Breaking Down the 6 Potential Replacements for Marcus Mariota in 2015

Congratulations, Oregon's next starting quarterback. You have the privilege of being the guy after the guy. And that guy was Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, who may eventually have his number retired and is definitely a once-in-a-generation player for the program. 

No pressure or anything. 

The search to replace Mariota, who announced last week that he was going pro, will be one of the most-watched offseason storylines. There are a handful of candidates vying for the job. Oregon has done a stellar job in recent years of landing its next quarterback. From Mariota to Darron Thomas, Jeremiah Masoli and Dennis Dixon, the Ducks' quarterback situation has been stable for some time. 

Who will be the next signal-caller to lead Oregon's offense? Here are the options, assuming there are no transfers.

The Front-Runner

That would be Jeff Lockie, the soon-to-be redshirt junior who served as Mariota's primary backup in 2014. Lockie's playing time has been limited, but he has seen action in 18 career games. His numbers, even in a smaller sample size, have been solid: 29-of-41 passing for 264 yards, a touchdown and a pick. 

In comparison to the other backup quarterbacks, all of whom are freshmen, Lockie is a seasoned vet. Though Lockie doesn't bring the same level of athleticism Mariota does, he's had three years to learn the Ducks' offense without being forced into playing time. 

By all signs, he's the leader to succeed Mariota in 2015. He certainly has the vote of confidence from Mariota, via an interview with The Associated Press: 

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Jeff has a very bright future. He’s incredibly smart. He understands this offense and has really for me [sic] helped me out on the sideline. He sees stuff that allows me to make better decisions out on the field. He’s done an awesome job picking up the offense, doing his best at learning it, and I think he has a bright future for sure.

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However, there's a trend that does not work in Lockie's favor. The last three times Oregon named a new starting quarterback—Mariota in '12, Thomas in '10 and Masoli in '08—the primary backup from the year before—Bryan Bennett, Nate Costa and Brady Leaf, respectively—did not get the starting job. 

Is that a bad omen for Lockie? Each situation is unique, but it's something to keep in mind. The most veteran guy is not automatically the next starter for Oregon.

The Dark Horses

There's basically no experience behind Lockie, but that doesn't mean head coach Mark Helfrich won't go in this direction. Mariota, after all, was a redshirt freshman when he was awarded the starting job in '12 by former coach Chip Kelly. Helfrich has long considered to be cut from the same cloth. 

Taylor Alie (a walk-on) and Ty Griffin (a Georgia Tech transfer) are redshirt freshmen but haven't generated the buzz that freshman Morgan Mahalak has. Mahalak was a 4-star member of the Ducks' '14 class and had "quarterback of the future" written all over him. 

However, as Helfrich explained in an interview with Rob Moseley of GoDucks.com, Mahalak has a way to go before he gets the full support of the coaching staff: 

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Griffin and Mahalak “did, I would say, average to above-average jobs of staying dialed-in” over the course of the 2014 campaign, Helfrich said. “That’ll be a huge step for them this winter and early spring, getting their minds right to compete, to be in the best position from a mental standpoint, a confidence standpoint, to just play,” Helfrich added.

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Another option, albeit a long shot, would be incoming Travis Waller. Currently a 4-star, dual-threat quarterback, Waller has verbally committed to Oregon for '15. However, even if he signs his letter of intent, Waller will not be available until the summer. 

Experience hasn't been a prerequisite for earning the starting job at Oregon in the past, but the vibe around this group of backups is that they have a lot of ground to make up. 

The Wild Card

Oregon probably won't bring in a graduate transfer quarterback unless the situation is blatantly dire. If the Ducks do pursue that route, though, Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller would be an intriguing name. 

USA TODAY Sports

Note the title there—it's not "former Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller." As of Tuesday, January 20, Miller is still a Buckeye. However, because he missed the entire '14 season with a shoulder injury and is in danger of losing his job to either J.T. Barrett or Cardale Jones, the rumor mill has churned out Miller's name as a transfer possibility, according to Graham Watson of Yahoo Sports. 

Miller could return to Columbus and take part in the most compelling quarterback battle in recent memory, or he could transfer and play immediately as a grad student. If he chooses the latter, would Oregon be interested?

"The two magic words: It depends," Helfrich said via Stephen Alexander of the Portland Tribune. "We’re going to exhaust every path we can to find the right guy, the right fit. But we believe in the guys who are already here."

Among the schools to have reportedly piqued Miller's interest are Duke and Florida State. However, there would be something fascinating about Miller's move from Ohio State to Oregon after the Buckeyes defeated the Ducks in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. 

Who Starts?

This is why Helfrich has seven months to decide. The offseason is long, and a lot of things can happen. However, if there's an early guess to be made, it's that Lockie holds the edge. He has the experience and the trust of the coaching staff. That's something no one else can say right now—at least as far as anyone knows. 

Would a Lockie-led Oregon offense look different next year? Absolutely; that's going to be the case no matter who earns the starting job. Mariota was on his own level, and there may not be a player like him passing through Oregon for a long time. 

Succeeding Mariota isn't an enviable position to be in, but someone will have a chance to carve his own legacy into Oregon's history books. There are too many other questions at the moment for that person to be someone other than Lockie. 

Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All stats courtesy of ESPN.com. All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.com.