COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS (09-March) -- It's nearly impossible to imagine replacing a talent like Tennessee's Christian Coleman, who rightfully earned the Bowerman Award last December for sweeping the 60m, 100m, and indoor and outdoor 200m dashes at NCAAs in 2017, recording outright or near-collegiate records in each event.

Still, there is a crown to be won and this year's sprint king looks like it may just be Eli Hall of Houston, who leads all qualifiers in the 60m and 200m after the preliminary rounds on Friday evening.

20.26 ELI HALL!! (@EliHall13 ) pic.twitter.com/r1nJGUB49y

— FloTrack (@FloTrack) March 10, 2018

The senior ran 20.26 to defeat NCAA leader Divine Oduduru of Texas Tech head-to-head in the 200m prelims; that mark makes Hall the fifth-fastest performer in collegiate history and what's more, he trounced Oduduru, who ran 20.47 in qualifying and entered this championship with the third-fastest time ever recorded by a collegian — 20.18.

Also tied for No. 6 all-time are standouts Shawn Crawford, John Capel, and Andre De Grasse.

He also captured the win in his section of the 60m prelims in 6.56, which improved on his personal best of 6.58 and tied for the fastest qualifying time with fellow section winner Raheem Chambers of Auburn.

We caught up with Eli Hall after his impressive Day 1 at NCAA Indoors:

Hall is fresh off a double win at the American Conference Championships in the 60m and 200m and this weekend is actually his first appearance at the NCAA Championships for the Cougars.

If his emergence as this weekend's sprint favorite surprises you, it's because he's had bad luck over the past calendar year since transferring to Houston from Butler Community College. He ran a limited campaign during the 2017 indoor season due to injury and then pulled out of the last spring's NCAA West Preliminary Round with a lingering health issue.

Hall came back to place third at the 2017 USATF Nationals in the 200m, but again, withdrew from the world championships due to injury.

As for this weekend?

As things stand right now, Hall actually has a super-outside shot at leading the Cougars to a podium finish, or even the team title.

We're just going to leave this right here.

Real big. I know one day I would do it real big. pic.twitter.com/3O0nRZqXrL

— Elijah Hall (@EliHall13) March 9, 2018