Oregon Going Transfer Route again Landing Montana State QB Dakota Prukop

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

Oregon is working towards becoming “FCS QB Transfer U” under head coach Mark Helfrich after news broke Tuesday that the Ducks were accepting the transfer of senior graduate Dakota Prukop from Montana State.

When the 2014 season had finished the Ducks had posted a 13-2 record making the national championship game before falling 42-20 to Ohio State. Along the way Marcus Mariota set records passing for 4,454 yards with 42 touchdowns against just four interceptions and ran for 770 yards with another 15 scores winning the Heisman Trophy Award. Looking for veteran starting leadership under center, Helfrich turned to then Eastern Washington star quarterback Vernon Adams to run Oregon’s offense.

Adams was about as accomplished a quarterback one could ever find at the FCS level as a two-time runner-up for the Walter Payton Award given to the top player in the FCS division (2013 and 2014). In his final season at the FCS level Adams tore up the Big Sky Conference leaving with a career record 110 touchdown passes after tossing 35 in 2014. The 6’0”, 200 pound, dual-threat left EWU with 10,438 career passing yards sporting an average of 315.4 yards per game.

Adams helped Oregon through a 9-3 season in 2015 passing for 2,446 yards with 25 touchdowns in nine games played.

The next arrival looking to take Oregon back to the college football playoffs is Prukop. Prukop, also out of the Big Sky Conference, passed for 3,025 yards with 28 touchdowns against 10 interceptions while also running for 774 yards with another 11 scores in 2015. Montana State finished the season 5-6, their first losing season since 2002.

Oregon won out on Prukop over Alabama, Michigan, and Texas.

Prukop is not a shoo-in to start after Adam’s eligibility is completed. When Adams missed time, Jeff Lockie, a junior, was his replacement. Lockie threw for 544 yards in five games played completing 54 of 84 passes with five touchdowns and four picks. The Alamo, California, native rushed 31 times for 159 yards without a touchdown. Next in line behind Lockie is Taylor Alie. While Lockie started in three games playing five, Alie appeared in all 12 games in some capacity completing 6 of 14 passes for 96 yards with one touchdown and ran 10 times for 148 yards with three more scores.

The Ducks have a chance to reach the 10-win plateau for the eighth consecutive season if they can claim a victory against TCU (10-2) in the Alamo Bowl.

Photo credit: ncaa.com; No. 5 Dakota Prukop