After months without football inside Autzen Stadium, there were hours of enjoyable to be had in Eugene on Saturday afternoon while the yearly Oregon Ducks’ spring videogame took location.
While it was an intrasquad skirmish that didn’t mean much in the grand plan of things, it provided Oregon fans and media members a opportunity to see some of the brand-new dealswith on the group, and what the upgraded variation of the Ducks will appearance like going into 2023.
We saw anumberof highlights, a breakout efficiency from Tez Johnson and Cole Martin, and the grittiness and perseverance that makes QB Bo Nix unique. We likewise got to see a roller-coaster efficiency from Ty Thompson that must eventually leave fans with a bit more self-confidence than they had coming into the videogame. Let’s start there. Here are my mostsignificant takeaways from the spring videogame, beginning with No. 13.
Ty Thompson Shows Growth
I’m not going to lie, with about a minute left in the veryfirst half, I was prepared to start looking at the 2024 quarterback transfer website market, hoping that I might figure out where the Ducks were going to go for a QB1 the year after Bo Nix leaves.
Ty Thompson, the redshirt sophomore who everybody pencils in as the 2024 QB1, had not done much in the veryfirst half to motivate a fan base desperate to see indications of enhancement. He tossed 6 straight incompletions to start the day, consistingof a pass on his veryfirst effort that by all indicates needto haveactually been an interception going for a goal the other method.
“If I didn’t have the elbow brace, I would have had the versatility to catch it,” linebacker Mase Funa stated, stating the play.
Going into the last drive of the half, Thompson was 1-for-8 death with his just conclusion being an underhand pitch to a motioning receiver throughout his front. Spirits were definitely not high.
However, Thompson settled and led a drive that almost resulted in a goal as time ended. From that drive onward, QB13 was one of the most excellent gamers on the field, finishing 15 of his next 26 passes for more than 250 backyards. On the day, Thompson completed with 274 backyards and 2 TD on 16-for-34 passing.
“That’s football a little bit, best? You understand we had some bad balls early, some difficulty early, didn’t total some, some sluggish begins,” Lanning stated. “And then be able to get some shots there at the end, I believe that was huge.”
Did we see enough to feel positive that Thompson will be an elite QB for Oregon in 2024? Definitely not. However, we saw development at the really least, and that’s all I was asking for.
Cole Martin Shows Promise
You desire to talk about real freshmen who revealed their existence on Saturday? Look no evenmore than defensive back Cole Martin. He made a couple of plays early on in this videogame that were noteworthy. One was a huge hit and dealwith in open area on the outdoors. The other practically resulted in an interception of Ty Thompson on a third-and-long, however it still got the defense off the field.
Later in the day, Martin revealed flashes of his unique groups expertise, taking a punt return 29 backyards up the field. The play might haveactually gone for a goal if not blown dead.
“Cole’s a great gamer you understand, I believe he’s precisely what we idea he was gonna be,” Lanning stated. “You understand, I believe what makes it unique is he’s the man who’s gonna be up here at 6 a.m., you understand, get an ice bath, doing the additional. He understands what’s needed. Obviously, he’s a coach’s kid. So he does a little bit additional from that viewpoint. He got some highlights today, however I’m sure there’s things that he desires to enhance on.”
Martin completed with 3 dealswith however revealed an upside that doesn’t make it difficult to imagine him being a routine on the field this fall.
Bo Nix Shows No Quit
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It’s not typically you see your beginning quarterback rating a game-sealing goal with 1: 02 on the clock in the 4th quarter of a spring videogame. Heck, it’s not frequently you see your beginning quarterback playing past the veryfirst quarter of a spring videogame. Generally, coaches and gamers concur there is too much threat baked into playing your most important property more than a coupleof drives in a skirmish where, as Drew Carey stated it finest: “Everything’s made up and the points wear’t matter.”
It mattered to Nix, . After beginning the 2nd half for the green group, Nix took a couple of series off to let real freshman Austin Novosad get some experience. However, the green group quickly fell behind on the scoreboard, and Nix came back to take care of company.
He led his group on 3 successive scoring drives to make it so even a last-second goal from the yellow group wouldn’t make a distinction.
Was that the strategy?
“Yes that was the strategy,” Lanning stated. “We were going to play football today and shot to get muchbetter at football.”
Do I think it? Not actually. Lanning stated the objective was to win the videogame, however Oregon’s head coach didn’t appear too interested in providing thorough and thoughtful responses to the media members who waited around to talk to him on Saturday afternoon.
“When we got down, I certainly desired to go back in,” Nix stated.
Was it negligent? Sure. Had something tookplace injury-wise, Lanning and his training personnel would have a lot of concerns to response. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case, and Nix revealed what makes him such a excellent rival, and why he’s the right male to lead the Ducks to an anticipated effective season in 2023.
Tez Johnson is the Real Deal
If Oregon fans didn’t understand who Tez Johnson was priorto this videogame, they definitely understand now.
The large receiver transfer from Troy had an amazing day, and was called our Most Valuable Player of the videogame. Kris Hutson may have endup with more lawns, however Johnson certainly had the emphasize of the day when a brief 6-lawn pass from Ty Thompson was rapidly turned into a 63-yard TD thanks to Johnson.
63-yard home call!
Tez Johnson 🤝 @