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Preseason Camp Preview: QB
09/29/20 | Football, @GoDucksMoseley
Assessing how things stack up for the UO football team entering the start of preseason camp Oct. 9.
QUARTERBACK
Who's back: He has thrown a grand total of 15 passes in his collegiate career so far, but that number doesn't quantify Oregon's faith in sophomore quarterback Tyler Shough. And much of that confidence is rooted in traits that are hard to quantify as well. When the Ducks open preseason camp on Oct. 9, they'll do so without four-year starter Justin Herbert, whose stature, arm strength and underrated athleticism were measurables that had NFL scouts agog. Shough — rhymes with "Duck" — may still be maturing toward those levels of physical gifts. But his outgoing personality and charismatic swagger have a gravitational pull, and Shough's teammates have flocked to support him as their next leader in the wake of Herbert's departure.
Shough made three brief appearances in 2018, preserving his redshirt status under the new NCAA rule enacted that season. His first hints to Oregon fans of what was to come came in September 2019 against Nevada, when Shough took over from Herbert with the Ducks comfortably ahead. Shough's first career completion was a touchdown pass to Jaylon Redd, and he finished that game 8-of-9 passing. But the real eye-opener came two months later at USC, in relief of Herbert late in another comfortable UO victory. Shough threw his third touchdown pass of the season that night, to Mycah Pittman. But he also showed off exactly the sort of moxie that built his standing with teammates, by getting out ahead of a run play and leveling a USC defender. The play was the last one of the game, in a big win for Oregon, but Shough was competitive to the end and had no problem mixing it up as a blocker.
Mario Cristobal said Shough was Oregon's projected starter entering spring drills earlier this year, and remained in that position coming out of the abbreviated, four-practice session of drills. That said, Shough's next start — should he keep the job — will be the first of his career, and the returning depth behind him also is, well, green. Cale Millen was a developmental squad player early in the 2019 season before being sidelined by a shoulder surgery. In his absence, Bradley Yaffe got invaluable reps running the developmental squad the rest of the year. Yaffe impressed the staff, looking like a guy who could handle game reps if need be. But entering 2020, Shough's 15 career completions were the grand total of returning game experience at quarterback for Oregon.
Who's new: For all the confidence in Shough, a head coach has an obligation to make sure his team is prepared for contingencies, Cristobal said this offseason. So the Ducks bolstered their quarterback room with some much-needed experience this summer, when graduate transfer Anthony Brown arrived from Boston College. A 6-foot-2, 220-pound native of Cliffwood, N.J., Brown has 680 career passing attempts under his belt, for 4,738 yards with 40 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions. He can run a little, too, with 129 carries for 423 yards and four touchdowns. Knee injuries dogged Brown while in Boston, but his ability was clear when healthy, and he quickly endeared himself to Oregon players and staff with a team-first mindset upon arriving in Eugene. Of the Ducks' two true freshmen, Jay Butterfield arrived in time for spring but was denied the chance to take full advantage of that decision when spring practice was cut short. He was joined over the summer by Robby Ashford, a two-sport star who has the potential to be an impact baseball player as well.
ROB'S TAKE
Projected depth chart
QB: Tyler Shough, So.; Anthony Brown, Gr.; Cale Millen, RFr.; Jay Butterfield, Fr.; Robby Ashford, Fr.; Bradley Yaffe, RFr.
What to watch: Any year in which there isn't a returning starter at quarterback is going to make for an interesting preseason camp. Shough no doubt had a leg up on the competition during this offseason, but the Ducks welcomed in Brown not only as insurance behind Shough but to push him for the job as well. Few preseason camp storylines are as captivating as a quarterback competition, so the status of that battle for reps will be a major thing to watch the first few days and beyond. Then, of course, there's the presence of a first-year QB coach and offensive coordinator, Joe Moorhead. Other than four spring practices, Oregon's installation of Moorhead's offense has happened in meetings and walkthroughs. Now it's time to go live, and see how all the quarterbacks process his playbook at full speed.
Who's back: He has thrown a grand total of 15 passes in his collegiate career so far, but that number doesn't quantify Oregon's faith in sophomore quarterback Tyler Shough. And much of that confidence is rooted in traits that are hard to quantify as well. When the Ducks open preseason camp on Oct. 9, they'll do so without four-year starter Justin Herbert, whose stature, arm strength and underrated athleticism were measurables that had NFL scouts agog. Shough — rhymes with "Duck" — may still be maturing toward those levels of physical gifts. But his outgoing personality and charismatic swagger have a gravitational pull, and Shough's teammates have flocked to support him as their next leader in the wake of Herbert's departure.
Shough made three brief appearances in 2018, preserving his redshirt status under the new NCAA rule enacted that season. His first hints to Oregon fans of what was to come came in September 2019 against Nevada, when Shough took over from Herbert with the Ducks comfortably ahead. Shough's first career completion was a touchdown pass to Jaylon Redd, and he finished that game 8-of-9 passing. But the real eye-opener came two months later at USC, in relief of Herbert late in another comfortable UO victory. Shough threw his third touchdown pass of the season that night, to Mycah Pittman. But he also showed off exactly the sort of moxie that built his standing with teammates, by getting out ahead of a run play and leveling a USC defender. The play was the last one of the game, in a big win for Oregon, but Shough was competitive to the end and had no problem mixing it up as a blocker.
Mario Cristobal said Shough was Oregon's projected starter entering spring drills earlier this year, and remained in that position coming out of the abbreviated, four-practice session of drills. That said, Shough's next start — should he keep the job — will be the first of his career, and the returning depth behind him also is, well, green. Cale Millen was a developmental squad player early in the 2019 season before being sidelined by a shoulder surgery. In his absence, Bradley Yaffe got invaluable reps running the developmental squad the rest of the year. Yaffe impressed the staff, looking like a guy who could handle game reps if need be. But entering 2020, Shough's 15 career completions were the grand total of returning game experience at quarterback for Oregon.
Who's new: For all the confidence in Shough, a head coach has an obligation to make sure his team is prepared for contingencies, Cristobal said this offseason. So the Ducks bolstered their quarterback room with some much-needed experience this summer, when graduate transfer Anthony Brown arrived from Boston College. A 6-foot-2, 220-pound native of Cliffwood, N.J., Brown has 680 career passing attempts under his belt, for 4,738 yards with 40 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions. He can run a little, too, with 129 carries for 423 yards and four touchdowns. Knee injuries dogged Brown while in Boston, but his ability was clear when healthy, and he quickly endeared himself to Oregon players and staff with a team-first mindset upon arriving in Eugene. Of the Ducks' two true freshmen, Jay Butterfield arrived in time for spring but was denied the chance to take full advantage of that decision when spring practice was cut short. He was joined over the summer by Robby Ashford, a two-sport star who has the potential to be an impact baseball player as well.
ROB'S TAKE
Projected depth chart
QB: Tyler Shough, So.; Anthony Brown, Gr.; Cale Millen, RFr.; Jay Butterfield, Fr.; Robby Ashford, Fr.; Bradley Yaffe, RFr.
What to watch: Any year in which there isn't a returning starter at quarterback is going to make for an interesting preseason camp. Shough no doubt had a leg up on the competition during this offseason, but the Ducks welcomed in Brown not only as insurance behind Shough but to push him for the job as well. Few preseason camp storylines are as captivating as a quarterback competition, so the status of that battle for reps will be a major thing to watch the first few days and beyond. Then, of course, there's the presence of a first-year QB coach and offensive coordinator, Joe Moorhead. Other than four spring practices, Oregon's installation of Moorhead's offense has happened in meetings and walkthroughs. Now it's time to go live, and see how all the quarterbacks process his playbook at full speed.
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