[Quack Attack]

Freshman quarterback Hawkins is catching the eye of Ducks coaches



Posted by John Hunt, The Oregonian
August 22, 2009 21:18PM

EUGENE -- One of the disappointments of a closed scrimmage Tuesday is that we won't get to see freshman quarterback Daryle Hawkins, who impressed during the first scrimmage and "showed signs of greatness," according to starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli.

"He's got a shot," Kelly said of his 6-foot-4, 190-pound freshman. "He's a big, athletic kid that can move really well and doesn't throw a bad ball; so, it will be interesting to see how he develops."

Kelly offered Hawkins a scholarship after losing out on five-star quarterback recruit Tajh Boyd, who signed with Clemson. Originally, Hawkins was thought to be a receiver and was listed as "athlete" on Oregon's list of signees.

Hawkins, currently the fourth-string quarterback behind Masoli, Nate Costa and Darron Thomas, said there never has been a question of where he would play. "They told me, 'When you step on campus, you need to focus on being the best quarterback you can be,'" Hawkins said.