The Oregon Ducks (4-3 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) are continuing their ongoing search for a starting quarterback with junior Nebraska transfer Dylan Raiola expected to start against the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 12:30 p.m. PT.

With so many headlines coming out of the Oregon program, fans may suspect that the recruiting process for the class of 2027 will get some negative results due to the change at offensive coordinator and the three-loss status entering week nine of play.

Will Mencl Shows Athleticism With Rushing Touchdown Play

On a positive note for the recruiting trail, one class of 2027 quarterback is continuously putting up impressive tape while staying committed to the Ducks. Chandler High School Wolves four-star quarterback Will Mencl is playing his senior season with an Oct. 30 overall record of 8-1.

In a video posted on Mencl's Instagram story (@will.mencl) of Chandler's game against the Pinnacle Pioneers, the quarterback runs behind the line to the left and fakes out a defender, while outrunning two other defenders to sink in a Wolves touchdown.

Mencl and the Wolves ended up securing a blowout victory against the Pioneers, 40-0, sealing their eigth straight win of the season. The No. 7 quarterback in the class of 2027 according to 247 Sports displayed the speed that the Ducks typically pride themselves on when it comes to quarterback.

Plus, with the Wolves' current record, there's a chance Mencl can show growth as a quarterback by helping get his team to a better record than the Wolves' previous 10-3 2025 record. In that season, Mencl led the Wolves to the Arizona Open Division Championship Game. He also recorded 17 rushing touchdowns that season.

Excitement For a Mobile Quarteback

Due to Oregon's struggling offensive line this season, seeing Mencl be a mobile quarterback should be a point of excitement for Ducks fans. Being able to show aggression during quarterback keepers is a point of criticism against starting quarterback Dante Moore, and both senior Brock Thomas (5 carries for -8 yards) and Raiola (8 carries for -14 yards) are not succeeding in moving the rock with their legs.

Dan Lanning's Quarterback Expectations

If the transfer portal does not become a factor for the Ducks' quarterback room after the season (which historically is not likely as last year the Ducks saw three departing quarterbacks), then Mencl will compete against Raiola, sophmore Akili Smith Jr., junior Ryder Hayes, and freshman TC Manumaleuna for in-game action.

For Lanning, who's spoken on the 2026 regular season quarterback competition quite a bit, there's one factor that stands out to his as a non-negotiable for an Oregon leader.

"Consistency. We've got to be able to make sure that we can help create consistency with play calls. We've been a really good quarterback room off the bench. We haven't been a very good quarterback room consistently at the start of games," Lanning said during his Monday pregame press conference.

"Probably finding out why that is. In the last game, again, we did start off really well, and we just didn't finish well. But I think we have to find the rhythm that we can, and we need competition at that position as well as other positions on the field," Lanning added.