Oregon starting quarterback Dante Moore is listed on the roster as only two inches shorter than backup quarterback Akili Smith Jr. And yet, the latter makes the former look like a peanut.
Did he hit a growth spurt, is it the angle of the photo, or are the Ducks lying?
It is not uncommon for college football programs to fudge heights and/or weights on a team roster. However, I am not so sure that is what happened here.
Who is Akili Smith Jr.?
Technically speaking, Smith Jr. is not the real backup quarterback at Oregon. The true freshman signal-caller will likely take a redshirt this season.
Brock Thomas is the only other quarterback to see the field for the Ducks other than Moore this season because, according to head coach Dan Lanning, he has earned the opportunities in practice. Austin Novosad and Luke Moga are also in the mix for end-of-game snaps. Same with walk-on Ryder Hayes.
Akili Smith Jr. is considered the eventual heir to Moore’s throne, two or even three years down the road. He is the “break in case of emergency” option for now.
The San Diego-native committed to Oregon as a four-star recruit in the Class of 2025. His father was a very big deal at the same school.
Akili Smith Sr. was drafted No. 3 overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1999 after two years as the starting quarterback for the Ducks. He threw for 3,763 yards and 32 touchdowns in 1998 and was named as the Pac-12 Co-Offensive Player of the Year.
His son appears to be up next!
He makes Dante Moore look extremely small.
Smith Jr. threw more than 6,900 yards as the starter at Lincoln High School. As a senior, he passed for 2,478 yards and 24 touchdowns while rushing for 508 yards and four touchdowns.
The 19-year-old was listed at 6-foot-5, 200 pounds on most major recruiting sites last year. Oregon lists him on the roster at 6-foot-5, 231 pounds after just seven months on campus.
That might still be understated.
I don’t know if Akili Smith Jr. hit a growth spurt or if he is just massive. Either way, he makes Dante Moore look like a peanut.
Moore is listed on the roster at 6-foot-3, 206 pounds. Maybe that is not true. He might actually be under 6-foot-2. The picture also could’ve been taken on a downward angle that distorts the perspective.
I do not know what exactly happened here but I would love to see them both take another photo together to set the record straight. Surely it must be an optical illusion, right?