By Rob Moseley

Editor, GoDucks.com

Venue: Outdoor practice fields

Format: Helmets

Jeff Lockie and Marcus Mariota remain close friends, which made this Sunday of watching NFL football strange for Lockie – a Bills fan who watched his team beat Mariota's Titans this weekend.

Lockie and Mariota have also had the strange experience this season of commiserating after defeats, as they did only rarely during the last three years when both were on the Oregon quarterback depth chart. Mariota's Titans are 1-3 after losing to Buffalo, while the Ducks are 2-1 in games Lockie has started, 2-2 when he's had substantial playing time.

“It's the same learning curve, but kind of a different level,” Lockie said Monday, as the Ducks began preparations to play Saturday at Washington (7:30 p.m., ESPN2). “Obviously he played extremely well here, and he's learning the NFL is a different game, and doing a great job. He wants to do better, just like I feel myself. I feel we did some really good things on offense, but I expect better from myself and our offense.”

The Ducks on Monday had what offensive coordinator Scott Frost said was a spirited, lively practice in their return to the field for the first time since losing to Washington State. That was a good starting point for a coach looking to coax significant progress out of his quarterbacks moving forward.

“It starts with me,” Frost said. “We've got to have a little more consistent play at quarterback. I think both Jeff and Taylor (Alie) have done some really good things the last two weeks, and I have a really positive feeling about both of them continuing to improve going forward.

“But we need consistency at that position. We've played three people over the course of the year, and I don't care if you have exceptional players, it's hard to have guys in and out of games like that.”

The best-case scenario would be for opening game starter Vernon Adams Jr. to reclaim his position, but he's missed three of the last four games. Adams was throwing free and easy in warmups for the WSU game, but Frost and the Ducks aren't tipping their hand as to what the quarterback depth chart will look like going forward.

Whoever is in there, Frost said the Ducks “absolutely” must be more effective passing the ball downfield.

“We've been heavily dependent on the run the last two weeks, and that gets people tight into the box unless you're stretching them vertically,” Frost said. “We just haven't been able to make any of those throws for two weeks, so that's definitely a part of our offensive game that needs to improve.”

Frost cited multiple factors in Oregon's struggles to throw the ball. And he expressed confidence the Ducks will address them.

“We've got good character on this team,” he said. “These guys are going to keep fighting.”

Lockie said the mood coming off the loss to WSU is better than after the Ducks' one-sided defeat at the hand of Utah.

“We obviously had a lot of mistakes and kind of weren't in that game at the end,” Lockie said. “This one, we had control of that game and were really in position to win. I think that gives our team a little more confidence, that, hey, we were there, and we just need to finish.”

Highlights: Like last Monday, the most competitive period was 7-on-7, which featured the travel squad going head-to-head. Adams completed a couple balls to Evan Baylis and one to Dwayne Stanford; his only incompletion during one series of reps was an uncharacteristic drop by Royce Freeman. … Lockie had a similar series, with two completions to Jalen Brown and another to Kani Benoit, before a Benoit drop ended the hot streak. …

Adams later unleashed one of his patented deep balls, but it was right in the sun as Stanford turned back to catch it, and he bobbled it before losing the handle. … The 11-on-11 stuff was at “teach” tempo, but Ugo Amadi had a pick-six on the defensive field, and scout-team linebacker De'Quan McDowell had a nifty one-handed interception on the offensive field.

Other observations: This week's Monday practice was in helmets only rather than shells, for the second week in a row, as the staff monitors the team's work load. They'll ramp it way up in full pads the next two days. … Stanford wore the No. 9 jersey of his good friend Byron Marshall, who is currently sidelined. Last year, it was Stanford who donned No. 85 late in the season in honor of Pharaoh Brown, after his injury. … Malik Lovette continues to develop at cornerback, and took a few reps with the twos today.