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For the third-straight season, the Oregon Ducks will be entering spring football with an unknown result at the quarterback position. Two years ago, it was Tyler Shough vs. Anthony Brown; last year it was Anthony Brown vs. Ty Thompson; this year it’s shaping up to be Ty Thompson vs. Bo Nix vs. Jay Butterfield.
In the days leading up to spring ball getting started — Oregon holds the first practice on March 10 — the QB competition is drawing some intrigue from the national media. Most recently, 247Sports put out a list of the top “most difficult QB decisions” of the offseason, listing the Ducks firmly in the mix.
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When figuring out some of the top storylines to watch this offseason, ESPN also made a nod to the Ducks’ quarterback decision, questioning whether or not Nix will be able to make the transition to the Pac-12 seamlessly.
After a frustrating season under center for Oregon last year, this spring brings a few new hopes that the Ducks are banking on to vault them into contention sooner rather than later. Bo Nix’s move from Auburn to Eugene was surprising, but less so when you consider new head coach Dan Lanning hired Florida State offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham. Dillingham was the quarterbacks coach at Auburn in 2019 when Nix won SEC Rookie of the Year. The blueprint to succeed is there, and at the very least, Nix will be a drastic change of pace from Anthony Brown, but Nix isn’t the only quarterback to keep an eye on. Redshirt freshman Ty Thompson is slated to be Oregon’s quarterback of the future. The former No. 3 quarterback in 2021 was the first five-star at the position to ever sign with the Ducks. Thompson is a dual-threat quarterback with boundless potential, and if he impresses from the spring, the battle between him and Nix could get competitive as the season nears.
Recently on Ducks Wire, we listed the QB competition as one of the biggest storylines to follow heading into spring practices, and it’s a decision that will likely hold the most weight over the future success of the team. Bo Nix may be the veteran will all of the experience and more risk aversion, but if what Ty Thompson offers is a higher ceiling, but slightly lower floor due to an increase in risks, which player would you rather see take the field?
It’s impossible to say just yet because we haven’t seen any player get the reps necessary in an Oregon uniform to make a decision. In a couple of months’ time, though, after the Ducks’ Spring Game on April 23, I’m very curious what our answer will be.
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