DuckTerritory.com has learned through sources that Montana State quarterback Dakota Prukop will be visiting Oregon this weekend and is considering making the jump from FCS to FBS as a graduate transfer.
Sources tell DuckTerritory.com Prukop is looking to see what his options are after MSU decided to part ways with head coach Rob Ash.
As a redshirt junior this season, the 6-foot-2, 190-pounder was a standout dual-threat quarterback at the FCS level. In 11 games this year he passed for 3,025 yards and 28 touchdowns and threw just 10 interceptions. Prukop was also a threat in the run game and finished the year with 797 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns on the year.
This season Prukop led the Big Sky conference in passing by nearly 800 yards.
Prukop was an FCS Offensive Player of the Year Watch List member as well as a candidate for the Walter Payton Award this season.
Along with a visit from Prukop, we're hearing Oregon is very serious about his offensive coordinator. For those who don't know, Montana State has hired Jeff Choate to be its next head coach. Offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey has some Oregon ties without having any.
Makes sense right?
Cramsey played quarterback at the University of New Hampshire just before Chip's arrival/return. He later joined the staff with Chip as an assistant in various capacities from 2003-2011. He took over as offensive coordinator after Chip left from 2008-2011.
What we're hearing is Cramsey is being considered for the position job left open at Oregon. It could be assumed he might coach quarterbacks while Lubick works with wide receivers in addition to coordination duties.
Should Cramsey assume this role, what easier transition than coaching his same quarterback to begin his career.
Oregon's desire to promote continuity apparently runs very deep. Keep an eye on this potential development.
Scott Frost is gone and won't be calling plays in the Alamo Bowl game. That is clear and was expected. We've promoted, as have others, Matt Lubick seems destined to take over that position permanently.
I can't get a good answer on when Helfrich will announce the move. I'm halfway expecting something this weekend with Prukop, Wallace, McDoom and others in town along with Alamo bowl game practice resuming. It seems like good timing and a chance to build some hype with the visitors. But that is really just speculation on my part.
As I've said before, I don't see this going any other direction. I think the staff is moving forward knowing Lubick is the 'next man up.' And despite the success on offense under Scott Frost, there is virtually no concern about a drop off in production under Lubick.
Also we detailed earlier how Montana State offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey has ties to Oregon's style of offense. I'm hearing more and more that is the hire Oregon is going to make. Several sources have told me it's already a 'done deal.'
As with Lubick, I'll assume this announcement is made at the same time. However that is me assuming, rather than actually being certain. However I am much more certain it appears Cramsey is the guy.
That hire leads me to my next topic, Dakota Prukop. Oregon once again is dipping into the FCS ranks but that really shouldn't surprise many. See, one of the knocks on Scott Frost was the fact that he only liked taking one quarterback in any given cycle. Ultimately that leads to some pretty serious 'hit or miss' issues. We've seen the results of that so far.
Frost was forced to change that this year but it was the result of some lessons learned if you will.
Anyways, back to Prukop, if I could make a 247Sports Crystal Ball pick, I would have already. I think this visit along with the addition of Cramsey makes this a near 'slam dunk.' Obviously it's very dangerous to label anything a sure thing in recruiting, but I'm feeling confident here. Very confident.
Oregon's definitely gone out of their way to load up on QBs this year to try to prevent the "hit or miss" style that QB recruiting can have ... and it's not like UW doesn't know this with the gap of 4-star guys like Miley Cyrus, Wild Swede, and Troy Williams.
While QB is the most important position on the field, Oregon's also playing a potentially dangerous game here. QB recruiting is as much about being able to identify talent and projecting as it is developing the QB once in the program. I think one of the big misses that is often made is that teams go after the best QB they can find in terms of their talent but that talent doesn't fit what they are being asked to do. But if you have too many QBs on the roster, what other parts of your roster are you neglecting along the way because let's be honest, most QBs aren't going to go play other positions if they don't get the job. Instead, you start seeing a mass exodus of the position in terms of depth and you not only are starting back over in rebuilding the depth, but you weakened your depth in other positions in the process.
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While QB is the most important position on the field, Oregon's also playing a potentially dangerous game here. QB recruiting is as much about being able to identify talent and projecting as it is developing the QB once in the program. I think one of the big misses that is often made is that teams go after the best QB they can find in terms of their talent but that talent doesn't fit what they are being asked to do. But if you have too many QBs on the roster, what other parts of your roster are you neglecting along the way because let's be honest, most QBs aren't going to go play other positions if they don't get the job. Instead, you start seeing a mass exodus of the position in terms of depth and you not only are starting back over in rebuilding the depth, but you weakened your depth in other positions in the process.