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Oregon Ducks quarterback coach David Yost spent the last three seasons coaching inside receivers at Washington State.

(Jim Simpkins/Washington State University)

EUGENE -- David Yost hadn't done an interview in more than three years, but he already knew where this one was going.



Yost didn't talk with the media while at Washington State during the last three college football seasons. It wasn't because he was reclusive, or aloof, or wanted to avoid the spotlight as some articles made it out to sound since Oregon hired the 46-year-old in January.



Prior to Pullman, Yost didn't have a problem talking with the press as offensive coordinator at Missouri. But it was an obligation that he didn't particularly enjoy, either -- something Missouri coach Gary Pinkel mentioned to Washington State coach Mike Leach during Yost's hiring process to become the Cougars' inside receivers coach.



When Yost was hired, Leach told him he'd never have to do interviews. Yost said he didn't ask for it, but it was an offer to was happy to accept.



"It wasn't a dislike or that I didn't want to do it," Yost said. "I had just gotten tired of it. When they offered it up, I said I'd take advantage of it. I was able to not have to do it and then coach Leach thought it was funny so he liked the idea of it. So I said, 'OK, that's one less thing I have to do each week.' When I came here they asked if it was a big deal and I said, 'No, I'll talk.' If you want me to talk to the media I'll talk to the media and if you tell me I don't have to, then I'll probably choose not to."



But Yost is talking at Oregon, and he is more than aware of the attention that comes with Oregon's most scrutinized position.



And he's ready for the challenge.



Whereas Yost stepped down four years ago as Missouri's offensive coordinator due to burnout, then accepted a less intensive offer to become Washington State's inside receivers coach six weeks later, Yost sought the challenge of working with quarterbacks again. It's what he did at Missouri, too, and the desire to do it again is why he said he left Washington State. It's why in mid-December he texted then-Oregon linebackers coach Erik Chinander and then-offensive coordinator Scott Frost to inquire about the position. And it's why in January, with Chinander and Frost gone for Central Florida, he jumped at the chance to move to Eugene.



"I'd been coaching the receivers the last three years," Yost said. "I spent 20 years coaching quarterbacks. That's my thing."



And he has the resume to back it up. During his time at Missouri, Yost coached Brad Smith, the NCAA's first 8,000-yard passer and 4,000-yard runner, a Heisman Trophy finalist in Chase Daniel and a future NFL first-round draft pick in Blaine Gabbert.



"I basically had five guys start for me in 12 years and four of them ended up in the NFL and one played in the CFL. But I recruited a lot more than those five quarterbacks in 12 years," he said. "If you have a great quarterback, and you recruit a great one right after him, is he going to stick around to be a one or two-year starter? You got to hit at the right time."



Oregon has seen the fallout of this first hand. The Ducks were able to get three years of greatness out of Marcus Mariota, but struggled in their first season without him. Because of the lack of productive depth at the position, the Ducks signed Vernon Adams Jr. as a graduate transfer. It was a move that proved beneficial, as Adams flourished, but Oregon's lack of a viable option after him was painfully obvious during the stints Adams missed due to injury.



It's a similar situation to where Oregon is now, as Montana State transfer Dakota Prukop is expected to be the starting quarterback with Jeff Lockie, Taylor Alie and Travis Jonsen returning and freshmen Terry Wilson and Justin Herbert incoming.





Yost has seen tape on all of them and said he'll have a much better feel for the position once spring camp begins. Prukop may seem like the front-runner to replace Adams, but Yost welcomes competition and wouldn't be upset if, say, the redshirt freshman Jonsen won the job.



"In a perfect world it would be great to have a young guy that you feel good about that can be the future if he's ready to be the guy," Yost said. "If he is ready to be the guy? That would be great for us. If he's not ready and Dakota is? That would be great for us too because it gives us more time to train Travis, Terry and Justin once they get here. Then what you have to do it evaluate those guys for next spring."



But all of that is in the future. Oregon's first game isn't for seven months and spring practice is still nearly a month away. Right now, Yost is focused on getting comfortable.



He's becoming familiar with Eugene, a town he's only been in a handful of times. He was hoping to put an offer in on a house later in the day. He's also growing into the role as the new coach on a staff that has worked together, in some cases, for decades.



And he's seemingly at ease with the added responsibilities at Oregon. Yost talked freely and comfortably with The Oregonian on Monday in his first interview at the school. Another interview was scheduled for right after. It likely wasn't Yost's favorite part of the day, but he didn't mind.



He's coaching quarterbacks again and he's happy to take whatever comes with it.



-- Tyson Alger

@tysonalger