Nico is Gone: Where Does Oregon Turn to For a 2023 Quarterback?

[Charles Fischer]

This is a good one, but on other sites--it is evident that there are more targets for the Ducks, although this one is key to focus on.

 

Oregon Recruiting: Ducks’ eyes turn to 5-star QB Jaden Rashada

DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM

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With the expected news that Nico Iamaleava Jr. has committed to Tennessee, Oregon’s efforts will likely ramp up on recruiting a new 5-star QB to Eugene.

 

[Charles Fischer]

This is from ChicoDuck, who does superb player analysis.  All is not lost, as there are talented targets remaining!

 

Eli Holstein 6' 3-1/2" and 226 Pounds - Zackary High School - Zackary, Louisiana

Zackary H.S. Enrollment about 1,600 kids (9-12) Four-Time 5A State Champions in Football

Holstein led his team to 15-0 Record and the 5A State Tile in 2021 as a Junior. He was also 5A Louisiana Player of the Year.

As a sophomore, he led Zackary to a State Quarterfinal round before bowing out.

He is a great athlete. According to Geaux247 at a sanctioned event (May 19, 2021) he recorded a 4.69 40-Clock, a 4.40 Short Shuttle, an impressive 38" Vert and an equally impressive 42'0 Power Ball. His 118.50 SPARQ score at 6'3 and 212 pounds is eye-opening.

 

FRESHMAN YEAR

He started and played very well for a 14-year-old at the Varsity level. His mechanics, though clunky were good considering his age. He made impressive 40 yard Go routes, 35-yard flag routes and even executed a screen play.

 

SOPHOMORE YEAR

He looked like a different guy with a year of snaps under his belt.

His decision-making was faster. The clock in his head starting to phase with the speed of the game.

His mechanics eroded as he was playing some hero ball. He was looking like a gunslinger.

He can really fire a ball. He unhinges his trail leg when he does it, but the velocity is there.

 

 

JUNIOR YEAR

Can make all the throws to all three levels.

Their offense went vertical. Very impressive passing attack. Reminded me of the Rams "Greatest Show on Turf"

His Center had trouble snapping to him at the same point. Holstein handled these errant snaps without any problems. It didn't appear to affect his clock. This kid is a very cool cat.

Big arm. Lots of 50+ yard vertical routes either from a set platform and on the move. Very impressive core strength.

Looked off the Safety and came back to throw a 25-yard laser to his opposite Split Receiver for a TD. Next level stuff right there. He's ready for D1.

 

MECHANICS

He has a very compact stride. It's a bit odd. I think at the next level (wherever he goes) the QB coach is going to try to uncoil him by lengthen his lead leg a little. Though that affects his release time a microsecond, his clock is running fast enough it won't matter. It will help him generate a little more velocity when he needs it, and flatten the trajectory. He has quiet feet for a HS kid. He remains anchored and rarely unhinges.

His core is very strong and will only get stronger as he matures. One film clip where he's flushed out of the pocket and he uncorks a 58 yard throw on the run without setting his feet is a testament to how strong he is. This kid is D1 ready right now.

At his next stop they will adjust the level of where ball is received at the snap. He has a bit of a baseball windup. They will get him to bring it more to his chin/ear for a more consistent launch platform. It will make him even more accurate than he already is.

 

SUMMARY

He decommitted from Texas A&M three days after Oregon offered him on March 15th. The key phrase in his decommit tweet "...with all of the coaching changes...". Of his potential finalists only Miami and Oregon could have prompted this, as they're the only two schools on his radar with staff changes.

 

Let's not kid ourselves here. This kid is really good. He's nobody's "backup" plan. He is a premier talent that can take a team to the Big Show and win it.

[Jon Joseph]

On 3/21/2022 at 1:07 PM, Charles Fischer said:

This is from ChicoDuck, who does superb player analysis.  All is not lost, as there are talented targets remaining!

 

Eli Holstein 6' 3-1/2" and 226 Pounds - Zackary High School - Zackary, Louisiana

Zackary H.S. Enrollment about 1,600 kids (9-12) Four-Time 5A State Champions in Football

Holstein led his team to 15-0 Record and the 5A State Tile in 2021 as a Junior. He was also 5A Louisiana Player of the Year.

As a sophomore, he led Zackary to a State Quarterfinal round before bowing out.

He is a great athlete. According to Geaux247 at a sanctioned event (May 19, 2021) he recorded a 4.69 40-Clock, a 4.40 Short Shuttle, an impressive 38" Vert and an equally impressive 42'0 Power Ball. His 118.50 SPARQ score at 6'3 and 212 pounds is eye-opening.

 

FRESHMAN YEAR

He started and played very well for a 14-year-old at the Varsity level. His mechanics, though clunky were good considering his age. He made impressive 40 yard Go routes, 35-yard flag routes and even executed a screen play.

 

SOPHOMORE YEAR

He looked like a different guy with a year of snaps under his belt.

His decision-making was faster. The clock in his head starting to phase with the speed of the game.

His mechanics eroded as he was playing some hero ball. He was looking like a gunslinger.

He can really fire a ball. He unhinges his trail leg when he does it, but the velocity is there.

 

 

JUNIOR YEAR

Can make all the throws to all three levels.

Their offense went vertical. Very impressive passing attack. Reminded me of the Rams "Greatest Show on Turf"

His Center had trouble snapping to him at the same point. Holstein handled these errant snaps without any problems. It didn't appear to affect his clock. This kid is a very cool cat.

Big arm. Lots of 50+ yard vertical routes either from a set platform and on the move. Very impressive core strength.

Looked off the Safety and came back to throw a 25-yard laser to his opposite Split Receiver for a TD. Next level stuff right there. He's ready for D1.

 

MECHANICS

He has a very compact stride. It's a bit odd. I think at the next level (wherever he goes) the QB coach is going to try to uncoil him by lengthen his lead leg a little. Though that affects his release time a microsecond, his clock is running fast enough it won't matter. It will help him generate a little more velocity when he needs it, and flatten the trajectory. He has quiet feet for a HS kid. He remains anchored and rarely unhinges.

His core is very strong and will only get stronger as he matures. One film clip where he's flushed out of the pocket and he uncorks a 58 yard throw on the run without setting his feet is a testament to how strong he is. This kid is D1 ready right now.

At his next stop they will adjust the level of where ball is received at the snap. He has a bit of a baseball windup. They will get him to bring it more to his chin/ear for a more consistent launch platform. It will make him even more accurate than he already is.

 

SUMMARY

He decommitted from Texas A&M three days after Oregon offered him on March 15th. The key phrase in his decommit tweet "...with all of the coaching changes...". Of his potential finalists only Miami and Oregon could have prompted this, as they're the only two schools on his radar with staff changes.

 

Let's not kid ourselves here. This kid is really good. He's nobody's "backup" plan. He is a premier talent that can take a team to the Big Show and win it.

Thank you for this great detailed post. May Nico be all-DGU at Tennessee. 

 

The portal has reduced any concern I may have had in regards to recruiting the QB position. 

 

It would be nice to land Eli, no doubt. But a better than decent 4 or 5* QB with game experience will be available from the portal.

[Charles Fischer]

On 3/21/2022 at 10:51 AM, Jon Joseph said:

But a better than decent 4 or 5* QB with game experience will be available from the portal.

Yes, and it may not be from a top-flight program as players prove themselves at lower levels and emerge.  Right now, Oregon's leading hitter on the Baseball team transferred in from a D-3 school.  Talent is talent....

[Charles Fischer]

Well....here are TEN candidates!  (And we know two of them from above)

 

College Recruiting: The 10 best remaining QB prospects in 2023 class

DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM

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You can count on the Oregon Ducks to try hard to sign one of these remaining QBs in the 2023 class.

 

[JDuck]

On 3/21/2022 at 12:51 PM, Jon Joseph said:

Thank you for this great detailed post. May Nico be all-DGU at Tennessee. 

 

The portal has reduced any concern I may have had in regards to recruiting the QB position. 

 

It would be nice to land Eli, no doubt. But a better than decent 4 or 5* QB with game experience will be available from the portal.

I think developing our own is better than playing the portal every year.  Marcus was good enough to win the natty as a RFr. save the Crap 12 officials who don't understand that a bobbled pass controlled out of bounds is not a catch, even after multiple camera angles.

[David Marsh]

The big thing is that this is actually good for Oregon and recruiting. Even though coaches spend an insane amount of time recruiting and building those relationships they still only have so many hours in a week. 

 

So taking a few off the board because they committed elsewhere means they have more time to pursue other recruits who are actually still interested in Oregon. 

 

Oregon wasn't going to match that 8 million NIL deal. So open up some more resources for the coaches now to look at other people.

[JDuck]

On 3/21/2022 at 1:40 PM, David Marsh said:

The big thing is that this is actually good for Oregon and recruiting. Even though coaches spend an insane amount of time recruiting and building those relationships they still only have so many hours in a week. 

 

So taking a few off the board because they committed elsewhere means they have more time to pursue other recruits who are actually still interested in Oregon. 

 

Oregon wasn't going to match that 8 million NIL deal. So open up some more resources for the coaches now to look at other people.

I hate the idea of Uncle Phil out-bidding someone, he could afford it, but that is what is about to become truly wrong in college sports, and if it becomes "do it to win, or lose" I'm not sure college sports will be worth watching any more, which is hard to imagine.  If Phil went mega with the money and we truly bought a title, what does that prove?

[Jon Joseph]

On 3/21/2022 at 7:14 PM, JDuck said:

I hate the idea of Uncle Phil out-bidding someone, he could afford it, but that is what is about to become truly wrong in college sports, and if it becomes "do it to win, or lose" I'm not sure college sports will be worth watching any more, which is hard to imagine.  If Phil went mega with the money and we truly bought a title, what does that prove?

Phil has gone gaga with facilities. God bless him. Unlike what we have seen for a decade on sports blogs, Phil Knight is not buying individual players to lead to titles.

[chrisjenn99]

On 3/21/2022 at 12:51 PM, Jon Joseph said:

It would be nice to land Eli, no doubt.

Or Eli's Nephew! 

[Haywarduck]

On 3/21/2022 at 10:51 AM, Jon Joseph said:

Thank you for this great detailed post. May Nico be all-DGU at Tennessee. 

 

The portal has reduced any concern I may have had in regards to recruiting the QB position. 

 

It would be nice to land Eli, no doubt. But a better than decent 4 or 5* QB with game experience will be available from the portal.

This is where the smart money will go. I can only imagine what the programs that are spending like drunken sailors on the whole NIL are going to look like down the road. It takes a team to win it all, and my bet team won't include any Name, Image or Likeness of what Tennessee is doing.

[Jon Joseph]

On 3/22/2022 at 1:57 AM, chrisjenn99 said:

Or Eli's Nephew! 

Not a chance. It's Clemson or the SEC for the next sterling QB named Manning.

[WiseKwacker]

Thanks, Charles, for staying on top of the recruiting wars for those of us who tend to focus more on the present day than the future. I truly appreciate the time you put into tracking the recruiting process. 

 

Regarding the Duck staff's efforts to recruit kids in either the 2022 class or the 2023 class, they're at a really competitive disadvantage since they're a completely new coaching team. Sure, there are quite a few other schools with similar new staffs, but there are also big-name programs (Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, The OSU, Michigan, Texas A & M, etc.) who have an established coaching staff to show a high school kid what to expect on offense or defense. Even programs like USC and LSU have a new head coach with a demonstrable record of performance as head coach at another school.

 

Thus, I think anyone Dan-Lan can convince to become a Duck before his team plays a single regular season game is a huge plus for him. At this point, all he's really able to share with kids is his personality and his vision of the future. For the top H.S. players in the country, I think it's a big ask to expect them to take a relatively blind leap of faith to come to Oregon instead of an NFL factory like Alabama, Georgia or Clemson.

 

Having said all that, I get more confident every day that Dan-Lan will get us there. There's a charisma about this guy that I think will become infectious over time.  First thing, though, is demonstrating those game management skills on the sideline in some actual games.  Can't wait to watch.

[Haywarduck]

On 3/22/2022 at 9:15 AM, WiseKwacker said:

Thanks, Charles, for staying on top of the recruiting wars for those of us who tend to focus more on the present day than the future. I truly appreciate the time you put into tracking the recruiting process. 

 

Regarding the Duck staff's efforts to recruit kids in either the 2022 class or the 2023 class, they're at a really competitive disadvantage since they're a completely new coaching team. Sure, there are quite a few other schools with similar new staffs, but there are also big-name programs (Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, The OSU, Michigan, Texas A & M, etc.) who have an established coaching staff to show a high school kid what to expect on offense or defense. Even programs like USC and LSU have a new head coach with a demonstrable record of performance as head coach at another school.

 

Thus, I think anyone Dan-Lan can convince to become a Duck before his team plays a single regular season game is a huge plus for him. At this point, all he's really able to share with kids is his personality and his vision of the future. For the top H.S. players in the country, I think it's a big ask to expect them to take a relatively blind leap of faith to come to Oregon instead of an NFL factory like Alabama, Georgia or Clemson.

 

Having said all that, I get more confident every day that Dan-Lan will get us there. There's a charisma about this guy that I think will become infectious over time.  First thing, though, is demonstrating those game management skills on the sideline in some actual games.  Can't wait to watch.

Great points, but Mario was able to convince recruits, even though he had a very suspect record as a head coach when he took over Oregon's gift to head coaches. You do provide a very good point of view we should all ponder as we judge our recruiting out of the gate.  Agree Dan-Lan is looking better every day. I also look forward to seeing those game management skills! 

[WiseKwacker]

On 3/22/2022 at 1:45 PM, Haywarduck said:

Great points, but Mario was able to convince recruits, even though he had a very suspect record as a head coach when he took over Oregon's gift to head coaches.

Absolutely. I'm not saying Dan-Lan (and staff) can't pull in some highly-rated recruits. I guess I'm just saying that those he DOES get will be coming here based on their belief in him and the vision he shares with them. I think it'll be an uphill battle until he has actual on-field results as the head guy.  No doubt, he knows that.