Oregon Ducks QB Situation
Heading into Spring, the main topic surrounding the Oregon Ducks is their situation at quarterback, and this debate has reached a national scale and is one of the most pressing topics in the Pac-12 conference. Darron Thomas is one of the most successful quarterbacks in Oregon Ducks history at the collegiate level, and his ability to win games and pull through in the clutch as a leader were exemplary. Thomas succeeded in Chip Kelly’s offense, was smart, had a good arm, and he consistently made the right reads. However, the pocket-smart quarterback made a surprising decision to enter the NFL Draft, and this decision looks even worse after he couldn’t hit an open man at the Combine.
However, the lens isn’t zoned in on Thomas, because he is no longer with the Oregon Ducks. The pressing topic is which quarterback starts next season. Bryan Bennett and Marcus Mariota are the two young signal-callers who are in line for the job, but freshman standout Jake Rodrigues could also be in the mix. Chip is going to keep things wide open, and he isn’t in a rush to make the call.
Bennett is touted as the favorite, which is not surprising given his ability to run and his big arm. He is a tough quarterback who gets right back up after getting knocked down, which is also something Thomas was known for while with the Oregon Ducks. Bennett has accuracy concerns and forces the ball into coverage at times, but he is the only quarterback of the three with game experience and has the advantage in that regard.
Don’t count out Marcus Mariota, because the quarterback from Hawaii is also a dual-threat QB who can succeed in the Oregon Ducks spread offense. He was coached by one of the best high school coaches in the business, and his accuracy is pinpoint and beautiful. Everybody will take Bennett’s arm in a hearbeat, but Mariota has that innate football sense that takes a while to teach. His high Football IQ can be attributed to the fine tutelage of his high school coaches, and the hardcore Ducks fans know how good this guy is.
It’s almost a toss up between the two, and this can be seen in the poll below. Make sure to vote on the quarterback who you think will win the QB competition. Jeff Lockie is not one of the choices, because he is clearly not ready to start. Again, Chip is going to keep this open, but I doubt we see that freshman playing. He is the least able to run with the football of the four QBs, but he is a solid pure passer who is a bit underrated overall.
The common theme with the main three quarterbacks- Bennett, Mariota, and Rodrigues- is that they are all dual-threat quarterbacks who are talented and will fit the system that Chip Kelly implements. Nobody in Eugene should be worried about who the next quarterback is going to be, because all three of them are capable QBs. The winner of this quarterback competition is going to be a good one who can lead this team to another big Bowl game, and the Ducks are right up there with USC; there isn’t a big disparity between either team. The quarterback situation for the Oregon Ducks is more a question of, “Who is the most talented quarterback on this roster?” rather than, “Who is the only capable starter?”.
Another thing to keep in mind- and this is especially key- is that the Oregon Ducks spread offense is as quarterback friendly as it gets. The speed at the skill positions and the solid play on the offensive line ensure that there is going to be a receiver wide open at some point. It could be a running back like Kenjon Barner, a receiver, or a tight end like Colt Lyerla, but somebody is going to be open at some point. The beauty of it all is that the quarterback has the ability to take off and gain a chunk of yardage by running the football himself if nothing develops. As long as the quarterback has talent and can run, then he won’t flop in the Ducks system. You don’t have to be able to run, but it sure does help in an offense like this one. All three quarterbacks fit these descriptions, and it’s time to sit back and watch these guys go at it. Chip will make the right choice, and you can already tell that I can’t wait for football season.
Autzen Zoo is actively covering the quarterback situation in Eugene, and you can take a look at some of our pieces listed below on these players.
3. Darron Thomas Scouting Report
4. Q&A with Dale Newton on Quarterback Competition
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