Many of us have been befuddled by how well Dylan played against USC and how miserably he played against UCLA.

So, I wondered if there are recent historical situations where there were similarities to his past two games where things turned out fine for the rest of the year. While I'm not saying it will happen, it has.

Many elite college quarterbacks have experienced a severe "rollercoaster" sequence of games—starting hot, suffering a catastrophic performance, and then playing exceptionally well for the remainder of the season.

This specific trajectory often happens to young quarterbacks or teams facing an elite defensive adjustment early in the year. Two of the most famous and definitive examples of this exact pattern include:

1. Jameis Winston (2013, Florida State)

During his Heisman-winning freshman season, Jameis Winston followed this exact script to perfection:

• The Great Game: He started the season on fire, including a legendary debut against Pittsburgh where he went 25-of-27.

• The Very Poor Game: Against a disciplined Boston College team a few weeks later, Winston looked entirely human, struggling with his accuracy, throwing his first career interceptions, and posting his lowest passer rating of the season.

• The Rest of the Year: Winston bounced back immediately. He dominated the rest of the schedule—including a historic blowout of No. 3 Clemson—leading Florida State to an undefeated season and a National Championship while winning the Heisman Trophy.

2. Stetson Bennett (2021, Georgia)

Stetson Bennett’s championship journey featured a massive early-season stumble that he rode all the way to glory:

• The Great Game: Filling in early in the season, Bennett had historic games, including a 5-touchdown performance against UAB.

• The Very Poor Game: In the SEC Championship game against Alabama, Bennett threw two costly interceptions (including a pick-six) and struggled mightily under pressure as Georgia was blown out.

• The Rest of the Year: Instead of letting the poor performance ruin his season, Bennett reset for the College Football Playoff. He played nearly flawless football in the Orange Bowl against Michigan and followed it up with a spectacular, clutch fourth-quarter performance in the National Championship rematch against Alabama to win the title.

Common Reasons for This Pattern

When a quarterback experiences this specific rhythm, it is usually due to:

• The "Blueprint" Effect: After a quarterback plays great, an opposing defensive coordinator finds a specific weakness and builds a blueprint to exploit it, causing a terrible game.

• Adjustments and Coaching: Elite coaching staffs use that poor game as a teaching tool to correct the quarterback's mechanics or decision-making, setting them up for a sustained run of success. But do we have the right coach to correct the flaws Dylan showed against UCLA, and does he have the tools to have them corrected?

That written, I still think there are flaws in Riolá's game - floating passes and being immobile, along with our poor blocking for him. And I should note, I think Riola's recent performance was likely not as good as the poor performances by Winston or Bennett. So what should be done Saturday? Perhaps start Riola, and if he looks bad in the first two possessions, switch to Thomas.

Edited 50 minutes ago50 min by Jeff Gilligan

I don't know. I've mentioned that Raiola is a statue in the pocket and has always looked bad against teams that pressure him. If Oregon hopes to win with Raiola, they are going to have to beef up the pass pro on this year's OL.