The Oregon Ducks are home on Saturday night to host the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
For those tuned in to these two teams, there are a lot of narratives at play — and many of them stem from the Ducks’ QB depth chart of Dante Moore, Dylan Raiola and Brock Thomas.
It’s the kind of situation that may or may not get more clarity before kickoff on Saturday.
But at Autzen Stadium, one QB is going to run out for the first offensive snap for the Ducks, and no matter who it is, it’ll be a fascinating decision.
Is Dante Moore Playing This Week?
The intrigue starts with Moore, whose playing status for the game against Nebraska seems to remain uncertain.
He hasn’t played since being concussed against USC on a dirty hit after he slid to the turf.
Raiola replaced him in that game, then the Ducks had a bye, and then Raiola started last week.
Whether or not Moore will miss another game is a crucial factor one way or the other, but it doesn’t seem decided.
Is Dylan Raiola Starting This Week?
The next factor at play is Raiola, who was pulled midway through Oregon’s loss to UCLA.
He was just 6-for-19 for 43 yards with two interceptions before head coach Dan Lanning pulled him in the fourth quarter.
Lanning told reporters at the start of this week that if Moore can’t go on Saturday, that will bring about a QB competition in practice for who starts against the Cornhuskers.
Of course, Raiola would love to face Nebraska. That’s the school he played at for two years after being the No. 1 quarterback recruit in the country. Then he transferred to Oregon in the offseason, and it seemed he’d just be the backup when the Ducks played the Cornhuskers — but now there’s at least a chance he starts.
Who is Brock Thomas?
Thomas began the year as Oregon’s third quarterback, but he went 11-for-15 for 156 yards and a touchdown in an attempted comeback against UCLA.
He’s not the high-pedigree recruit of the Ducks’ other two quarterbacks, but sometimes productivity gets rewarded.
Thomas is actually a cool story, because he’s from Eugene and played locally at Sheldon High School. He played in a state title game in high school and also won a 4×100-meter relay state title on the track.
A three-star recruit, Thomas picked the hometown team as a third-generation Ducks player — his grandfather Paul Bauge and father Aaron Thomas both played at Oregon, too.
Oregon’s Dante Moore, Dylan Raiola, an Injury and a Brock Thomas QB Competition for Nebraska