Let the celebration begin!
Spring football officially begins today ( Thursday ) for the University of Oregon football program.
After a completely disjointed and unpredictable 2020 season because of the Covid-19 virus, it appears all is back to normal for Mario Cristobal and staff.
Just a year ago the Ducks were able to sneak in one full spring football practice, but that was it before the entire program and universe of college football was shut down.
Of course testing protocols are still in place until given the all clear by the Lane County Health Department, but there’s a truckload of optimism as the Ducks head into their spring practice program.
The 2021 Ducks get back to work Thursday for the first of fifteen practices – the fifteenth being the annual spring football game in Autzen Stadium on Saturday, May 1st.
The full practice schedule is shown below.
OREGON SPRING FOOTBALL PRACTICE SCHEDULE
Thursday, April 1
Saturday, April 3
Tuesday, April 6
Thursday, April 8
Saturday, April 10
Tuesday, April 13
Thursday, April 15
Saturday, April 17
Tuesday, April 20
Thursday, April 22
Saturday, April 24
Tuesday, April 27
Thursday, April 29
Friday, April 30
Saturday, May 1 – SPRING GAME
In regards to allowing fans in the stadium during the spring game, there’s been no official decision as yet. If trends continue heading in the right direction, it’s possible the Oregon athletic program will allow a percentage of fans to attend.
TAKING A LOOK AT THE OREGON QUARTERBACKS – IT’S A DEEP AND TALENTED GROUP FOR MARIO CRISTOBAL
Anthony Brown or Ty Thompson?
That’s going to be the No. 1 question on most minds in Eugene as spring football practice goes on and especially in August as the 2021 season approaches.
Most believe Oregon football coach Mario Cristobal really can’t go wrong no matter which way he decides to proceed. A lot will depend on the freshman Thompson. He’ll have an entire spring to prove if he’s really as good as scouts think he is. Thompson is the first five-star quarterback to commit to the Ducks and at 6-4 and 215 pounds, he’s already the perfect size for Joe Moorhead’s offensive system.
But then there’s Brown. The senior didn’t transfer from Boston College and then decide to come back to Eugene once again to just hold the clipboard on the sideline and watch Thompson do his thing. It’s going to be interesting how this all plays out. The last thing Cristobal, or any football program, wants. The dreaded quarterback controversy.
That was exactly what was brewing anyway towards the end of the 2020 season when Tyler Shough didn’t play up to expectations. Him and Brown were shuffled in and out with neither being able to provide a smooth rhythm to the offense and it all came apart in the Fiesta Bowl where the Ducks lost 34-17 to Iowa State.
Hopefully the coaching staff learned that hard lesson and will stick to their decision, no matter which way they go.
THE CASE FOR THOMPSON
With Thompson, it will be crucial to stick with him if Oregon tabs him to start the season “under center.”
Oregon begins the season in the friendly confines of Autzen Stadium against Fresno State. While that game won’t be a cakewalk, it doen’t hold a candle to what comes next.
The Ducks will go into Columbus and face Ohio State in the Horseshoe.
This is exactly the type of game Thompson wanted to play in when he decided to commit to the Ducks. He wants, as do all high-profile recruits, to play in these season-defining games. There’s nothing like diving into the deep end of the pool to see if one can swim. And the Horseshoe is one of the deepest pools one can find in the world of college football.
Could Oregon win that game with Thompson at quarterback in 2021?
As the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback in the country and with the parts he’ll be surrounded with, yes they can. But it’ll be a tall task. There’s not a lot of history of freshmen quarterbacks winning that kind of game and it would be hard to believe Oregon can win that game under those circumstances.
The Ducks want to win conference titles, Rose Bowls, and national titles. Given the Pac-12’s recent standing with the College Football Playoffs, Oregon, or any other Pac-12 team, has to have an undefeated season to be invited into the playoff. Surely that’s where the Ducks are headed with Thompson.
Cristobal needs to find out if 2021 is that year.
THE CASE FOR BROWN
2021 could be that special season for Mario Cristobal. And certainly, if he sees the magic in practice that Brown showed last season, he just might think now is the time to shoot for the stars and go 12-0.
Again that means winning in the Horseshoe and thereby making the decision to allow a senior quarterback to lead the charge, that would most likely be the Ducks’ best bet to win that game.
Brown showed flashes of being special last season, but again, being shuffled in and out didn’t help his playmaking abilities. At Boston College, he was really good.
Some would say exceptional. Brown threw for 40 touchdowns in three seasons where he battled injuries almost as much as other ACC opponents.
His development at Oregon was hindered as Covid shut down the 2020 spring season prematurely. Now with a full spring practice regimen and fall camp under Moorhead, this whole argument of Thompson vs. Brown might be a moot point.
Brown might immediately step in as a senior leader and be the man in Eugene for his final hurrah. If he can lead the Ducks to a win in Columbus and then more, he’ll be more than the man in Eugene.
He’ll be a legend.