EUGENE -- A few notes from Wednesday's spring football practice at Oregon, which was the fifth of 15 workouts this spring. The Ducks were in full pads today.

-- After Oregon's players and coaches emerged from their closed practice came a surprising face: Former Michigan head coach Brady Hoke.

Hoke was fired in December after the Wolverines went 5-7 in his fourth season in Ann Arbor. Hoke has been in Eugene for a couple days, continuing a tour around the country. In the past three weeks he's been seen watching practice at Tennessee and TCU, as well.

I didn't have the time to approach Hoke to ask him about his visit because I was talking with Duck players, but before he disappeared, Hoke looked to be joking with head coach Mark Helfrich and offensive coordinator Scott Frost.

Hoke's career has mostly been spent in the Midwest but has a connection to this state, albeit coming 20 years ago and to Oregon's biggest rival. From 1989-94, he coached Oregon State's defensive line.

-- Every Wednesday during spring practices is Frost's day to speak with reporters, and today he touched on everything from the tight ends, to offensive line, Marcus Mariota's preparation for the NFL and the quarterbacks who are vying to succeed him.

Regarding Jeff Lockie, the junior quarterback with the most experience this spring, Frost echoed what many have said in that Lockie appears as confident as he's ever been. That, along with his three seasons learning Oregon's playbook, gives him an edge early in the race to replace Mariota. Whether that lead holds is another question we won't know till September.

"Jeff's looked as good at the quarterback position as I've seen him look since he's been at Oregon and through these practices he's operating well throwing the ball well and understands it," Frost said. "The young guys are playing catchup trying to get up to that point but we've seen some good things out of them, too."

-- Wednesday's workout came 24 hours after Mariota auditioned for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a private throwing session held inside the Moshofsky Center. The Buccaneers, who hold the No. 1 pick April 30 in the NFL draft's first round, have already reported that Mariota looked "outstanding" in his workout.

Count Frost as one Duck staffer unsurprised by that evaluation of his former protege, who has been in the discussion for the No. 1 overall pick dating to this time last year.

Mock drafts now peg Mariota as going anywhere from the first pick to a mid-first round selection, and Wednesday NFL.com analyst Mike Mayock moved Mariota ahead of Jameis Winston in his new position rankings.

"I think anytime anyone's been 'the guy' for so long then tend to nitpick at him; this is the first time I've ever heard he's too nice a person," Frost said. "I've never heard anyone say that before. The kid is the smartest football player I've ever been around so as far as him learning a new system or being able to function in a new system, whoever gets him is going to be shocked at how fast he picks everything up."

-- One of the chief criticisms of Mariota has been that he played in a shotgun-based spread offense his entire career and thus might not have the footwork an NFL offense requires.

"All you're going to have to do is teach him the footwork ... that's going to be easy for him," Frost said. "I think of people are making too much of a lot of that."

-- Others seen at Oregon's practice Wednesday included transfer quarterback Vernon Adams, who has been in Eugene all week; former Ducks Jake Fisher, the offensive tackle; Erick Dargan, the safety; and Troy Hill, the cornerback, each of whom are also preparing for the draft.

-- Andrew Greif

agreif@oregonian.com

503-221-8100

@andrewgreif