The question most of the 4-5,000 members of Beaver Nation who turned out for what turned out to be a sunny afternoon for their only look at Oregon State football during spring winter ball was who the starting quarterback will be. Based on who took the first reps, and the most reps with the starters against starters, it appears it will be JC transfer Jake Luton, even if head coach Gary Andersen and Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks coach Kevin McGiven don’t want to say so yet.
That same rotation suggests Marcus McMaryion, who started the latter part of last season, and was the most effective of the 3 who played, will be the backup, with Darrel Garretson third on the depth chart. Connor Blount is still the insurance policy, and Mason Moran is still a distant 5th.
Nothing that happened in the (nearly) Spring Scrimmage suggests otherwise.
All 3 posted relatively decent numbers, but the differences with Luton are differential. Despite being on the rebound from an illness that cost the 6’7″ Luton some 20 lbs. (has anyone around the Corvallis campus NOT had some malady this winter?), Luton has the ability to stretch the opposing defense.
That was on display early in the 2nd series (the first one went for a touchdown on the first play, more on that shortly) when Luton hit freshman Isiah Hodgins for a 37 yard completion, below.
And it wasn’t a case of finding someone behind a backup defensive back who won’t be seen on the field in a contested contest; it was Dwayne Williams and Brandon Arnold, Oregon State’s best corner and safety. That set up a touchdown toss to Jordan Villamin.
