Analysis: Oregon's Quarterback Outlook for the 2021 Season

Breaking down the quarterbacks after week one of camp, and what could happen as the season unfolds.

Through the first week of fall camp, there have been many compelling storylines so far in Eugene, from the cornerback competition to the deep tight end room and much more. Still, the most important position will always be quarterback and that's what I’ll be looking at today.

First, looking at who will assuredly be the starter on September 4 against Fresno State, Anthony Brown. From what we've seen from Brown thus far, he seems like a good leader and a competent quarterback to lead the offense.

I am extremely interested to see how Joe Moorhead will use Brown in his offense. I expect a lot of similarities with how he used Trace McSorley at Penn State with a lot of designed QB runs and short passes to the running backs. 

Even with all of that, I have a hard time seeing Brown as a quarterback who is good enough to lead Oregon to a win in Columbus and along with that the College Football Playoff. His accuracy leaves some to be desired and his throws just look wobbly at times. He may be the best quarterback now, but I wouldn’t be shocked if someone else is in shotgun by the end of the season.

Cristobal in spoke with reporters Monday after practice and said that Brown has had a great camp. He also mentioned Brown’s arm was being overused and they pulled him out of action towards the end of the scrimmage.

Potentially the most likely option to succeed Brown would be true freshman Ty Thompson. He impressed in the first scrimmage over the weekend and continues to show promise as to why he was so highly touted coming out of high school. 

While I do believe he has a ways to go to be ready to play meaningful snaps, I also feel like he has the most talent in the QB room, and at some point that could force Oregon’s hand to make a change looking at the long term view.

Cristobal himself said Monday that Thompson was the best of all the quarterbacks during the scrimmage on Saturday, further proving the point that the gap between the freshman and Brown might not be as big as some thought.

Another top option would be Jay Butterfield, the second-year freshman got some reps in practice last season to get ready for this year. Much like Thompson, Butterfield has talent, especially with his downfield throwing ability. 

He is more of a traditional pocket passer and therefore might not be as good of a fit in Moorhead’s offense, but if he is the best, I’m sure everyone can adapt. Butterfield seems like a mix of Brown and Thompson with a tad more experience than Thompson and more long-term upside than Brown.

Lastly, we have Robby Ashford who has been juggling baseball and football, but both he and Coach Moorhead are certain that he isn’t behind because of it. Ashford is a very interesting option, as he is much different than any of the other quarterbacks with his athleticism.

At times he reminds me of how Vernon Adams played football with his ability to escape the pocket and improvise. Ashford is another competent option that is intriguing to watch out for in the future.

So after going through the options at quarterback, it is clear that Brown is QB1 right now. But again, the talent level of the younger quarterbacks can’t be understated. If Oregon were to lose in Columbus in week 2, their next couple of games have them playing Stony Brook and Arizona, both of which are at home. 

That stretch would be an optimal time to give a soft landing for a quarterback making his first career start like any other of the younger guys mentioned above would be doing. Brown will surely be given the opportunity to prove he is the guy. But if things go south, I feel Oregon could look to the future of the position potentially sooner than others think.

More from Ducks Digest

Evaluation: Oregon WR commit Tetairoa McMillan

Torres' Take: How Mario Cristobal built a strong culture at Oregon

Oregon TE Patrick Herbert out with a knee injury in fall camp

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