Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley on Tuesday named red shirt freshman Spencer Rattler as the Soners’ starting quarterback.
This will be the fourth early quarterback for the Sonars in the last four seasons, following Baker Mayfield, Killer Murray and Jalen Hurt, all of these transfers were previously made for other schools.
“Spencer has played a very good and definitely very worthy part,” Riley said of the quarterback contest with Relashirt Sofmore Tenor Mordkhai. “I just felt like I’ve been separated enough.”
Riley said he generally prefers Rattler to be offered a scholarship during the new year of high school. Rattler was ESPN’s number one dual-report quarterback in the country and an overall number 29 prospect in the 2019 ESPN 300. At Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, he set an Arizona state record with 11,083 pass yards and threw 116 TD passes. He ran more than 1,000 yards in his high school career with 14 rushing TDs.
Rattler was present last year for Ok Klahoma in three games for 811 yards – 11 and for touchdowns in 23 yards with three carry.
Mordecai was injured in the fall practice and missed some time fighting for a starting spot.
“He was missing about 70 to 75% in fall camp, which really limited his best chances to play his best and shot at him. But that’s football,” Riley said.
Mayfield and Murray both won a Heisman Trophy and finished first in the NFL Draft. Last year, Hertz Hazman finished as a runner-up and picked up a second round pick for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2020 draft.
Riley said coaching a young player like Rattler, who has never been a college led starter, will not affect how he gets to the place.
“I always coach differently,” Riley said. Noted that he is happy with the depth in the quarterbacks with Mordesai, freshman Chandler Morris and senior tenor Shafar. “Guys learn differently, guys need different things and have their strengths and weaknesses. These people are more than capable of running the offense and playing the position as expected. I think there are some good ones around us. There are players, and our expectations of how they play and how our offense plays out, it certainly hasn’t changed. “
Riley said Rattler’s comparisons with Murray, Mayfield or Hurts are difficult to determine.
“There are a few bits and pieces of it all,” Riley said. “He’s definitely different than Jalen. Probably a little more outgoing, maybe a little bit somewhere between Claire and Baker. But he has a natural confidence and a kind of charisma about himself. He always seems confident regardless. I think that’s the key for anyone in office. “
.
