The Oregon Ducks have gone from a sure thing with Marcus Mariota, to Vernon Adams and now likely to another Quarterback Experiment with Dakota Prukop.
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“Vernon Adams 2.0,” exclaimed many Oregon fans this week after Montana State quarterback Dakota Prukop announced his intentions to transfer to the University of Oregon for his final season of eligibility. Similar to Adams, Prukop will enroll at Oregon as a graduate student, and will likely be named the starting quarterback. Although this is a familiar territory for Oregon fans, don’t expect much of the same.
Vernon Adams and Dakota Prukop both flash athleticism and poise, but are otherwise two completely different players. Adams walked into a more challenging situation after struggling to pass a math class, leading to a late arrival; he didn’t have long to earn the trust of his teammates. Even though he showed flashes of brilliance early in the season before suffering a broken finger, it wasn’t until late October when fans saw the Adams they had expected. Adams turned out to be the savior, and his heroics are among the primary reasons that a once 3-3 Ducks have an opportunity to win 10 games.
Prukop appears to have a much smoother transition in front of him. He will arrive in Eugene after passing the GRE exam, and could be the definitive starter right away. In some sense, he’s also a savior of the 2016 team that would not have had a standout QB on its roster. His tape is flashy, but he also possesses very good instincts and will thrive in the Oregon offense.
Adams is a better passer; Prukop is a better runner. Essentially, fans will see Mariota’s speed under center once again, while the talented receiving corps will make up for the slight drop in passing quality.
What separates Adams, you might ask? It’s nothing on the stat sheet. It’s the grit, the toughness, and the “never die” spirit. Those traits are the reason Oregon is where they are today. In all fairness to Dakota Prukop though, Mariota didn’t even have the grit of Adams. Mariota was a once-in-a-lifetime player, but even he didn’t perform like Adams under such adverse situations.
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Dakota Prukop won’t disappoint, nor will he be Vernon Adams.