Brock Thomas had plenty of reasons to look elsewhere after last season. Oregon brought back Dante Moore, then added Dylan Raiola, a transfer who had 22 starts at Nebraska. For a backup quarterback with his own ambitions, that kind of roster movement can close doors fast.
Thomas didn’t flinch.
The redshirt junior from Sheldon High School showed up for fall camp last week with his mind on Oregon and, just as clearly, on staying ready for whatever role the staff gives him in the Ducks’ push for a national title.
“I’m here now in the moment,” Thomas said. “I’ve never wanted to be anywhere else than Oregon. It should be a really fun season, so I want to be a part of that.”
That answer fits the path Thomas has taken. The 6-foot quarterback walked on at Oregon in 2023 as a three-star recruit, even though Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona, Portland State, Air Force and Army had all offered him scholarships. Power 4 schools passed, he said, mostly because of his size, despite the fact that he piled up 7,311 yards of total offense and 101 touchdowns during his junior and senior seasons.
Instead of chasing another path, Thomas stayed close to home and kept a family line going. His father, Aaron Thomas, played wide receiver for the Ducks from 1985 to 1989. His grandfather, Paul Bauge, was also a Duck, lining up at wide receiver and defensive end from 1959 to 1961.
Last season, Thomas earned a spot behind Moore by beating out former four-star recruit Austin Novosad. Coaches pointed to his command of the playbook and his consistency in practice, where he became the second-most reliable quarterback on the roster.
When his number came up in games, he handled it. Against Rutgers, he entered with the Ducks up big in a 56-10 win and completed 3 of 4 passes for 45 yards while adding a 15-yard run.
A week later, he was asked to play with the result still in doubt after Moore left with a nose injury early in the third quarter and Oregon leading 7-0. Thomas responded by hitting all 4 of his passes for 46 yards and a touchdown in a 21-7 win slowed by pouring rain.
That kind of showing only added to the confidence around him.
Now Thomas enters this season as the likely No. 3 quarterback with Raiola on the roster, though he still has work to do. Redshirt freshman Akili Smith Jr., known as KJ and the son of Oregon quarterback legend Akili Smith Sr. (1997-1998), is right there pushing for the job.
Thomas made clear he knows the competition isn’t going away.
“KJ’s been playing really well. We’re all pushing each other. It’s all competition.”
A move to chase a starting role somewhere else could still come after this season. For now, though, Thomas is locked into the present and the group around him.
“At the end of the day, we’re all doing it for the team. We’re all doing it for each other.
And we all know Dante’s going out there. We’re his support staff.
Everything we can do to help the team win, that’s kind of what we do.”
In Other News...
Ohio State Fans Wont Love Who Helped Oregon Grab The Top Spot
Preseason polls are already giving the 2026 college football conversation an early jolt, and Oregon has landed right in the middle of it. On3 put Ohio State at No. 1 even without a first-place vote, but the Ducks still managed to draw some top billing of their own, a sign that the national view of Dan Lannings program remains strong even as the roster and staff continue to evolve.
Oregons case starts with the kind of continuity that poll voters tend to notice this time of year. Dante Moore is back at quarterback, the Ducks bring back key receivers and most of their defensive starters, and the foundation from last season is still intact. The wrinkle is on the sidelines, where Oregon will have new coordinators after coaching departures, leaving the Ducks with plenty of proven talent and just enough uncertainty to keep the top of the rankings interesting. [Read more 🡒]
Markus Dixon Returns To Oregon With One Big Role To Prove
Markus Dixons arrival gives Oregon another interesting piece to sort through at tight end as fall camp gets underway. The Clemson transfer brings position flexibility and a frame that the Ducks can use in a room that needed reinforcements after a starter left for the NFL Draft, which made his addition more than just a depth move on paper.
What makes Dixon worth watching is how much remains unsettled about his fit. Oregon brought him in to help the tight end group, but his exact assignment is still being determined as camp unfolds, leaving him with a clear chance to carve out something bigger than a reserve role if he can quickly show the staff where he belongs. [Read more 🡒]