Oregon Football: 3 most important newcomers for spring 2021

Mario Cristobal admitted on Monday afternoon that Anthony Brown was taking all the first-team reps this spring which means Ty Thompson has an uphill climb ahead of him.

The Ducks have a serious quarterback battle on their hands, led by the incoming freshman Thompson and Boston College transfer Brown who’s in his second season with Oregon. Jay Butterfield and Robby Ashford are on the outside looking in, but it’s clear that the fan favorite heading into the spring was Thompson.

Every fan loves the new shiny toy and Thompson is just that. He was ranked the No. 39 overall prospect and fourth-best pro-style quarterback in the 2021 class, according to the composite.

Getting a full offseason in may elevate him to QB1, especially if he benefits from a legitimate open quarterback battle.

In an ideal world, Thompson takes the reins as starter and holds the QB1 job for three seasons before heading off the NFL. That would give Oregon the highest ceiling.

The word important doesn’t even begin to describe Thompson this spring.