The Redshirt Has to Come Off, and Should Have Come Off the Last Two Series of this Game

Nate Costa is done. There's no official word yet, but when a player who's had three reconstructive knee surgeries leaves the field on crutches, the outlook is grim. It's hard to think he'll take another snap, and that is a shame. You won't find a better team player or a more quality young man than Nate. He has courage and class, and he is a great Duck who contributed in dozens of little ways, and some not so little.

It's bitterly ironic that a guy who saved Oregon's season with a deft hold on a placement kick last year would end his season on a mishandled one on Saturday. Rolling right after scooping up a snap that went through his hands (after handling over a 100 in his Oregon career flawlessly) he struggled to break free of a Washington defender and tried get off a pass downfield to save the play. The defender rode him out bounds and rolled over the knee, the crucial contact occurring about two yards of of bounds.

Costa's best play in that situation, outside the tackle box with a big lead, was probably to throw it out of bounds, but he struggled to get a pass off and it cost him the rest of the season. But that was Nate, competing every chance he got. There's a risk of injury on any football play, and he played hard and well in his relief role all season, taking over in the Washington State game when Darron Thomas suffered a dinged-up shoulder in the second quarter.

With Costa on the sideline, the Ducks had the luxury of knowing they had a second quarterback who could win out if something happened like 2007. Costa knew the offense, had maturity and leadership skills, and he had the full confidence of his teammates. Thomas has been stellar this season, quickly developing into a star, the next in a line of great Oregon quarterbacks, but the Ducks didn't lose much when they went to the bench. Costa could operate the offense, capably. The coaches, players and fans all knew he could win games, and both the quarterbacks grew through an intense competition in fall camp. The pressure of that competition readied Thomas for a special season, and Costa has to get a lot of credit both for pushing him, and handling the situation with tremendous composure once a decision was made. And it had to be a close decision, because both of them have played very well this year and shown leadership and character.

But now Nate can't play, and there is no waiver wire in college football. Losing a player like Nate is a huge blow. The Ducks are three games from the national championship, and for those of us who are prone to panic, this looks a little like 2007 or 2005. Only this time the number one guy is still healthy. But all that is behind him now is a redshirt freshman with a handful of snaps, and a true freshman with a world of promise, currently slated to redshirt.

Brian Bennett is the number two quarterback. He has to be. He's the most talented, the best passer, and has the biggest upside of the remaining candidates. That's no knock on Daryle Hawkins, who as a redshirt freshman has shown versatility and athleticism in spot duty, and may challenge to replace LT or Drew Davis in the starting lineup at receiver next year. But Bennett has the arm and the athletic ability to be the next (after Thomas) in the line of great Oregon quarterbacks.

He isn't ready. He's a year or two away from really mastering the offense, but he has the best tools of any of the remaining backup quarterbacks. Running the scout team doesn't prepare you for the Civil War or the national title game, but he has the best chance of getting the job done, relying on his supporting cast, a great coaching staff and innate ability. He's far more capable than Roper was in 2007, has a great makeup, good work habits, and the confidence to compete.

The red shirt is out the window. Shots at the national championship come along once every ten years, or in a narrow window of seasons, for some schools once every twenty. He should have taken snaps in this game. It's the cold-blooded reality of college football. There is no waiver wire, and he should be taking as many live game snaps as is practical any time they are available. Because right now if Darron were to go down or even be shaken up, he's the man. He has to be.

Brian Bennett has been in this situation before. As a sophomore at Crespi High he had to take over when the starter went down with a knee injury in the season's first game. The starter was blue-chip recruit Kevin Prince. Bennett led the team to the state championship game, and threw for 2133 yards and 17 tds. High school isn't the BCS championship, but the experience is the same. He had to be thrown in before his time, and he responded with poise. That experience is something he can draw on in this one.

Because on Monday he has to prepare for the reality of taking snaps against Cal, Arizona and Oregon State, and possibly in NCAA Championship Game. As of right now, he's next in line on the number one team in the country.