Tulsa World: QB Masoli emerges as leader

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QB Masoli emerges as leader
Oregon sophomore leads high-octane offense.

OSU coach Mike Gundy leads practice in the rain on Thursday. JAMES SCHAMMERHORN/Ostatephoto.com

By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
Published: 12/27/2008 2:36 AM
Last Modified: 12/27/2008 3:02 AM

SAN DIEGO — Last season, Chip Kelly's first as the Oregon offensive coordinator, the Ducks dealt with a rash of injuries at the quarterback position.

Until Dennis Dixon was sidelined by a knee injury, he was a Heisman Trophy candidate and the Ducks were national championship contenders. By the end of a 9-4 season, four different QBs had taken snaps, but the Ducks still managed to set school records for total offense and scoring.

This season has been similar. When preseason practice began, Jeremiah Masoli, a sophomore who in 2007 played junior college football at City College of San Francisco, was No. 3 on the depth chart. Now, he is the undisputed leader of the Oregon offense.

The No. 1 QB had been Nick Costa, who injured his knee during an August practice. Justin Roper made three starts before Masoli emerged as Oregon's most effective quarterback.

As the No. 15 Ducks (9-3) prepare to meet No. 13 Oklahoma State in Tuesday's Holiday Bowl, Oregon coaches hope that Masoli can remain a hot quarterback. As the Ducks closed the regular season with victories over Stanford (35-28), Arizona (55-45) and Oregon State (65-38), Masoli completed 67 percent of his passes for 716 yards and six touchdowns. He has attempted 72 consecutive passes without an interception.

In Oregon's spread-option attack, Masoli has rushed for 612 yards. Against OSU, he needs only 33 yards to set the school record for rushing yards by a quarterback.

Physically, the 5-foot-11 Masoli resembles Missouri's Chase Daniel.

"(Masoli) will tell you that he weighs 215 pounds, but he's 225. He's a big quarterback," Kelly said. "He can take a hit and he can really run. He took it (66) yards on the third play of the game against Arizona. He's faster than people realize.

"He's a little shorter than people want in a quarterback, but he's got a big-time arm."

Before moving to Oregon, the 45-year-old Kelly was an assistant for 13 seasons at New Hampshire (his alma mater). It was announced recently that Kelly eventually will succeed Mike Bellotti as the Ducks' head coach.

Bellotti, Oregon's most successful football coach ever with a 115-55 record in 14 seasons, turned 58 last week. He is expected to coach for at least one more season.

With Kelly next in line, the Ducks are assured of offensive continuity. The spread-option will remain the weapon of choice.

"I've been excited about this offense for four years, since we put it in," Bellotti said. "We had been in a pro-style offense, so going away from that was somewhat a risk. I felt good about what teams like Northwestern, Utah and Bowling Green had done with it beating people with superior talent simply on the basis of the system itself."

The Ducks average 41.9 points per game. Entering the bowl season, they were eighth nationally in total offense (478.2-yard average) and fourth in rushing (277.8). Jeremiah Johnson has rushed for 1,082. LeGarrette Blount is 72 yards shy of reaching the 1,000 mark. Four receivers have at least 33 catches.

"I think (the Holiday Bowl) will be a good match-up because we do a lot of things that Oklahoma State has seen in the Big 12," Kelly said.

"We're a little similar to Missouri and Texas, and we're similar to Oklahoma State. It should be an interesting game."

Bill Haisten 581-8397
bill.haisten@tulsaworld.com By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer

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