Oregon Football: Joe Moorhead opens up about quarterback battle

Last season saw the Ducks lose in the Fiesta Bowl, but quarterback Anthony Brown showed some flashes in that game. There were some promising drives. Last season saw Tyler Shough earn most of the starts, but there were struggles at times when Oregon was on offense. While the fault was not all on Shough, the team seemed to struggle in different areas depending on the game.

Making the team better as a whole entering the 2021 season is a priority.

Joe Moorhead has a pretty stacked quarterback room but it’s clear who is the likely starter for this team. It’s the guy with the experience: Anthony Brown.

“He’s a very cool calm customer,” Moorhead said of Brown. “He’s a guy who has played a lot of football. He’s a guy who is extremely intelligent and has a lot of ability as a thrower and as a runner.”

While the Ducks are pushing the competitive aspect for spring football, there is a lot to work with and be happy about when it comes to the most asked about position for the Ducks.

“We’ve got a lot of ability and talent in the room,” Moorhead said. “AB has the most experience and productivity at this level. He’s being more productive. All guys who can throw, all guys who can run, all guys who can digest it.”

Moorhead talks Oregon football’s loaded WR corps

The Oregon wide receiver group will also be one to watch this spring. The Ducks have a mix of returning players, who were given the opportunity due to the pandemic, as well as some of the top recruits at the position the team has ever had. Moorhead will be tasked with getting the ball into the hands of playmakers, but spring is a time to tell who those players will be.

In the first week of spring camp, everyone is getting reps.

“We have a bunch of guys who are upperclassmen with a bunch of experience and productivity and meshing that with a guy who has been here and not seen the field as much, both skill and line. Getting spring practices is critical for the younger guys. We’re excited about both the returnees and incoming guys as well.”

In their first scrimmage, the focus will not necessarily be on offense vs defense, but team-building and ball security.

“(Offensively) being able to produce explosive plays while minimizing turnovers and then gaining the confidence of their teammates and protecting the football.”

Oregon football has 15 practices leading up to the spring game on May 1 at Autzen Stadium.

Quotes obtained during Press Conference with Joe Moorehead via Zoom.