FishDuck.com sportswriter Ashley Young caught up with quarterback Jeff Lockie after Monday’s spring practice, getting his thoughts on the upcoming spring game.
With the battle for the starting quarterback position stacked with candidates, Saturday’s spring game will be substantially important for redshirt junior Lockie. Vernon Adams will not be arriving on campus until summer, which means that now is the time for Lockie to make his case for the starting quarterback spot.
Jeff Lockie has a lot of experience competing in spring football.
When asked about how he approaches the high-stakes implications of spring football, he referenced his experience as being a key factor.
“I’ve been in spring [football] before, competing with other guys,” said veteran backup Lockie, “This time the stakes are a little higher. There are a little more quarterbacks competing.”
On Monday afternoon, Oregon coaches drafted teams for the spring game. Although this will be the first resemblance to competitive football since the National Championship, head coach Mark Helfrich stressed that the game will not be the defining evaluation of individual players.
“The spring game is maybe two-fifteenths of your evaluation instead of the regular one-fifteenth,” explained Helfrich, “There won’t be enough situationally to have an evaluation of those guys in this spring game.”
Consistent performance in spring practices is key for Lockie and the rest of the Duck quarterbacks. When asked about how he approaches each practice mentally, Lockie seemed focused on improving his individual game.
“In my freshman year, competing since I [first] stepped on campus with other guys — it helps you get the mindset of how it feels to go into practice,” said Lockie, who added, “Not comparing yourself to others, but it helps me worry about myself a little bit more.”
As FishDuck.com sportswriter Jordan Ingram has speculated, Lockie’s tools and experience with the offense make him the leading candidate for starting quarterback. He is determined to demonstrate that on Saturday.
“We just want to score every time we have the ball … We want to take care of the ball number one and score touchdowns.”
It will be interesting to see which quarterback stands above the rest, as spring football quickly passes by.
Top Photo by Craig Strobeck
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Forrest is currently a junior at the University of Oregon with a focus in journalism. As a Colorado native, his interest in sports began with a passion for the Denver Broncos. He also follows the San Antonio Spurs, Seattle Mariners, Nebraska football, FC Bayern Munich, and of course – the Oregon Ducks. His goal is ultimately to become a sports writer and cover a team he loves. In his spare time, he loves playing sports video games and running in the beautiful city of Eugene. Always excited to discuss sports with fellow Duck fans, Forrest is thrilled to be a member of FishDuck.com.