Dont'e Thornton Embracing Leadership Role in Second Spring With Oregon
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No Johnny Johnson III. No Jaylon Redd. No Devon Williams. That's what the Oregon receiver room was battling going into the Alamo Bowl against Oklahoma.
It was time to "unleash the skinnies."
While the conclusion of the 2021 season was far from how the Oregon Ducks wanted to finish, losing three of the final four games by an average of nearly 25 points per game, it was just what Dont'e Thornton needed to give him confidence going into his second season.
Entering the game with just five catches for 85 yards and a touchdown on the season, Thornton showed out on the national stage with four catches for 90 yards and a touchdown.
"The bowl game really let me know that I really can do this. I really could play football at a high level," Thornton said. "That was really like my confidence booster right there."
Oregon WR Dont'e Thornton in the Pac-12 Championship
Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest
The Baltimore native said he often questioned his confidence last season playing behind some of the veterans, but he knew at the end of the season, the coaches depended on him, which required him and his teammates to "mature faster." So he asked himself what he could do differently with the expectations sure to rise in his sophomore year.
"Of course we had a lot of older guys so I didn't play as much so like, 'dang, what can I do to keep working and get on the field?'" Thornton said. "Not get discouraged and just stay on top of everything."
And that's exactly what he did. Thornton learned from his experience as a true freshman and went right to work on how he could improve given the expectation for an expanded role, especially in Kenny Dillingham's pro-style offense.
"The thing that I changed the most from this offseason since last offseason was that I got in the playbook a lot," he said. "Every day, I'm at the facility, talking to the coaches, going over plays the day before practice. I'm just putting more effort into off-the-field stuff that's going to help me on the field."
Oregon WR Dont'e Thornton Spring Practice
Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest
Thornton is also putting more effort into his body, putting on six to seven pounds of muscle since the end of last season. But the most important area of growth for him is that he's embraced a leadership role in a room that isn't stacked with upperclassmen like it has been in years past.
Earlier this spring, Ty Thompson praised the wide receiver who caught his first collegiate touchdown pass, emphasizing that Thornton has been "acting like a senior."
Oregon QB Ty Thompson Spring Practice
Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest
"He's put in an extra amount of work," Thompson said. "He's an extra vocal leader. His leadership role from last year to this year, I don't know if anyone talked to him about it, but he's elevated it tenfold."
Thornton clarified that he took it upon himself to step into that role in the wide receiver room.
"With all the older guys in the room gone, somebody had to step up," he said. "I've been trying my best to help everybody out, even though I'm not the oldest one in the room."
Oregon WR Dont'e Thornton Spring Practice
Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest
Learning from guys like Johnson, Redd, and Williams certainly helped Thornton, Troy Franklin, and Kris Hutson to be comfortable leading the receiver room heading into this season.
With all of the work that Thornton has put in this offseason, it's already beginning to pay off in spring.
"I feel like for me, the game has changed a lot because it slowed down to me," he said. "Last year, I was very worried about messing up, but now I just play like 'okay, I've been studying, I know what I gotta do, now I can just play football freely.' "
The Ducks need their receivers to elevate their game this season. Thornton is sure to be a breakout candidate in Kenny Dillingham's up-tempo offense that gets playmakers the football in space. The new-look offense has got fans buzzing, but how does Thornton feel about the more pass-heavy attack?
"I love it."
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