Oregon coach Mark Helfrich has a quarterback competition on his hands this preseason between Jeff Lockie and incoming transfer Vernon Adams. But as focused on the 2015 season as Helfrich might be, you'd better believe he can identify with this young Ducks fan who just isn't ready to see Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota in the NFL:
For grown-ups, it was a foregone conclusion that a player of Mariota's prolific talent would leave Oregon a year early and enter the NFL draft as an underclassman. For a fan of this age, however, early draft entry isn't such an easy concept to grasp.
Chin up, though, kid.
Adams, who is expected to win the job, had an unreal track record in three years playing for Eastern Washington in the FCS. He passed for 10,438 yards from 2012-2014, and connected for 55 touchdown passes in 2013 alone. Fifty-five!
Moving the football won't be a problem at Oregon.
Moving on from Mariota, well, that's another challenge.
UPDATE: After Wednesday's practice, Mariota responded, offering a Titans jersey to the distraught youngster.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.