Thomas Developing Unreachable Expectations

Before the season started the Oregon Ducks looked poised for a big year at quarterback in many fans eyes in late August. It was easy to spot wherever you went. The talk of the town was that Oregon was finally set at QB and that even if an injury were to come and take down a player for a good amount of time many fans were faithful in the fact that Oregon was deeper and better regarding the depth at QB than the Ducks were the season before. The fan base seemed to be split about 60/40 in favor of who should start the season opener against the Washington Huskies. In one corner was Sophomore Nate Costa who went the entire spring and summer atop the depth chart in coaches eyes and many fans eyes. Fellow Sophomore Justin Roper however had the one element that Costa didn’t which was big game experience. Roper was solid as a freshman against Oregon State in the civil war game but was great in the Sun Bowl victory over South Florida the year before. The coaching staff wasn’t ready to tab Roper the starter over Costa but they made it clear if need be Oregon would be fine and Roper was starter material. Either way the staff went Duck fans were boasting that Oregon might have some minor speed bumps to start the year but overall the Ducks were in prime position to have a big year at QB.

What about Sophomore Jeremiah Masoli and Freshman Chris Harper? Both kids when they came to Oregon didn’t sky rocket up the depth chart but both kids showed poise and talent in fall camp that allowed fans to have confidence in either one if they were forced to play this year. Both guys had raves from the coaching staff on how Masoli has a cannon for an arm and knows the spread offense well and Harper has been dubbed the best player on the team with the ball in his hands. When Costa went down with his injury before the Washington game there still was Roper, whom then proceeded to suffer an injury in the Washington game. So it seemed in Duck fans eyes going into the Utah State game and beyond the Ducks would simply move down the line of QBs and expect the same level of production.

Then there is Freshman Darron Thomas who before the Purdue game was known as the player who needed work on his arm strength, work in the film room, work on his reads, and overall was a very raw player that was improving each week but no where near enough the talent of the four other quarterbacks ahead of him. Thomas came to Oregon and showed potential but nowhere near ready to play significant snaps let alone start and guide a top 25-caliber football team. Thomas is talented no doubt, but there was a reason he started the season off being a freshman that is redshirting for his first year.

Now after the Boise State game that saw Masoli go down with a head injury and Harper unable to move the ball via the pass the Duck staff was forced the unthinkable, play Thomas and burn his redshirt. Thomas came right in and blew things up as he threw for 210 yards, three touchdowns, and one pick. Stellar numbers for any player for one game let alone a freshman seeing his first action of the season and playing only one quarter. Thomas played great. He played so great it was the best performance by an Oregon QB all season and even dating back to the previous season before Denis Dixon went down with his knee injury.

However, lets not get too far ahead of ourselves here Duck fans. Thomas was great, yes, but Thomas only played one quarter this season and that is not enough warrant in my book to label him the savior of the quarterback issues or the savior of our passing attack. Thomas was on the money for the most part against Boise State, but a few passes he did throw were nearly intercepted and a few should have been. An inch higher or an inch or two to the left and Thomas could have been pulled quickly after throwing three picks. His balls were frequently high and long which can be fixed but right now that’s a major issue to his chances of being intercepted and to his receiver’s health who have to go up the ladder for a catch.

If healthy, Masoli should enter the Washington State game as the starter and get most of the snaps during the game. However, Thomas and Harper deserve their own shots at playing QB during the game. Hopefully the Ducks can come out on fire and play with aggression and get a big lead before halftime and thus allow the staff to bring in Thomas and Harper together in the 2^nd half and work on both players’ passing games.