| 20 August 2010
The Oregon Ducks never seem to have had a problem in the past picking a quarterback to run their team.
Dennis Dixon was at the helm for 2006 and 2007. Then Jeremiah Masoli took over for 2008 and 2009. There was never any doubt who would run the show. But they have a battle on their hands now between Darron Thomas and Nate Costa.
The 6-foot-3 Thomas is a mobile sophomore with a strong arm, while Costa - a 6-foot-1 senior who is also fleet of foot - is more of a drop-back, prototypically built quarterback. And as the Ducks spent the last week examining Thomas and Costa, the race is still believed to be a neck-and-neck race.
Both have qualities Oregon desires, and what makes their fight so intriguing is that they bring relatively the same attributes to the table. Still, Thomas seems to be the more eye-opening of the two and has shown to be more accurate than Costa, which could make him the front-runner when all is said and done.
Thomas has a higher-completion percentage and displayed better footwork according to reports. As for Costa, he's turned the ball over too much.
Costa has undergone three knee surgeries during his trying college career at Oregon, and actually appeared to have the edge as July turned to August. He has won over his teammates with his maturity and perseverance. He admitted that this may be his final chance to play football at any level, so he wants enjoy it while it lasts.
Costa has rotated with Thomas daily in running the number one offensive unit. And with his arm-strength, the mental toughness, he has the immense knowledge of Kelly’s playbook to make a convincing case to start. But his chances of winning the job come down to one thing: consistency.
The two have their faults: Costa’s accuracy hasn’t been solid. Thomas’s mechanics need work. But their positives are many, which makes this competition so hotly contested. Time will tell who gets the nod to run the Oregon Ducks this season.
We're just going to have to wait to find out.
photo: espn.com
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