Notes: Lockie Starts At Quarterback As Adams Rests
By Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com
Two weeks later than it might have been under different circumstances, junior Jeff Lockie made his first career start at quarterback for Oregon on Saturday.
Lockie finished 23-of-31 for 228 yards and two touchdowns in the Ducks’ 61-28 victory over Georgia State, filling in while starter Vernon Adams Jr. sat out to get healthy. Against a Panthers defense that caught the Ducks off-guard at times with an aggressive blitz, Lockie was limited to two yards on eight carries.
“We came out, we scored a lot of points and we won,” Lockie said. “Can’t be too upset.”
Lockie spent all offseason leading Oregon’s offense, before Adams arrived for preseason camp and won the job of replacing Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota. Adams was in uniform and available to play if needed Saturday, but the Ducks relied on Lockie and Taylor Alie to lead them past Georgia State.
The Ducks enter Pac-12 play against Utah and its aggressive defensive front next week. UO coach Mark Helfrich didn’t speculate publicly Saturday as to Oregon’s quarterback situation for that game.
“We have a ton of confidence in Jeff, and we’ll see going forward what happens,” Helfrich said.
Lockie and the offense struggled out of the gates, settling for field goals on their first two possessions. The offense broke through for a touchdown in the second quarter thanks to the rushing of Royce Freeman, opening things up for Lockie to throw touchdown passes to Dwayne Stanford and Johnny Mundt later in the game.
About 20 minutes prior to kickoff, Lockie was announced as a starter, drawing a cheer from the several thousand fans already in their seats at that point.
“It was a lot of fun, just hearing your name called and getting that opportunity,” Lockie said. “Obviously we’ve got to score more touchdowns there in the beginning; whether it be some receiver stuff, some O line stuff, it definitely starts with me. I thought the way we finished the first half and started the second was what we need to do.”
Lockie said the experience of starting and playing three full quarters Saturday will benefit him going forward, whatever his role.
“It’s a little different from getting hit once or twice at the end of a game,” Lockie said. “Getting hit and getting back up, it’s been three or four years so that felt good.”
Though Lockie played a majority of the snaps, Alie had the day’s biggest highlight after taking over at quarterback for the fourth quarter.
He went through his projection on a pass play in the fourth quarter, didn’t see anything he liked, pulled the ball down and ended up running for an 87-yard touchdown.
“As soon as I broke through the line, a guy to my left had no idea I was coming, and I knew (Stanford) would make his block,” said Alie, a walk-on from Sheldon High in Eugene. “So I just let him set it up, and ran to the end zone.”
The Ducks also used the “wildcat” formation in the absence of Adams, using former high school quarterback Bralon Addison in that roll.
Addison ran three times for nine yards, and executed a flawless option pitch to Taj Griffin for a touchdown in the third quarter. In Oregon’s spring game, he completed three passes for 71 yards and a touchdown.
Addison was first-team all-state as a high school senior in Texas in 2011, completing 134-of-238 attempts for 2,158 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Oregon’s placekickers enjoyed an outstanding afternoon, a silver lining to the offensive possessions that didn’t end in touchdowns.
Aidan Schneider made all four of his field-goal attempts, three from 40 yards out. His kicks all came in the first half, the first time a UO kicker has made four in a half since Paul Martinez had five against Montana in 2005.
In addition, kickoff specialist Matt Wogan had eight touchbacks on his 11 kickoffs Saturday. Even though three were returned, Wogan averaged a perfect 65 yards per attempt.
Along with Lockie, Doug Brenner entered the starting lineup this week, in place of right guard Cameron Hunt.
Hunt did not play Saturday, nor did cornerback Chris Seisay, who was replaced in the starting lineup by freshman Ugo Amadi. The Ducks also did not use backup running back Kani Benoit.
