On April 28, as soon as the final whistle blew on Oregon’s Spring Game, one Duck player was instantaneously elevated to campus rock star status.
As we all know, that man was redshirt freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Of course, the increased publicity came with sufficient justification. After all, it’s doubtful that even one of the 44,129 people at Autzen Stadium went home that day without thinking at least once: “Damn, that kid looks good.”
Mariota’s flashiest play was an 82-yard touchdown run in which he dusted several speedy members of Oregon’s secondary. But the Honolulu native showed much more than raw ability in his first meaningful public appearance as a Duck.
A solid pocket presence. Crisp, precise throws. The patience to let receivers get open and the touch and timing to hit them in stride.
In fact, Mariota took up so much of the spotlight that Saturday that Bryan Bennett — the redshirt sophomore who only weeks earlier was the newly anointed golden boy of the program — seemed to be completely overshadowed.
Bennett was such an afterthought that he somehow managed to initially exit Autzen Stadium without making a brief appearance for the horde of media that had assembled. He was eventually corralled to the pressroom, but the point remained: If only for that day, Mariota was the hot commodity, while Bennett was … something else.
With spring practices coming to a close and the dog days of summer approaching, media and fans did what they do best — react. Suddenly, Bennett was on relatively shaky ground, while Mariota’s stock was booming at an unprecedented level.
Ironically, it was only a few months prior that antsy fans and overly reactive journalists had pondered whether Bennett was a better option than now-departed starter Darron Thomas. Never mind that Thomas was the program’s all-time leader in touchdown passes and coming off a season in which he had carried the Ducks to within three points of a BCS Championship. Bennett looked THAT good.
Now it seemed he had misplayed his hand as the favorite to win Oregon’s coveted starting quarterback position. Chip Kelly did his best to quiet the firestorm.
“(Bryan) didn’t have his best day today, and the unit around him didn’t have their best day today,” Kelly said. “And so he’s got to flip that and use that as momentum. It’s one day.”
One day to be sure, but also one hell of a first impression.
What’s unfortunate is that, for a long while, it’s the only evidence we’ll have to dissect. With Kelly shuttering the doors on spring practices and the players on extended vacation, those around the program are forced to take the scraps that are thrown our way.
Even if we studied the Spring Game film with Peyton Manning-like intensity, we’d be left wondering what we don’t see behind the scenes. Which quarterback is the more vocal leader? Which is more respected in the locker room?
Even more importantly, it’s key to remember what the Spring Game represents: a glorified scrimmage. During the contest, both quarterbacks were commanding skeleton rosters that were conspicuously devoid of Oregon’s full arsenal of offensive weapons. How do Bennett and Mariota look, respectively, with the benefit of the first-team offense at their disposal? Who has developed better chemistry with De’Anthony Thomas, Kenjon Barner and the receiving corps?
It will be a long time before we have definitive answers to these questions. But with the entire state of Oregon currently devoid of a more appealing and publicly discussed sports entity, I’m sure plenty of people will try their best to craft answers in the meantime.
Fans can only hope that players ignore the impending media circus — or at least learn how to avoid its pitfalls. When rumors swirled about his status on the team, Thomas remained poised and shrugged off his doubters. His discipline paid off when Oregon won its first Rose Bowl in 95 years.
But Mariota vs. Bennett appears to present much better theater, considering it pits two underclassmen with limited experience and a litany of outstanding physical traits against one another.
Kelly understands that he’s lucky to have such a hangup. But it’s a well-tested adage that the backup quarterback tends to be the most popular guy in town. With both players effectively basking in that type of glory, Oregon fans should be careful to not count on either as a consistent performer. Until the first interception, fumble or disappointing performance has taken place, how each player responds to adversity can’t be projected.
After all, Mariota has absolutely no game action under his belt. And Bennett — as I documented in a column this past January — racked up most of his impressive stats against competition that’s far from elite.
Round one of Bennett vs. Mariota undoubtedly went to the freshman challenger. But until the full 12 rounds unfold, grab some comfort food and enjoy the show. No matter the victor, Oregon’s future appears headed for enviable territory.
Duck Season Magazine: Lieberman: Drama of Bennett vs. Mariota destined to shadow Oregon program indefinitely
Daily Emerald
August 14, 2012
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