It feels almost incomprehensible considering the start of the February signing period was just a few short weeks ago, but ready or not, the unofficial start of the 2019 season is right around the corner.
March 7 marks the beginning of spring football for the Ducks, and similar to last year, the Ducks will have a short break in the middle of spring practices to account for events on the academic calendar, culminating with the annual spring game on April 20.
As we count down the dwindling days leading up to the start of practices, WFOD takes a closer look at the primary storylines unfolding at each position and sets expectations for head coach Mario Cristobal and company as spring arrives.
Today, our Spring Storylines series begins with a look at quarterback.
Is Oregon insured at QB beyond Justin Herbert?
The short answer to this question is, “WHO KNOWS?!” but that’s non-compelling and an oversimplification of Oregon’s situation at quarterback as spring ball gets underway. The truth is, the battle for the second string gig should prove to be one of the most intriguing storylines for the Ducks this spring.
Everyone knows that Justin Herbert‘s name tops the depth chart heading into the 2019 season, and while Herbert’s 2018 campaign lacked the sizzle that many had anticipated entering last season, he remains the most critical component of this offense and is a safe bet to be drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
The depth behind him, however, is the very definition of suspect – mostly due to gross inexperience.
Last season, Braxton Burmeister served as the most seasoned backup quarterback on the Oregon roster, though it hardly seemed to serve him well. In 11 career appearances for the Ducks, Burmeister completed just 56.3 percent of his pass attempts for 373 yards, two touchdowns and six interceptions. He has since transferred to Virginia Tech, leaving a pair of freshmen to vie for the job as Herbert’s immediate understudy.
The most “experienced” contender of the two is redshirt freshman Tyler Shough. However, despite appearing in four games last season, Shough has yet to attempt a pass at the collegiate level. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 204 pounds, Shough resembles your more traditional pocket passer, possessing a strong arm and decent – though not great – athleticism. Rated as a four-star recruit and the top overall prospect from the state of Arizona in 2018, Shough arrived on campus last winter and immediately made a name for himself in the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex as a young player with tremendous work ethic and drive. How that translates to the practice field in the coming weeks will be a hot topic, as Shough likely has the inside track on the job once drills commence.
He will battle true freshman Cale Millen, who, similar to Shough, is a winter term enrollee who looks to maximize his growth and opportunities between now and the start of the season this fall. The good news for Millen is that, even in spite of Shough’s one year head start, the two will more or less begin the spring as equals seeing as how neither has acquitted himself in a true game situation at this level. Though he was a largely underrated three-star recruit coming out of high school, Millen has the build (6’3″, 206 lbs.), bloodlines (son of former Husky quarterback Hugh Millen), and production (75.9 completion percentage, 51 touchdowns as a high school senior) to seriously contend for QB2. His overall athleticism, in particular, could prove to be a great equalizer as he and Shough go head-to-head in the coming weeks and months.