Saturday, January 14, 2012, Darron Thomas declared for the NFL Draft, foregoing his senior season at the University of Oregon. This was a good decision for Darron Thomas and, in my opinion, the Oregon Ducks will remain among the favorites to play in the 2013 BCS National Championship Game.
Darron Thomas
Oregon fans first saw Thomas in the fourth quarter against Boise State in September of 2008. Trailing 37-13 when he entered, Thomas threw for 210 yards and three touchdowns. The Ducks lost 37-32, but it was clear that Darron Thomas had skills. As the full-time starter for two seasons, 2010 and 2011, Thomas finishes his career at Oregon having played in the 2011 BCS National Championship and winning the 2012 Rose Bowl. However, Coach Chip Kelly lets the players compete for playing time every spring, and the Ducks are loaded. There’s not much more Thomas could accomplish at Oregon, and a senior season spent as a backup would not improve his NFL prospects.
Bryan Bennett
As Thomas’ backup in 2011, Bryan Bennett completed six touchdown passes without any interceptions, and ran the ball for more than eight yards per carry. His quarterback rating of 164.8 (Thomas’ 158.7) ranks in the top ten nationally among quarterbacks with at least 45 pass attempts. Bennett will enter the spring as the leading candidate to become Oregon’s starting quarterback.
Marcus Mariota
Marcus Mariota (class of 2011 recruit) came to Oregon as the top high school quarterback in Hawaii. He participated in the 2010 National Underclassmen Combine, with many of the nation’s top prospects, and won the “Fastest Man” and “Combine King” awards. In August of 2011, Oregon Coach Chip Kelly said Mariota was pushing Bryan Bennet in the competition to be the backup to Darron Thomas in 2011. Now, one year later, it should be a good battle again between Bennett and Mariota to be the starter.
Jake Rodrigues
Rodrigues (class of 2012 recruit) graduated early from high school and enrolled at Oregon in January. Among the nation’s top quarterback prospects, in 2011 throwing for 21 touchdowns (with no interceptions) and rushing for another 22, he is a dual-threat quarterback primed for a spread option attack. A season-ending injury in November, resulting in a broken fibula and dislocated ankle, raises some concern as to whether Rodrigues will truly be ready for the start of the 2012 season.
The Oregon Ducks continue their tradition of having depth at the quarterback position. Whether the 2012 starter is named Bennett, Mariota, or Rodrigues, the Ducks will again be in good hands.
I wish Darron Thomas well in the future, and thank him for all he has done for the Oregon Duck program.
Harold Andrews is a life-long fan of the Oregon Ducks, now living near Portland, Oregon.
Sources:
The Oregonian
espn.com
goducks.com