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University of Oregon Ducks quarterback Travis Jonsen (11) scrambles to avoid a tag during the Spring Game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene on May, 2, 2015. Randy L. Rasmussen/Staff

EUGENE -- Travis Jonsen wasn't mad when his coaches brought in a graduate transfer quarterback for the second year in a row.

He understood it. Oregon's starting quarterback from last season was gone and Jonsen, a talented redshirt freshman, barely practiced last season because of an injury.

He gets it. He calls himself "boys" with Dakota Prukop and said he'll be a great teammate regardless of what happens.

But Jonsen has his own goals.

Mainly: Jonsen wants this to be the last season that Oregon looks out of house for a starting quarterback.

"That's the plan," Jonsen said on Friday. "That's up to me to determine that. Do I want another guy to come in and compete against him? Or do I want to step up and win the job?"

Jonsen was ranked as the third-best dual threat quarterback in the country coming out of high school and arrived at Oregon last spring with plenty of hype. He threw for 3,361 yards in 23 high school games and rushed for 2,133. He had all the qualities that Oregon typically likes out of its starting quarterback.

But his arrival was quickly hushed as Jonsen underwent surgery to repair a turf toe injury last fall. When asked about how Jonsen is coming along this spring, coaches often don't have a base level of play to compare to.

The fact is, Jonsen didn't have time to make an impact last season, so what he's doing now is new to everyone.

"There's a better presence and command of the offense, taking charge in his demeanor and his voice command of knowing what to do with the ball and he's getting better everyday," offensive coordinator Matt Lubick said of Jonsen's spring. "He's basically a freshman. This is the first time he's actually getting game reps."

Apparently, he's a freshman with a chance to win a job. Lubick was asked whether or not Jonsen had a legitimate chance of winning the job, and Lubick said yes. It may be just drumming up competition here in the spring, but it's something that Jonsen actually believes in.

He sees himself as the future quarterback of this team, especially in 2017. But he also has his sights set on this fall. It's something he and Prukop have talked about at length this spring.

"I feel like I (have a chance), definitely," Jonsen said. "The coaches said, 'You have a chance, Travis,' and I'm going to take it and embrace it."

He admits, however, that he has a ways to go. Because he lost last fall, he's been trying to pick the pace back up physically, working primarily on his footwork and his release. He and Lubick said they've been able to quicken up that release, which has in turn put more zip on the ball. He'll also need to spend more time mentally mining the offense. Sidelined with the injury, Jonsen said watching film was the one thing he was able to still do last fall. Now here in the spring, he's physically getting a handle of what his mind already knows.

"The best thing I looked at was the coverages," Jonsen said. "Knowing who to go to, hot routes, who is blitzing and just act like I am in the game when watching film."

With six or Oregon's 15 allotted spring practices down, Jonsen wants to start making his mark. Earlier this week, Prukop said he'd welcome competition for the position.

It's the only way the Ducks will get better, he said.

So Jonsen has decided to step up as a competitor. Prukop won't hand the job over to him, but Jonsen knows that he might as well make as much of this opportunity as he can. Not only for 2017, but for now.

"They brought (Prukop) in and I was like, 'OK, it's up to me,'' Jonsen said. "Am I going to match that? Am I going to excel? Or am I just going to back down and let him win it?

"We're boys, but we know on the field we want to compete."

-- Tyson Alger

talger@oregonian.com

@tysonalger