him last year, picking up tips and things I can get better at.”

Two years ago, Mitchell stole the spotlight with a spectacular performance in the spring game as a true freshman who enrolled early. Now he is one of the veterans on the team who needs to deliver for Cristobal.

“It’s funny, but yeah, I see myself as a leader on the team and having to step up and lead the guys,” Mitchell said. “Especially the younger guys that have come in.”

Brenden Schooler and Johnny Johnson enter the spring as the other starting wide receivers, with Malik Lovette, Jaylon Redd and Daewood Davis at the backup spots.

Incoming recruits Jalen Hall, Isaah Crocker and J.J. Tucker will add some much-needed depth during preseason camp.

“I’m just glad to be back out here with the guys,” Herbert said. “It has been a long offseason so far, and we’re excited to be back and get back to work.

“Definitely one of the things I have to work on is consistency, playing at a level that the team needs.”