Vernon Adams, Travis Jonsen

Oregon quarterbacks Vernon Adams (left) and Travis Jonsen head to the locker room after an August practice.

(Andy Nelson/The Associated Press)

SAN ANTONIO -- The injury recovery of Oregon freshman quarterback Travis Jonsen took an important step forward in early December.



Specifically, several steps forward, and at a brisk pace, too.



Jonsen already knew his first season at Oregon would require taking things slow while digesting the Ducks' fast-break offense, but his mid-September surgery to fix turf toe made the notion of baby steps more literal.



"I just started running 2-3 weeks ago," Jonsen said Sunday, after Oregon's first Alamo Bowl practice in San Antonio. The No. 15 Ducks (9-3) play No. 11 TCU (10-2) on Saturday.



"It's just a day-by-day thing ... but it's definitely getting a lot better," Jonsen said. "I'm starting to jog now and I'm trying to get into a full run, so it's getting better."



A four-star recruit from Anaheim, California, Jonsen initially injured his toe in October 2014 as a Servite High School senior. He enrolled at Oregon in time for spring drills in March, and took part in practices without incident, completing 5-of-9 passes for 64 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown pass, in the spring game.



He said he then reaggravated it after fall camp in September; coach Mark Helfrich called it a "bizarre thing," while Jonsen noted it's "not your average turf toe," an injury that is typically a sprain of the ligaments around the big toe joint.



After traveling with Oregon to Michigan State on Sept. 12, Jonsen underwent surgery.



"It happened in high school, and then I kept playing on it, kept playing on it and eventually it got worse so I had to get it done," Jonsen said.



Jonsen has missed out on a season of splitting duties running the scout team with redshirt freshman Morgan Mahalak but because of his jump start from spring practices, Jonsen doesn't feel he's markedly behind his peers with the competition to become the 2016 UO starter opening soon.

His return to the field also will be a test of his refined throwing motion. Though Jonsen worked with private QB coach Steve Clarkson throughout high school, former offensive coordinator Scott Frost and Jonsen began the work of shortening his elongated mechanics last spring.

The 2016 Alamo Bowl

No. 15 Oregon (9-3) vs. No. 11 TCU (10-2)

Jan. 2, in San Antonio

3:45 p.m. PT on ESPN

"I think it's helping," Jonsen said. "I'm getting used to it. At the beginning I started thinking about it but now it's starting to get more natural."

In essence, the season has been one, long football study hall with spring his first opportunity to put that knowledge into action. On Sunday, he watched practice from the sideline while working with a strength coach on lower-body exercises.

"Obviously we'll have to see when I go back to the field but I think I'm more comfortable, and even in meetings I'm able to answer more questions and understand a lot more," Jonsen said. "I don't have to take as many notes down because I already know that stuff. ... The coaches don't have to tell me something twice because I'm starting to get it even more so I think that's what's good."



Included in that competition is, of course, Dakota Prukop, a graduate transfer from Montana State who expects to be on campus in time for spring drills. Yet UO teammates such as receiver Darren Carrington have vouched for Jonsen's potential, in particular, throughout the fall.



"Competition, competition, it doesn't get any better than that," Jonsen said. "The coaches got to do what they got to do and we have to do what we have to do. ... Basically what they said is we're going to put him in the mix and it's a challenge.



"We'll have to see how it goes, it'll be exciting."



-- Andrew Greif

agreif@oregonian.com

@andrewgreif