Scott Frost.JPG

Offensive coordinator Scott Frost

(Thomas Boyd/The Oregonian)

EUGENE -- By Jeff Lockie's math, he's been asked about freshman quarterback Morgan Mahalak at least 15 times by now.

Two weeks into fall camp, Lockie, who seems to have a firm grip on the backup quarterback role, estimates he's been asked about Mahalak "three to four times a week." With Oregon's practices closed to the media and public, he understands the curiosity.

"That's the world we live in," he said. "Everyone wants to know about everybody. You get asked until they find out. I think it's fair to ask and fair for me to respond."

As for himself, Lockie said he's been on point this fall. Following a summer that saw Jake Rodrigues and Damion Hobbs transfer away, Lockie finds himself as the only quarterback with any playing time on the depth chart behind Marcus Mariota.

But really, Jeff, enough about you. How does Morgan look?

"It's hard to judge based on playing. It's more about attitude," Lockie said. "The freshman have only been here a week and a half. They have a long ways to go."

Lockie and fellow quarterback Taylor Alie understand the attention for Mahalak. Coming into camp as a four-star recruit from the Bay Area, Mahalak entered as a big name on a depth chart short with them outside of Mariota. With the possibility of Mariota departing for the NFL after this season, Mahalak's name has been tossed around as the possible heir to the quarterback throne. Two weeks into camp, though, Mahalak reportedly looks more like a freshman trying to find his way through a complicated playbook.

"Morgan has talent," offensive coordinator Scott Frost said. "There's a couple mechanical issues we got to fix. One thing you got to be careful of as a coach is I don't want to slow down my work with Marcus and Jeff and their progress in order to cater to the guys who are just learning. They're having to pick it up on the fly.

"He's way behind, but he's catching up very well."

Lockie said he understands Frost's predicament. He and Mariota are both veterans of the system and don't need to spend nearly as much time learning the expanse of it. That being said, they still benefit from the time and attention of the coaches.

The young guys need instruction, he said, but they also need to learn to swim on their own.

"That's the dilemma a lot of coaches have," Lockie said. "Guys like me, Taylor and Marcus are going to be further developed in the playbook. You got to balance it out having (the young guys) figure it out but also bringing them along while making sure you continue to coach me Marcus and Taylor."

Mariota said his coach is handling the situation admirably.

"He does a great job of really working both sides of it," Mariota said. "He's able to teach not only myself and Jeff and Taylor and then go back and teach (quarterback transfer Ty Griffin) and Morgan."

Alie could relate to Mahalak, being the one most recently in his position. Last year, the Sheldon-grad was a walk-on redshirt with the Ducks. With a fall under his belt, he was a name thrown around by coaches as a big improver during the spring. Coming into his second fall camp, Alie said the feeling is remarkably different than a year ago. Even though Mahalak was a heralded recruit, and he just a walk on, Alie said the process is all the same.

"He's a great quarterback with great fundamentals. It's just a lot of information to know," Alie said. "He's in the same boat as I was last year. It's nice being on the other end of this after seeing the struggles, so to speak, of trying to figure out the offense."

Being on that side of the ball has Alie confident in his own abilities two weeks into camp. He, like Lockie, didn't mind being asked about Mahalak, but also stressed he still figures himself to be part of a greater conversation. While Lockie is the presumed winner of the backup-stakes, Alie hasn't seen a checkered flag.

"I think it's a good competition between Jeff and I," he said. "We both understand the offense. We can both make plays. It's going to come down to who can make the most players and be the smartest with the ball."

-- Tyson Alger | @tysonalger