FishDuck writer and frequent commenter Jon Joseph pondered aloud recently if Oregon just shouldn’t go with Ty Thompson, mortgaging the present in hopes of a payoff over the next two years.
Whew! That is intriguing, as there are those at this site who see Oregon as a potential playoff candidate this year. Our best chance in Columbus, these folks say, is with a sixth-year senior at quarterback, not a newbie. Do you sacrifice this year for the future as this young team grows up? This is a big decision for the coaches that could look sage later or blow up in all our faces.
Should Anthony Brown be benched? What are your odds that this will happen?
Perhaps there is something I am not seeing, and you can share your thoughts in the comments, but here are the pertinent components according to Mr. FishDuck. First, I believe we will see a much improved Anthony Brown this fall, as he has not had a complete camp at Oregon until this spring. He has now fully learned the Joe Moorhead offense, knows his RPO reads better, and has the experience to know which passes for which plays need to be implemented.
What a sweet lofting pass to Tony Franklin from Anthony Brown.
At the Spring Game we saw a Brown bullet-pass that travelled deep and horizontally across the field; it got Pac-12 Network Analyst and former Oregon DC Nick Aliotti raving. Yet there was also a beautiful deep touch pass later in the game for nearly a TD to freshman WR Troy Franklin.
I believe Brown can deliver.
Yet I acknowledge other scenarios that could occur to move the odds against Brown, such as Thompson or Jay Butterfield playing so well in practice (the Marcus Mariota effect) that the rookie cannot be kept off the field.
Another would be a demonstrated decline on the field by Brown (pulling a Shough) that would justify bringing in an inexperienced quarterback? It would take such an amazing practice performance by a young-gun QB or such a steep decline from Anthony Brown that I rate those scenarios as low-odds. How about you?
If the coaches bench the savvy senior QB, we will say it was a big gamble. For those who want to do a bit of gaming action on this (as millions already do on sports) the choices online are endless, and Gamblizard can help with your selection as it provides unbiased reviews for the most popular sites in the gambling industry. Check the odds, as these sites make it possible to bet on athletes such as Anthony Brown and other football topics.
Anthony Brown is an excellent runner in the Moorhead offense.
The Offense May Dictate a Change?
The offense may make the decision for the coaches, and not because of the talent but because of the play-calling. If Oregon becomes a quarterback run-heavy offense in 2021, the probability of injury is almost guaranteed, thus a new starter will be playing sometime this next season. This component muddies my thoughts the most, because to me it has the highest likelihood of occurring out of all the scenarios that I’ve described.
I believe that the odds Brown gets benched based on talent and performance are zero, but all those other components above can change the odds drastically. While I may think the odds are zero for a change–what are your odds?
“Oh, how we love to ponder about Our Beloved Ducks!”
Charles Fischer (Mr. FishDuck)
Eugene, Oregon
Top Screenshot from Pac-12 Video
Phil Anderson, the FishDuck.com Volunteer editor for this article, is a trial lawyer in Bend Oregon.
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Charles Fischer has been an intense fan of the Ducks, a season ticket holder at Autzen Stadium for 38 years and has written reports on football boards for over 26 years. Known as “FishDuck” on those boards, he is acknowledged for providing intense detail in his scrimmage reports, and in his Xs and Os play analyses. He is single, has a daughter Christine, and resides in Eugene Oregon where he was a Financial Advisor for 36 years.
He now focuses full-time on Charitable Planned Giving Workshops for churches and non-profit organizations in addition to managing his two Oregon Football Websites, of FishDuck.com and the Our Beloved Ducks forum. He is a busy man!
He does not profess to be a coach or analyst, but simply a “hack” that enjoys sharing what he has learned and invites others to correct or add to this body of Oregon Football! See More…