When Will Oregon see Another Multiyear Starter at Quarterback?

After multiple grad-transfer quarterbacks we ask: will Oregon have another soon?

The story of Justin Herbert at the University of Oregon is well known. The local kid who became the four-year starter for his hometown college team and is now enjoying a lot of success in the NFL. 

Since then, Oregon hasn’t had a consistent starter at quarterback. At first, it looked like Tyler Shough might be the guy, but he's since moved on to Texas Tech. As the 2020 season came to a close, it looked like he was unseated by Anthony Brown.

While Oregon has had multiple talented quarterbacks like Ty Thompson and Jay Butterfield join the roster in recent years, they’ve been relegated to bench duty in favor of guys like Shough, Brown, and so far in 2022, Bo Nix.

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So now this begs the question, will Oregon see another long-term starter like Herbert or Mariota in the near future? The answer to that; maybe.

As the time of this writing, the Ducks have five Quarterbacks on the roster. Butterfield, Nix, Jake Van Dyne, Thompson, and Marcus Sanders. These are in addition to incoming five-star recruit Dante Moore, who will be joining the team next year.

The line of thinking I’m following is probably two or three of these guys will transfer if they don't win the starting job at some point, that's just the natural pattern in college football. You go somewhere because you think you can play there.

As of right now, it looks like Nix and Thompson could be battling it out for starting snaps next year if Nix chooses to stay after 2022. With Nix as the starter, it could repeat next year if he chooses to use his final year of eligibility. Unless Nix drops off this season maybe we would see Thompson take over. Then he would be the starter until either he graduates or Moore or someone else unseats him.

That’s the short answer. 

The longer answer is, not sure especially when you factor in the transfer portal. The transfer portal has made it a lot easier for schools to get a bridge QB until they believe a guy is ready. It isn’t clear if Nix is that bridge for Oregon, or if the Ducks think he’s the piece to win now. 

The point is, he’s the latest transfer for a program that will be seeing its fourth since Mariota graduated. Vernon Adams, Dakota Pukrop, Anthony Brown, and now Nix.

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While there’s a possibility Thompson, Moore, or someone else can start a string of former recruits having long-term starting jobs (between two and four years), which would cut the need to start grad transfers--that doesn’t mean there won’t be a high-quality transfer coming in that could disrupt that.

If Nix's play should start slipping, the already loud calls for Thompson to play will get even louder. I don't think Thompson will start this year but you never know. If Nix stays for two years it could lead to a QB exodus which could further complicate things.

So, in short, while it’s probable we can get a quality multi-year starter for Oregon you never know. Nix looks like the guy for now, but the rest of the season and spring ball in 2023 should add clarity. 

If Nix is done after this year Thompson looks to be the presumptive starter with Butterfield and Moore battling it out for the backup job. And after the action he saw against Eastern Washington, the future looks to be in good hands but we'll have to see further down the line.

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