No one likes waiting in line. Whether it is for that midnight movie premiere or the water fountain on the playground. Maybe it is the wraparound queue for airline check-in that seems to never end, or even worse, the row of chairs at the DMV. But what about a wait that goes on for years? That is the case for sophomore quarterback Bryan Bennett, who in his first year in Eugene took on the role of redshirt reserve. After senior backup Nate Costa went down with a knee injury in early November, Bennett vaulted over Daryle Hawkins on the depth chart to become the Ducks’ next option at signal-caller behind Darron Thomas. He didn’t play a down and, despite making evident progress since he arrived at Oregon, and being seen as the future starter for the Ducks, Bennett will have to wait in line behind Thomas for most likely one, if not two, more years.
Oregon Daily Emerald: Coming out of high school, you were ranked No. 15 for pro-style quarterbacks in your class (according to Rivals.com). You got offers from many schools, including perennial contenders Pittsburgh and Boise State. Why was Oregon your selection?
Bryan Bennett: I came here and visited, and I felt like I was comfortable here. I liked all the coaching staff. I felt it was a good fit for me in the offense, and I had the feeling I’d be best off here.
ODE: At the start of last season you were a freshman with Darron Thomas, Nate Costa and Darlye Hawkins ahead of you, all of whom had some experience running the offense before. When the season ended, you were number two on the depth chart. What changed to boost you ahead of those guys?
BB: Getting to run with the offense and gain experience. Running with the “twos” and getting to do what we really do on the field rather than running the scout team was a great learning experience for me. I got to really get a grasp of what we do as an offense and run it against somebody else.
ODE: Even after the stellar season Darron Thomas just had, some people are calling for you to see more reps on the field or be the starter. What do you have to say to this?
BB: For those people, that is awesome that they feel that way about me. Darron has done a great job, and obviously he deserves to be on the field after taking us to a national championship, but that doesn’t mean that Darron and I will stop competing. He helps me a lot in getting the grasp of this offense. I am just going to keep working hard but being a backup or starter. That’s not up to me; it’s up to the coaches.
ODE: If Darron plays well this season and sticks around for his senior year, it could be another two years before you get the starting nod. Are you prepared for this?
BB: That is tough to think about, but I am not going to let that interfere with anything I am doing. I’m going to keep working hard to see the best of my ability. If Darron is here, then Darron is here, and if he’s not, he’s not. But it’s not going to change me striving to get better. Hopefully one day I get on the field.
ODE: You led the scout or second team all last year. At most colleges, running with the second string is different than the first team. It can be tough to acclimate from playing with and against reserves to being on the field with starters. Oregon has a lot of depth, though. Do you feel a difference shifting between the first and second string?
BB: It is different. Coming from scout team to running the “twos” is definitely a big jump because with the scout team you are running other teams’ plays. But like you said, on the “twos” we have guys that if they were at any other school they could be starting, which is an asset that our team has. So running with the “twos” is obviously not running with the “ones,” but it’s still a great experience.
ODE: You have been praised for learning the read-option and being able to execute it well, at least in practice. What was the learning curve like on that?
BB: It was a lot of paying attention, extra film, keeping my head up and taking notes in meetings and really giving it my full attention. There are still a lot of things I have to learn and need to get comfortable with, but I feel like I have a good grasp of it.
ODE: Which receiver do you feel like you have the best chemistry with?
BB: Nick Cole and I have connected on a few long balls this spring. I worked with Justin Hoffman a lot during the offseason too. I feel with all of these guys, we all know our jobs, and no matter what, we should be able to execute well.
ODE: What has been the most important thing you have learned as a quarterback since you arrived in Eugene?
BB: Being a leader and how important it is to be in the film room and know what is going on. When you get to this level, you got recruited for a reason, so it is important to know what you are doing on the field and execute it.
ODE: What was it like wearing the red jersey on the sideline, holding a clipboard, during last year’s undefeated run to the title game — knowing you would only play under dire circumstances?
ODE: At first it was a little tough, because that was my first time in a long time I sat there and watched the football game and not play. As the season went on I realized how valuable that redshirt jersey is. But looking and learning from these guys set a standard for me, with in my first year, going to a national championship. For all of us freshmen, we know what it takes now. It was very valuable to my future. A lot of learning went on.
ODE: Which quarterback in the Pac-10 are you most comparable to?
BB: I’d like to have the skill set Jake Locker had. He is bigger than I am, but we have strong arms and are athletic. Andrew Luck is a good guy to look at. He (is) very poised and a good leader and when forced to run made big gains. Those are guys I want to be compared to.
ODE: Who have you learned from the most during your time here?
BB: Coach (Mark) Helfrich (offensive coordinator) taught me a lot of things. A lot of the things Coach Kelly says to our team have really opened my eyes, and then Darron Thomas and Nate Costa have been a huge help.
ODE: When your time is finished here, how do you think you will be regarded?
BB: I want to be known as a great player, but I want people to look back and think I was a good person and a good leader of this team, to remember the things I did off the field and the way I carried this team.
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