Figures Don't Lie but Liars Figure: Comparing DT's Stats to Other Duck Debuts

Just for comparision here are some numbers from the first few starts of Duck quarterbacks in the Chip Kelly era:

Justin Roper, vs Utah State 2008 13/18 173 yds 1 td 1 int
Justin Roper, at Purdue 2008 20-48 197 yds 0 td 2 int

Dennis Dixon vs Cal 2005 15-26 139 yds 1 td 1 int
Dennis Dixon vs Stanford 2006 21-30 236 yds 1 td 0 int

Jeremiah Masoli vs UW 2008 9-17 126 yds 2 td 0 int

Darron Thomas vs New Mexico 2010 13-23 220 yds 2 td 1 int

--Thomas' numbers match up pretty well with these, although you could say the other guys faced better competition, generally. The true measure with DT is how much he improves by game five when they face Stanford.

Other notes on Labor Day night:

Boise State is getting all they can handle on the road vs Va Tech, trailing by four late in the fourth quarter after a blocked extra point and missed field goal. The Beamer special teams magic continues. Not a fan of the new BSU uniforms, although I like Va Tech in the Pro Combat look. I'm probably predisposed to dislike anything BSU. If they go on to lose it helps the Ducks. They probably fall out of the Top Ten with Oregon nudging in. I think they should be ninth ahead of Oklahoma but that probably won't happen. The significant thing is, Oregon is ranked high enough early to control their own destiny.

Like Rick Neuheisel here in the PAC-10 Tennessee coach Derek Dooley has a law degree. Some are accusing him of playing possum on their injured list, just like his father Vince Dooley might have done at Georgia. The Vols may have to start two tall, fast, talented, highly-touted but inexperienced true freshmen wide receivers, Da'Rick Rogers and Justin Hunter. The starters are reportedly out with a broken hand and a bad ankle, and one offensive linemen is listed out also. Insert your own lawyer joke here. Matt Simms, brother of Chris, son of Phil, lines up at quarterback for UT. He's a junior, a junior college transfer making his second start after the 50-0 walloping of UT Martin. The Vols also lost two defensive linemen in fall camp.