A recent John Canzano article noted the intelligent move by Dan Lanning to have Ty Thompson take the first-team reps in the first spring practice open to the press.
My summation of Canzano’s post goes like this:
Thompson is a risk to enter the transfer portal while Bo Nix is not, so, with the job up for grabs, might as well start with Thompson running the first team and make it his job to lose. Because in today’s college football, coaches now have to consider the portal when designing the depth chart to possibly prevent pushing a player into the portal.
Sounds smart to me.
The harsh reality for some Oregon fans is that Nix might well win the job, which will then push Thompson out the door and into the transfer portal. For some, with all the 5-star hype and fanfare surrounding Thompson, this would seem quite devastating.
Bo Nix joins the Ducks for the 2022-2023 season.
But, the fact is that we have no idea how good (or not) Thompson is. He may very well not be living up to the hype in practice. While, for good reason, we questioned every single decision Mario Cristobal made in regards to the Oregon offense, it is very well possible that he was spot-on in naming Anthony Brown the starter throughout all of last season.
Easy Come, Easy Go
As fans, we need to get over our fear of the results of sound decision-making, that choosing the right player to start will push another player away. I mean, what is the alternative? Starting a player who is not the best at his position. Now, that my friends, sounds crazy.
The transfer portal has created a revolving door aspect to college football. When good players transfer, fans need to shrug their shoulders, have faith in the coaching staff, and say to themselves, “Big deal; we’ll just bring in somebody better.” With an Oregon staff littered with high-level recruiters, have faith that Oregon will simply bring in more talent to replace the talent that bolts.
It is the ever-changing world of college football. Embrace it or risk driving yourself mad.
Darren Perkins
Spokane, WA
Top photo credit: Craig Strobeck
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Darren Perkins is a sales professional and 1997 Oregon graduate. After finishing school, he escaped the rain and moved to sunny Southern California where he studied screenwriting for two years at UCLA. Darren grew up in Eugene and in 1980, at the tender age of five, he attended his first Oregon football game. His lasting memory from that experience was an enthusiastic Don Essig announcing to the crowd: “Reggie Ogburn, completes a pass to… Reggie Ogburn.” Captivated by such a thrilling play, Darren’s been hooked on Oregon football ever since. Currently living in Spokane, Darren enjoys flaunting his yellow and green superiority complex over friends and family in Cougar country.