Mario Cristobal says Ty Thompson is ‘as talented as a freshman you’ll see’

Though he is still working in a backup role, freshman quarterback Ty Thompson received a rave review from coach Mario Cristobal.

There were a lot of things that we can take away from our first live glimpse at the Oregon Ducks at Saturday’s spring scrimmage, but one thing that everyone had an eye turned towards was the competition at the quarterback spot.

It remained senior Anthony Brown who took the first-team reps, and he certainly looked polished and capable throughout the day. However, that was expected. What fans really wanted to see what their first look at freshman QB Ty Thompson, the program’s first five-star recruit at the position.

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The 6-foot-4, 215-pound future phenom did some impressive things on the day, but his youth was still present. After all was said and done, though, head coach Mario Cristobal had some encouraging words.

“Ty is about as talented as a freshman you’ll see,” Cristobal said, via The Athletic‘s Tyson Alger. 

A program that has seen its fair share of talented freshman over the past several years — both Noah Sewell and Justin Flowe last year, plus Kayvon Thibodeaux a couple of years back — that is some high praise coming from Cristobal. It appears that Brown is still the heavy favorite to get the start once fall camp begins, but the things we’ve seen from Thompson so far have been encouraging.

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Ducks to allow fans at 15 percent capacity for Oregon Spring Game

Approximately 8,000 fans will be allowed inside Autzen Stadium to watch the Oregon Spring Game, set to take place on May 1st.

We got our first taste of what it will be like to have fans back in the stands for Oregon Duck games at the spring scrimmage on Saturday, and now the school has announced that they will once again be giving spectators a chance to see their team at the Spring Game, set to take place on May 1st.

The game is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m., and Autzen will be allowed to fill to 15 percent capacity, which is approximately 8,000 people.

Normally a free-for-all that allows spectators in for free with a donation to Food For Lane County, this year’s spring game will be a ticketed event to allow for proper physical distancing. The tickets will first be made available for season ticket holders, Duck Athletic Fund members, students, and the general public.

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Spring Position Preview: A young, but experienced offensive line ready to flex some muscle

Oregon’s offensive line was inexperienced in 2020, but now they’re ready to show valuable lessons were learned along the way.

Former Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert will be the first one to say that much of his success was due to his offensive line. The group literally grew with Herbert in the program.

But then when it was time to leave, they all left. What remained in 2020 was talented, but extremely young and inexperienced, which showed at times. Oregon’s run game wasn’t as explosive, and suddenly the Ducks quarterback, either Tyler Shough and Anthony Brown, was scrambling more than usual.

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Now it’s a year later and the offensive line is still together, ready to show that some hard lessons were learned and those lessons are going to be put to use this coming season.

This young group has always had the necessary size to be successful, but in 2021, the offensive line has experience in the back pocket. No one will be happier to play with the new and improved line than Brown and the tailbacks.

CJ Verdell insists he has a chance to rush for 2,000 yards this season and that goal would be silly to have unless the correct offensive line was in place.

It all begins with the center, Alex Forsyth. The 6-foot-4, 305-pounder from West Lynn, Ore. went from playing in just five games in 2019 to being a second-team all-conference selection by the Pac-12 coaches.

Manning the left side of the line will most likely be George Moore at tackle and TJ Bass at guard. Moore, a senior from Antioch, Calif. stands at 6-foot-6 and weighs 325 pounds. Despite being named as the No. 1 junior college offensive lineman after the 2016 season, he hasn’t been able to find consistent playing time until last season.

Bass is another junior college transfer that didn’t see significant playing time until 2020. The 6-foot-5, 318-pound junior from Deming, Wash. made the most of his opportunity last season and was named as an honorable mention by the Pac-12 coaches.

Andy Nelson/The Register-Guard

On the right side of the center will be junior Ryan Walk and Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu. Walk is a Eugene native from Sheldon High School and has seen firsthand how good the Herbert brothers are. He’s not so bad himself. At 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds, the media named him as an all-conference selection in 2020. As for Aumavae-Laulu, the 6-foot-6, 325-pounder from Hilo, Hawaii was a second-team all-Pac-12 player last season after redshirting the 2019 season.

Not only is the offensive line group experienced, but it’s deep as well. The Ducks have several big men who will fight for playing time, beginning with Steven Jones and Dawson Jaramillo.

Jones is a mammoth human being at 6-foot-6 and 340 pounds. The Temecula, Calif. native was in the regular rotation of linemen last season and he should expect that not to change anytime soon.

The 6-foo5-5, 303-pounder Jaramillo, a Portland, Ore. native, should also expect to see some regular playing time in his sophomore season.

Someone who might be able to break through fairly quickly is true freshman Kingley Suamataia from Orum, Utah. At 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds, Suamataia was a five-star recruit and rated as a top 25 player and one of the best offensive linemen in the country. He was also named to the second-team All-USA High School Football Preseason Team by USA Today.

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Spring Position Preview: A young, but experienced offensive line ready to flex some muscle

Oregon’s offensive line was inexperienced in 2020, but now they’re ready to show valuable lessons were learned along the way.

Former Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert will be the first one to say that much of his success was due to his offensive line. The group literally grew with Herbert in the program.

But then when it was time to leave, they all left. What remained in 2020 was talented, but extremely young and inexperienced, which showed at times. Oregon’s run game wasn’t as explosive, and suddenly the Ducks quarterback, either Tyler Shough and Anthony Brown, was scrambling more than usual.

[lawrence-related id=712]

Now it’s a year later and the offensive line is still together, ready to show that some hard lessons were learned and those lessons are going to be put to use this coming season.

This young group has always had the necessary size to be successful, but in 2021, the offensive line has experience in the back pocket. No one will be happier to play with the new and improved line than Brown and the tailbacks.

CJ Verdell insists he has a chance to rush for 2,000 yards this season and that goal would be silly to have unless the correct offensive line was in place.

It all begins with the center, Alex Forsyth. The 6-foot-4, 305-pounder from West Lynn, Ore. went from playing in just five games in 2019 to being a second-team all-conference selection by the Pac-12 coaches.

Manning the left side of the line will most likely be George Moore at tackle and TJ Bass at guard. Moore, a senior from Antioch, Calif. stands at 6-foot-6 and weighs 325 pounds. Despite being named as the No. 1 junior college offensive lineman after the 2016 season, he hasn’t been able to find consistent playing time until last season.

Bass is another junior college transfer that didn’t see significant playing time until 2020. The 6-foot-5, 318-pound junior from Deming, Wash. made the most of his opportunity last season and was named as an honorable mention by the Pac-12 coaches.

Andy Nelson/The Register-Guard

On the right side of the center will be junior Ryan Walk and Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu. Walk is a Eugene native from Sheldon High School and has seen firsthand how good the Herbert brothers are. He’s not so bad himself. At 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds, the media named him as an all-conference selection in 2020. As for Aumavae-Laulu, the 6-foot-6, 325-pounder from Hilo, Hawaii was a second-team all-Pac-12 player last season after redshirting the 2019 season.

Not only is the offensive line group experienced, but it’s deep as well. The Ducks have several big men who will fight for playing time, beginning with Steven Jones and Dawson Jaramillo.

Jones is a mammoth human being at 6-foot-6 and 340 pounds. The Temecula, Calif. native was in the regular rotation of linemen last season and he should expect that not to change anytime soon.

The 6-foo5-5, 303-pounder Jaramillo, a Portland, Ore. native, should also expect to see some regular playing time in his sophomore season.

Someone who might be able to break through fairly quickly is true freshman Kingley Suamataia from Orum, Utah. At 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds, Suamataia was a five-star recruit and rated as a top 25 player and one of the best offensive linemen in the country. He was also named to the second-team All-USA High School Football Preseason Team by USA Today.

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Spring Position Preview: It might finally be time for Herbert 2.0 to lead Oregon tight ends

Patrick Herbert will finally have the chance to show his stuff for Oregon as the starting tight end spot could be up for grabs.

When it comes to the depth chart for tight ends at Oregon, size certainly won’t be an issue.

What might be an issue is to figure out who is going to step up in the spring and fall to claim the starting spot on the roster, though. Thankfully for Mario Cristobal and his staff, they have a lot of good options to choose from.

(AP Photo/Chris Pietsch)

Most, if not all of the Ducks faithful are going to want to see what Patrick Herbert has to offer. Justin Herbert’s younger brother was a standout himself at Sheldon High School as a tight end, and his 6-foot-5, 244-pound frame makes for a perfect target over the middle, while also providing some value in pass protection.

Herbert was the No. 1 recruit to come from the state in 2018 and he was a USA Today first-team All-Oregon selection at the tight end position, earning first-team 6A All-State honors by The Oregonian as a tight end and honorable mention recognition as a punter. Herbert had 43 receptions for 797 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior for the Irish.

Many were hoping for that Herbert-to-Herbert connection when Justin was a senior, but the younger Herbert played in just one game in 2019 before redshirting and didn’t see any game action in 2020. Offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead’s scheme does feature the tight end, which should highlight Herbert’s unique abilities.

Most likely, however, junior DJ Johnson and sophomore Spencer Webb will be the frontrunners to be the starting tight end for Oregon.

Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

After transferring from Miami and sitting out a season, Johnson was able to finally make some plays for the Ducks in 2020. At 6-foot-5 and 258 pounds, the former defensive end turned TE caught 10 passes for 113 yards and three touchdowns.

As for Webb, the 6-foot-6, 240-pounder played in all 12 games in 2019 as a redshirt freshman, catching 18 passes for 209 yards and three scores. Unfortunately for Webb, he was injured for most of 2020 and didn’t get to play. Oregon is hoping those injury days are behind him and Webb can turn back into his 2019 form.

The same can be said for Cam McCormick, a 6-foot-5, 251-pounder from Bend, Ore. His career has been plagued with injuries for the past three seasons. If he can somehow avoid the injury bug, the senior can provide some extra muscle and another huge target to throw at.

If for some reason Webb and/or McCormack can’t play at full capacity, Oregon brought in one of the top prep tight ends in the nation in 6-foot-6, 240-pound Moliki Matavao from Henderson, Nevada. Nearly every school gave him a scholarship offer despite his senior season being canceled for the pandemic.

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Spring Position Preview: Johnny Johnson III heads up a deep and talented receiver corps

When Johnny Johnson III announced he was returning for one more season, Oregon’s receiver group went from good to great just like that.

Oregon Ducks head coach Mario Cristobal may have a big decision to make where it comes to his quarterback, but whoever that is, he’s going to have plenty of targets to throw to as the Ducks will feature a group of receivers that is second to none.

That receiving group was already going to be outstanding with Mycah Pittman and Devon Williams on the field. The group went from great to possibly elite when senior Johnny Johnson III announced he was coming back for another season.

(Pool photo by Andy Nelson/The Register-Guard)

The Chandler, Ariz. native has turned into a dependable playmaker that can beat nearly every defender despite his 6-foot, 199-pound frame. Johnson comes into the 2021 season with 114 career receptions for 1,617 yards and 14 touchdowns. His breakout season came in 2019 when Johnson caught 57 balls for 836 yards and seven scores.

Johnson was primed to have another monster season in 2020 until the world was turned upside down. He also had to learn a new offensive scheme under coordinator Joe Moorhead, plus a new quarterback tossing the pigskin. All of those factors, as expected, put a damper on his season as Johnson caught just 19 passes for 267 yards and two scores.

Now with more of a normal senior season ahead of him, Johnson can have a year the Ducks know he can have, But Johnson isn’t nearly the only weapon at Oregon’s disposal.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

On the other side of the field, Pittman is also out to prove that 2020 was a fluke, but for different reasons than his receiving counterpart. He was sidelined after five games due to COVID-19. His freshman season was also cut short due to injuries, so the Ducks are hoping those maladies are history and they can see what Pittman can do in a full 12-game season.

The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder came to Eugene in 2019 as one of the top prep wide receivers in the country and has shown flashes of brilliance on the field.

With names like Johnson and Pittman on the roster, it’s easy to forget players such as Jaylon Redd and Williams. Oregon is looking forward to having all four of those players healthy at the same time just to see the havoc they can do against opposing defenses.

Redd is entering his senior season with 118 career receptions for 1,238 yards and 14 touchdowns. He chose to use his extra year of eligibility because of the pandemic and the Ducks have to be thrilled with that decision. Redd can be used in multiple ways due to his size and speed.

At 5-foot-9 and 187 pounds, he has been used as a scatback or a slot receiver, making it difficult to find him in the formation. Redd has five career rushing touchdowns.

Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard

Williams, at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, led the Ducks with 286 yards and two touchdowns in the six games he played. When he committed to USC in 2018, he was considered the top athlete in the country. He played all 12 games for the Trojans in 2018 but caught just four passes for 87 yards.

With his size, the Ducks will be able to exploit mismatches in the secondary for easy touchdowns. He classified as a sophomore, so Oregon hopes it gets two or maybe three full seasons with Williams on the field.

If for some reason an injury occurs to one of the four main receivers, the Ducks will be able to turn to players such as freshman Troy Franklin, a 6-foot-2, 170-pounder from East Palo Alto, Calif. He was one of the top receivers in the 2020 recruiting class.

Freshman Kris Hutson saw limited playing time last season as did sophomore Josh Delgado.

The only thing that could stop this group is injuries because defenses are going to have a difficult time keeping these Ducks covered.

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Spring Position Preview: CJ Verdell, Travis Dye lead Oregon’s experienced backfield

Led by CJ Verdell and Travis Dye, the Ducks running backs might be the best duo the country has to offer.

The Oregon Ducks have enjoyed the services of a lot of quality running backs in its history, but the dynamic duo of CJ Verdell and Travis Dye has the chance to eventually go down as one of the best.

Both are juniors that already have plenty of accolades attached to their names. Verdell has already gone on record as to saying he wants to rush for 2,000 yards this season. Oregon has never had a tailback go for 2,000 yards in a single season, but if someone has a chance to do it, Verdell could be the guy.

Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

Oregon will most likely rely on its running game this season with an inexperienced Pac-12 quarterback calling the signals, so offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead will likely be calling Verdell’s number a lot throughout the year.

Having his number called in virtually every situation is something Verdell is used to. In his freshman season, he rushed the ball 202 times in 13 games for 1,018 yards and 10 touchdowns. Verdell equaled his initial success his sophomore season with 198 rushing attempts for 1,220 yards and eight scores. In 2020, the junior was slowed by a couple of injuries that allowed him to just gain 285 yards (57 ypg) in five contests and three touchdowns.

Now fully healthy, Verdell believes he and his team is due for a monster season.

“The main goal here ever since Coach Cristobal took over the program and going in the direction we’ve been going is to definitely get into that playoff and win a national championship,” he said in a press conference last week.

If those goals are to be accomplished, Verdell is going to need Dye to shoulder some of the load. Dye is the speed back with Verdell’s power.

Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

No longer considered Troy Dye’s younger brother, Travis has turned into a quality tailback himself and is a weapon receiving the ball as well. At 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds, Dye has 37 career receptions for 467 yards and six touchdowns through the air.

When Verdell was sidelined much of the latter half of 2020 with a thumb injury, Dye became the starting tailback where he flourished. In those seven games, he gained 443 yards and averaged nearly seven yards per carry.

In goal-line situations, the Ducks relied on Cyrus Habibi-Likio, but the power back decided to move on to Boise State, leaving those situations to Verdell and Dye.

Behind those two main tailbacks, redshirt freshman Sean Dollars was looking to see more playing time, but he suffered a considerable leg injury, so he won’t see action until the middle of the season, according to Cristobal.

True freshman Seven McGee, a four-star recruit from Rochester, NY, won’t be on campus until June. So Aaron Smith, a 5-11, 205-pounder from San Jose, Calif. has received the other snaps in Spring practice. Whether he sees the field come September remains to be seen, but just being able to get those early reps in is going to be invaluable to him.

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Spring Position Preview: Anthony Brown leads an entertaining quarterback competition

Senior Anthony Brown is the starting quarterback, but freshman Ty Thompson isn’t going to make Mario Cristobal’s decision an easy one.

Nearly every head football coach wants a healthy positional competition in spring practices as it tends to make the players better, causing the cream to rise to the top.

If there is one spot on the football field the coach wants to be sure of it’s the quarterback. But if that all-important spot isn’t a sure thing, you want two talented players to compete.

That’s exactly what faces Oregon Ducks head coach Mario Cristobal, as he watches senior Anthony Brown and freshman Ty Thompson battle each other. It’s a decision that will be so close that Cristobal might not be able to make it until the fall.

Whatever that decision is, however, the Ducks will be in good hands.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Brown came to Eugene last season after a three-year career at Boston College. His time with the Eagles was hit-and-miss because of injuries, but when he was able to see the field, Brown was able to tear apart Big East defenses.

In those three seasons, Brown threw for 40 touchdowns and 4,738 yards. Those numbers would be bigger, but he suffered a season-ending injury after six games as a junior.

Once healthy again, Brown transferred to Oregon looking to start, but then the pandemic hit last year and put spring practices on hold. His progress in offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead’s system was hampered, so the staff went with Tyler Shough, the known quantity.

But Brown slowly worked his way onto the field as the season went along. He played well in the Pac-12 title game where he threw for two touchdowns against USC, and then again in the Fiesta Bowl. Despite the 34-17 loss to Iowa State, Brown rushed for two touchdowns and threw for 147 yards in part-time duties, splitting reps with Shough.

After the season, Shough transferred, making Brown the incumbent, but when Oregon recruited and signed the program’s first-ever five-star quarterback, the Ducks suddenly had a decision to make at quarterback.

Nick Oza/The Arizona Republic

Thompson is the Ducks’ first five-star signal-caller to sign. He stands at 6-foot-4 and weighs 215 pounds. Thompson was Arizona’s top prep football player last season and was rated as the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback in the country.

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At Mesquite High School in Gilbert, Ariz., the two-time state champion ended his career throwing for 9,891 yards and 100 touchdowns, while also rushing for 1,145 yards, averaging nearly five yards a rush and 20 scores.

It’s difficult to ignore a talent like that, and since Thompson is an early enrollee, it gives the freshman the best possible chance to start right away.

As the schedule is set, no one would blame Cristobal if he wanted to go with the upper-classman. Ohio State looms as the second game of the season in the 12-game slate and having a true freshman enter the Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio might be too much to ask.

Oregon has the talent at the other positions to be the favorite to win the Pac-12 title and possibly sneak into the College Football Playoff if everything falls into place for the Ducks.

This one decision might determine the destiny of the 2021 Oregon Ducks football team.

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Is a 2,000 yard rushing season within the realm of possibility for CJ Verdell?

Oregon’s lead back has lofty goals for what is likely to be his final year with the Ducks, aiming for a historic 2,000-yard season.

If you want to set the bar high for a running back at any level of football to have a historic season, you throw out the number 2,000.

2,000 yards rushing in a year is the high-water mark, set by a handful of players over the decades. Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry did it just last season, and Adrian Peterson accomplished the feat back in 2012.

While there have been only eight players to cross that barrier in the NFL, the feat is a bit more achievable at the college ranks, with 26 players doing it, five of whom came in the past 10 years, most recently Christian McCaffrey in 2015.

So is there a chance that we could see this stat reached by a certain player in Eugene this season? Well, if you ask junior RB CJ Verdell, it is definitely the goal.

“A goal I set for myself is definitely 2,000 rushing yards. I feel like I can get it. My coaches feel like I can get it. It’s up to me,” Verdell said, via Duck Territory’s Erik Skopil.

Verdell is currently 9th on Oregon’s all-time rushing list, with two seasons where he’s totaled more than 1,000 yards. He would need to break a school record to accomplish the feat, which is currently held by Royce Freeman, who ran for 1,836 yards in 2015.

Not only may Oregon have one of the best running back tandems in the nation this year, but they could be home to another history maker if all breaks the right way. For Verdell, who is likely to be playing his last season with the Ducks, there is maybe no better way to go out.

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