Dylan Raiola tosses perfect Oregon debut in win vs. Portland State - Ducks Wire

No, there is no quarterback competition in Eugene. But it never hurts to have a good second option, and the Oregon Ducks might have the best backup in the country; it showed on Friday night.

Dylan Raiola's Oregon debut came later than expected this season following two close games to start the season. However, Raiola figured to play a big role at some point against Portland State, and thanks to a big halftime lead, Raiola got to play the entire third quarter and then some.

The former top recruit and Nebraska transfer made the most of his opportunity, completing all 11 of his pass attempts for 124 yards and three touchdowns. Raiola flashed in the spring game for the Ducks, and later inspired more confidence in Oregon's quarterback room in the offseason. But Friday night's outing was a long time coming for Raiola.

“It was so much fun," Raiola said. "My coaches, my teammates prepared me so well. I’m just grateful. I took a moment to just — the last time I got on a football field, I was walking off with a broken leg. So kind of putting that in perspective to have a whole new change and everything, I’m just blessed to be a part of this program and a part of the win today.”

Raiola fractured his fibula last November, abruptly ending his time with the Cornhuskers. Although Raiola never met the lofty expectations placed upon him in Lincoln, Dan Lanning made a big effort to get him out of the transfer portal in the offseason. From Midwest cornfields to the Pacific Northwest's luscious nature, things couldn't be much different for Raiola, including the surrounding talent and his role.

Dante Moore returned to school, and that didn't stop Raiola from making the move to Eugene. Now, he's learning from the potential top-five pick in hopes of commanding the Oregon offense in the future, or if he is needed later this season. In Moore's opinion, the pair have made the most of their partnership so far.

“(Raiola) had a blast out there," Moore said. "Every day at practice he’s pushing me, I’m pushing him. He’s someone that’s in the film room with me, tapping my shoulder, showing me this look of what they’re going to do on defense. The stat doesn’t blow my mind; he does it at practice. He’s someone that just takes control of the ball. He’s dedicated to his craft, and he’s just a great teammate to be around.”

The game moved in slow motion for Raiola on Friday night, albeit against lesser competition. Raiola never let the ball hit the ground, connecting with Andrew Olesh, Messiah Hampton and Brady Bidwell for touchdowns. He was quick, decisive and had great ball placement in his first game action in more than 10 months.

Lanning, ever the critic, was impressed by what Raiola showed while playing with both starters and reserves on Friday. Despite technically tossing a perfect game by avoiding an incompletion, Lanning knows there are still areas Raiola can grow, and the film will reveal all.

“Looked good based on what I saw," Lanning said. "We’re going to go back and evaluate. There may have been one or two plays that (he) could have had back, or sometimes did the cadence work out the proper way or did that create a penalty? Some moments like that that we can evaluate, but I thought he threw the ball well. I thought he put it in a position where wideouts could go attack it, and made good decisions in the run game."

At the end of the third quarter, Raiola got to see how the Oregon sideline embraces "Shout!" during a blowout. It was a moment to remember, but not for the reasons one might think. Raiola wasn't dancing or shouting; rather, he was focused on the next play to start the fourth quarter in the red zone.

"I was so focused on the third down play, and everyone was having a great time doing the ‘Shout!’ and I didn’t really know what was going on," Raiola said. "I was just worried about getting this touchdown and continuing to put points up on the board.”

The preparation paid off with a touchdown pass to Bidwell, a local kid and the son of Oregon's team chaplain. It was a special moment for both Raiola and Bidwell, and it was the last pass Raiola threw in his return.

Oregon hopes it won't have to rely on Raiola this season, simply because that would mean something went wrong with Moore. But Raiola's perfect outing offered a glimpse of what might come next for the Ducks, and there was plenty to be excited about. For Oregon's backup, it was just a boost in confidence to finally get back on the field after a traumatic injury.

“It means a lot," Raiola said. "You have practice reps, but nothing simulates a game like a game. Just being able to go out there and operate our system and not trying to do anything out of the normal, and success was there when we just did our job.”

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