During the fall football camp in 2012, both Marcus Mariota and Brett Hundley were vying for starting quarterback positions at their respective universities. During the early weeks of practice, the nationally recognized redshirt sophomore quarterbacks, then freshmen, were involved in competitions to become starters. Oregon fans know how the rest of the story writes itself as Mariota emerged as the obvious superior and is guiding Oregon to a historical season offensively with National Championship aspirations. For Hundley, although the talent surrounding him may not be the same, an almost identical path was taken. After winning the quarterback competition at UCLA, Hundley led the Bruins to the Pac-12 Championship and a 9-5 record that included a Holiday Bowl appearance.
The two will now face off for the first time when Hundley takes his No. 12 Bruins team to Eugene for College GameDay’s featured game of the week.
Hundley and Mariota are hybrids with poise in the pocket as well as mobility outside of it. Their figures are similar as well with Mariota listed at 6 feet 4 inches tall, 211 pounds, and Hundley at 6 feet 3 inches tall, 222 pounds. Their playing styles vary, however. Mariota initiates a more up-tempo, speed-driven offense at Oregon and is always a threat to rush the ball while Hundley is more well-known for his accuracy and decision-making.
“Obviously Brett is Brett and Marcus is Marcus,” UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr said during a teleconference Monday. “They’re two totally different quarterbacks and they operate at different speeds and they operate differently.”
Both Mariota and Hundley are among the top draft prospects for 2014, according to CBSSports.com. Both have also been rising consistently into the top half of the first round mock drafts for NFLDraftScout.com.
Hundley physically looks the part of a high-end draft pick with a tall and well-built frame that can unleash passes all over the field. Mariota may not be the conventional NFL quarterback, but his speed to complement his throwing ability relates to Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers, who has found success at the NFL level.
“I don’t think Hundley is as fast as Marcus, but he is more elusive and faster than you think,” defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti said. “He can make some plays with his feet and whenever a guy can do that, just like Marcus, it’s tough.”
On the year, Mariota is playing at the level of a Heisman trophy winner. He has thrown for 2,051 yards and 19 touchdowns without recording a single interception. Not to mention his performance on the ground, where he has recorded 493 yards and nine touchdowns. Hundley has not recorded those type of gaudy numbers, but has averaged 276.8 yards per game with a 70.4 adjusted quarterback rating and has been the consummate leader of his team.
Hundley did show signs of being just a second-year starter against Stanford last week. The UCLA offense was virtually ineffective throughout and Hundley was forced to check down on a number of his throws and was picked off twice in their 24-10 loss. Mariota has yet to face Stanford’s defense, so it is unclear how to gauge Hundley’s performance while playing a stingy Cardinal defense.
Hundley’s and Mariota’s futures look boundless right now as both possess potential that could extend into successful professional careers. With the combination of poise and athleticism, the two quarterbacks will create an interesting storyline on Saturday and for the weeks that follow.