{"numbering":"no_numbering","slides":[{"title":"Anthony Brown - Senior","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/USATSI_15388527_168393342_lowres.jpg","credit":"Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports","published":1609635120,"caption":"

2020 Stats: 15-23, 164 yards, 2 TDs, 7 rushes, 40 yards, and 2 rushing TDs

Years of Eligibility Remaining: 1

Odds to start to begin 2021 (Post-Fiesta Bowl): 20%

Odds to start to begin 2021 (Post-Shough's transfer): 50%

Anthony Brown transferred from Boston College in the offseason but lost the quarterback battle with Tyler Shough heading into the 2020 season. However, once Shough began struggling after the Oregon State loss, Brown saw some snaps behind center in the Pac-12 Championship and then ran full series against Iowa State in the Fiesta Bowl.

With the NCAA pausing all eligibility in 2020, Brown will return for a final season in 2021. Given he performed well at times against the Cyclones and Trojans, maybe he can be a serviceable starter in 2021 while the underclassmen develop.

"},{"title":"Ty Thompson - Freshman","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/EisC-2SWkAYuBsq%20%281%29.jpeg","credit":"@ty_thompson // Twitter","published":1609635264,"caption":"

Years of Eligibility Remaining: 4

Odds to start to begin 2021 (Post-Fiesta Bowl): 35%

Odds to start to begin 2021 (Post-Shough's transfer): 30%

The five-star quarterback himself has already signed with Oregon and arrived in Eugene when the Fiesta Bowl was played.

After watching the Ducks scramble between playing Brown or Shough in the Fiesta Bowl, Oregon may not have the option to redshirt Thompson and have him start right away.

Plus, if he's as good as advertised, he may want to declare for the NFL Draft sooner than later anyway so there may be no use in redshirting him, either.

The 6'4", 215-pound signal-caller is a perfect fit in Joe Moorhead's offense and showed off his elite talent winning the state championship in Arizona as a senior.

When Thompson committed to Oregon, he was the nation's No. 8 Pro-Style QB but his stock quickly rose to match Oregon's opinion of him.

After he officially signed with Oregon, Cristobal called him the best quarterback in the country.

But I have the odds of him starting right away to have fallen with Brown for sure coming back.

"},{"title":"Jay Butterfield - Freshman","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/ELAGI42VAAEjCAF%20%281%29.jpeg","credit":"@jay_butterfield","published":1609635306,"caption":"

Years of Eligibility Remaining: 4

Odds to start to begin 2021 (Post-Fiesta Bowl): 20%

Odds to start to begin 2021 (Post-Shough's transfer): 19%

Butterfield was able to win the third-string quarterback job for Oregon this season and Mario Cristobal said back in October he was developing well in his first year on campus.

"It's important to mention that Jay Butterfield has done a great job and has really started pushing ahead as a guy who can be counted on," said Cristobal. "[He's] a guy that is getting the majority of the third-team reps."

The 6'6" quarterback has gained 10 pounds since enrolling in Oregon's strength program and was the nation's No. 5 Pro-Style quarterback in the 2020 recruiting class.

He may lack the necessary mobility for Joe Moorhead's system, though, compared to Brown and Thompson.

"},{"title":"Robby Ashford - Freshman","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/EaVDMecX0AMd1tr.jpeg","credit":"@robby_ashford","published":1609635405,"caption":"

Years of Eligibility Remaining: 4

Odds to start to begin 2021 (Post-Fiesta Bowl): : 4%

Odds to start to begin 2021 (Post-Shough's transfer): 0.9%

From the same class as Butterfield, Ashford dressed for numerous games for Oregon in 2020 but also did not travel to numerous road games.

He's a former four-star recruit who plans to play college baseball in addition to college football, but Cristobal mentioned all of his focus is on football at the moment with baseball out of season.

He seems like a prime candidate to transition to baseball full-time or transfer in the future, but if he develops heavily this offseason maybe he can push Brown, Butterfield and Thompson to move up the depth chart.

"},{"title":"Bradley Yaffe - Redshirt Sophomore","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/Yaffe_SJSU18_EE.jpeg","credit":"Oregon Athletics","published":1609635516,"caption":"

Years of Eligibility Remaining: 3

Odds to start to begin 2021 (Post Fiesta Bowl): 0.5%

Odds to start to begin 2021 (Post Fiesta Bowl): 0.1%

A preferred walk-on from the 2018 class, Yaffe has been in the program, for now, three full seasons.

Yaffe did supplant Millen on the depth chart so he can outplay some scholarship quarterbacks but if he were to be the starter in 2021, it would be the most shocking quarterback decision in program history.

"},{"title":"Tyler Shough - Redshirt Sophomore","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/USATSI_15388773_168393342_lowres.jpg","credit":"Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports","published":1609635221,"caption":"

2020 Stats: 106-167, 1,559 yards, 13 TDs, 6 INTs, 66 rushes for 271 yards and 2 TDs

Years of Eligibility Remaining: 3

Odds to start to begin 2021 (Post-Fiesta Bowl): 20%

Odds to start to begin 2021 (Post-Shough's transfer): 0%

With Shough leaving the program, he obviously will not be the Ducks starter.

Shough spent two seasons backing up Justin Herbert before winning the starting job as a redshirt sophomore. His start as Herbert's heir started great with the Ducks going 3-0 before a loss at Oregon State.

After losing to the Beavers, Shough struggled, including failing to lead a scoring drive in the second half of the loss against Cal and the coaching staff showing little confidence in him during the Pac-12 Championship. Rather than allow Shough to throw the ball on third-and-long, the Ducks called multiple runs, which all but one failed to convert.

Then in the Fiesta Bowl, Shough was benched for large points of the game before finishing the game with an interception on the final offensive drive of the season.

He has the tools to be a starting quarterback in FBS college football but heading separate ways is for the best.

"},{"title":"Cale Millen - Redshirt Freshman","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/Millen_Montana_EE.jpeg","credit":"Oregon Athletics","published":1609635431,"caption":"

Years of Eligibility Remaining: 4

Odds to start to begin 2021 (Post Fiesta Bowl): 0.5%

Odds to start to begin 2021 (Post Fiesta Bowl): 0

Millen, like Shough, transferred out of the program.

Millen has been on campus for two seasons but he redshirted his true freshman season and his 2020 season will not count towards eligibility.

He was a three-star recruit in the 2019 class and suffered a right shoulder injury that ended his freshman season.

With Oregon in need of bodies, Millen convinced Cristobal to let him help out on special teams as a part of the Ducks kickoff and kick return units. He even had an open-field tackle in the Pac-12 Championship during a return.

"},{"title":"Transfer Portal? ","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/USATSI_13645548_168393342_lowres.jpg","credit":"Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports","published":1609635563,"caption":"

This copy is from after the Fiesta Bowl.

Those are all the quarterback options on the current Ducks roster heading into 2021 but expect Oregon to be active in the transfer portal as well.

Mario Cristobal has built a culture of competition and brought in Anthony Brown from the portal last season. If the Ducks see a player who can come in and start in the portal, they will pursue that opportunity.

For example, Ryan Hilinski has entered the portal from South Carolina. He was the nation's No. 2 Pro-Style passer in 2019 and threw for 2,357 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions as a freshman.

"}]}

Oregon Ducks: Breaking down each option to start at QB after Tyler Shough's departure