This looked to be quite the chance for Dylan Raiola.
He would get to take on his former team, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, at the home of his new team, the Oregon Ducks’ Autzen Stadium.
The Ducks made a different call at the quarterback position for Saturday night, though.
Instead of playing Raiola, they’re playing Brock Thomas.
It’s a third starting QB this season for Oregon with Dante Moore still out as he recovers from concussion.
Is Dante Moore Playing This Week?
The original starting QB for the Ducks, the star Dante Moore, was ruled out again for this week.
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.
But this week, it’s different.
Why Isn’t Dylan Raiola Playing This Week?
Raiola isn’t playing simply because he was benched.
He’s not hurt, but he was pulled a week ago and won’t get the start this week.
He was just 6-for-19 for 43 yards with two interceptions before head coach Dan Lanning pulled him in the fourth quarter of last week’s loss to UCLA.
Of course, Raiola would have loved to face Nebraska, and maybe he can still get in the game eventually. 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 he had a chance to start with Moore out. Instead, Thomas got the gig.
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.
Now, Thomas gets his first start with the Ducks. It seemed unlikely at the start of the year, but that’s how this season has gone for Oregon.
Why Isn’t Dylan Raiola Playing Tonight? Oregon Uses Brock Thomas at QB vs. Nebraska