As Oregon opened its first fall practice, all eyes were firmly fixed on one position: quarterback.
On a team that returns 17 starters and an offense that returns nine starters, quarterback is the most obvious job up for the taking on the offensive side of the ball. Both sophomore Darron Thomas and senior Nate Costa were visibly excited to begin practicing and seemed ready to assume the starting role.
“It’s my senior year, and I want to make the most of it,” Costa said. “I’m comfortable with the players and the coaches, and I’m excited.”
Thomas seemed confident he would be named the starter.
“Yep, I’m going to show you all that,” Thomas said.
Many see Costa as less mobile and athletic than Thomas, but Costa said that talk is overblown. In winter testing, Costa actually ran a faster 40-yard dash than Thomas.
“It gives people something to talk about,” Costa said. “People just see DT and he looks faster, longer and rangier, but I wouldn’t say he’s more mobile.”
On the flip side, many see Costa as the accurate passer, but Thomas’ passing has improved quite a bit, as well. The gap between both is less than many think, but Thomas believes he can do better.
“I’m working on my throwing accuracy; you can never be too accurate,” Thomas said.
As far as the perceived strengths and weaknesses, head coach Chip Kelly said both quarterbacks need to get better at everything, just like Dennis Dixon and Jeremiah Masoli.
Offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich said the coaches are looking for a quarterback that can avoid turnovers and, although it sounds obvious, can get the team in the end zone using his specific skill set.
“I’m just trying to be all-purpose quarterback,” Thomas said.
While Kelly said one quarterback would be named the starter and there was no chance for a dual quarterback system, he also said both would need to be ready. He cited the 2008 Washington game where Oregon played three quarterbacks because of injury.
As far as the wide receivers go, senior D.J. Davis said the group prefers “whoever is throwing the ball.”
“We’re not set on one. Both QBs are good in my eyes,” Davis said.
Helfrich said the quarterback who wins the job will have the offense constructed around his talents, and that is the first priority for the coaches.
“First we tailor the offense to the quarterback, then to the offensive line, and then to the abilities of our skill players,” Helfrich said. “We take all that into consideration schematically.”
The next question facing Oregon is wide receiver depth. All three starters are back in senior Jeff Maehl, Davis and junior Lavasier Tuinei, but four scholarship receivers from last year are not with the team this year, for one reason or another.
Helfrich said walk-on Justin Hoffman has established himself as the fourth receiver on the team, but the other backup spots are unsettled.
Receivers like redshirt freshmen Blake Cantu and Nick Cole, who both missed spring ball, could step up and fill the gap. Incoming freshman like Keanon Lowe and Josh Huff prove ready to contribute, or fewer receivers play and the Ducks go with more two-tight end/running back sets to get Brandon Williams and Kenjon Barner on the field. And Helfrich said it could be a combination of those three options.
Davis said the group is working on building depth by starting with the basics. Position coach Scott Frost is starting from the beginning and working his way up through position drills, and that should acclimate incoming freshmen and those who missed spring ball.
All told, the Ducks look focused and ready to get the season started. Certainly Costa and Thomas are ready to claim their spot.
“We’re ready to go,” Kelly said. “The fun part is finding out who is going to step up.”
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Oregon’s quarterback position focal point of fall practice
Daily Emerald
August 9, 2010
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