Jeremiah Masoli, was he holding Oregon back?

Yesterday Ole Miss and former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli might have shown the sports world that he was holding back the University of Oregon Ducks football team. While his former team in Oregon rolled over the New Mexico Lobos 72-0, Masoli and the Rebels put up a weak performance against FCS Jacksonville State that ended up in disappointment during a 49-48 double overtime loss.

Before enrolling at Mississippi Masoli, now a 5th year senior, had quarterbacked Oregon to a Pac- 10 championship and Rose Bowl appearance last season where they were smothered by a ready Ohio State team. Masoli, then one of the Heisman Trophy favorites for the 2010 season was suspended for the year when he was convicted of breaking into an Frat House and stealing laptops as well as other items. Even after that he didn't seem to learn his lesson when he was caught speeding and possessing marijuana and Masoli was dismissed from the team. Because he had graduated, Masoli used a little know rule to get around having to sit out a year after a transfer season and was practicing with the Rebels almost immediately. Then a couple days ago, the NCAA decided that Masoli's transfer wasn't in the spirit of the rule, but after appeal, NCAA decided that they couldn't punish him for a loophole he found, they allowed him to play once again this year.

The season was supposed to start with an easy win for Ole Miss, but after a disappointing performance by their new quarterback (7 completions, 109 yards, 1 Int) all of that opening game optimism was sapped. While the Rebels felt the pain of defeat the Ducks optimism for a repeat Pac- 10 title coming into the season has just been multiplied many times and we might have a new Heisman Trophy Candidate in sophomore running back Kenjon Barner who rushed for 147 yards and 4 Tds, had 60 yards through the air and another touchdown. While Masoli didn't impress in his opener against a cupcake team, his replacement quarterbacks combined for 351 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. This proves that Masoli, no matter how well he can play a spread, might have held the Ducks from their full potential last season and cost them a Rose Bowl Championsip.

-A