Week 5: Oregon at Washington State

The Ducks lead the conference, if not the nation, in starting quarterbacks lost to injury this season, with three and counting. The Cougars aren’t far behind, holding up two. Any more thinning of the ranks at this position, and these teams should either consider snapping the ball directly to their running backs out of the Single Wing or forfeiting the rest of the schedule.

That’s not to say there aren’t talented guys running the huddles for both of these teams. Reality is they’re freshmen who are still feeling their way around, prone to getting flustered, apt to make mistakes. Offensive continuity for both sides has been tossed out the window. That said, Washington State received a pleasant surprise when it inserted redshirt freshman Marshall Lobbestael against Portland State. He threw for touchdowns on his first two pass attempts and put the team in the end zone on his first four possessions. He kept things together in a 48-9 victory. His reward was being named Pac-10 offensive player of the week.

Oregon is expected to counter with true freshman Darron Thomas, who rallied the Ducks with three fourth-quarter touchdown passes in his college debut against Boise State before running out of time in a 37-32 defeat. This guy was headed for a redshirt season when that game began. He’ll need something other than adrenaline to get through his second outing. Sophomore Justin Roper, who went down against Purdue with a knee injury, remains questionable, as does sophomore Jeremiah Masoli, who left with a concussion against Boise State.

Elsewhere, the Cougars don’t have anything comparable to Oregon in supporting cast, particularly on defense. They picked up a couple of key reinforcements with the return of veteran safeties Alfonso Jackson (injured) and Xavier Hicks (suspended) for the Portland State game. They’ll need more offensive firepower than they have on the roster to deal with one of the Pac-10’s better defenses, with the Ducks coming at them with stalwarts in end Nick Reed and safety Patrick Chung. 

Notes:

Oregon leads the series, but just barely at 40-38-7, including 21-20-2 in games played in Pullman. The teams have split the previous six games.

Cougars sophomore cornerback Romeo Pellum, the team’s fifth-leading tackler with 13, is the nephew of Oregon linebacker coaches Don Pellum.

Since Chip Kelly took over as Oregon’s resident genius offensive coordinator, the Ducks have scored 30 points or more in 13 of 17 games, averaging 39.4 points per game in that time. Three of the team’s top six total offense outputs, including a school-record 688 yards against Utah State earlier this season, have come on Kelly’s watch.

Oregon can’t keep quarterbacks on the field, but can’t get safety Patrick Chung and center Max Unger off it. Those two have started every game in their careers, 42 and counting.

Cougars former starting quarterback Gary Rogers, lost for the season with a neck fracture and carted from the field in an ambulance, walked out of a Pullman hospital over the weekend and begins a three- to four-month rehabilitation. He’ll wear a hard neck brace and won’t need surgery.

Kevin Lupina, the Cougars’ second quarterback injured against Portland State, also suffered a neck fracture and is out indefinitely.

Key Player (Ducks) – LaGarrette Blount, RB

A junior-college transfer from Mississippi, Blount has assumed the role as the Ducks’ offensive go-to guy, rushing 57 times for a team-leading 383 yards and team-best five touchdowns. He’s wrestled the job away from senior Jeremiah Johnson, who’s been banged up. He should pad his rushing total considerably against a weak Cougars front seven.

Key Player (Cougars) – Marshal Lobbestael, QB

Rushed into action with two relief stints, the true freshman should start and see his first extended action, hoping for continued success. His career passing totals are 9 of 14 attempts for 149 yards and two scores with one interception. Facing one of the league’s better stop units, he’ll need to be as accurate as possible to give his team any kind of chance.

Oregon by 17