On the front page of a recent USA Today, a picture of Jeremiah Masoli served as the latest reminder of how different his life has become in the past year. Not that Masoli had much of a reaction.
"Really?" he said, softly. "That's cool."
Masoli offered similar thoughts last month when he graced a regional cover of Sports Illustrated. While Eugene shops could barely keep the magazine in stock, Masoli quietly went about his business.
The Ducks' 5-foot-11 junior quarterback claims he doesn't even own a copy.
"I don't need one," Masoli said. "I know what I look like. But it was kind of surreal when my mom called and was like, 'I can't believe you're on the cover of Sports Illustrated,' especially thinking about where I came from. It's just something crazy to be thankful for."
Masoli isn't taking for granted his role as starting quarterback for a team with Rose Bowl aspirations. His sudden rise from junior college star to fifth-string quarterback to Holiday Bowl offensive MVP has garnered him lavish praise.
But Oregon coach Chip Kelly doesn't expect all of the attention to go to Masoli's head.
"He's the same guy he was," Kelly said. "That stuff doesn't affect him. He deserves it. He finished up last season really well. But the notoriety means nothing in terms of how it will affect his play."
Masoli had a hand in 23 touchdowns last season, passing for 13 and rushing for 10. He finished with 1,744 yards passing and set a Ducks quarterback record with 718 yards rushing.
But more than his statistics, it was Masoli's offseason dedication that has raised the confidence level of his teammates and coaches.
Masoli said he instantly clicked with Kelly's up-tempo offense during the spring, and that made him even more intent on being a leader during the players' summer workouts.
"He sets his expectations for his players really high," Masoli said of Kelly. "You want to play for him, and you want to be the best you can be out there."
Throughout fall camp, Kelly has lauded Masoli's play and pointed out how much more in tune his quarterback is with the offense than he was before last season.
Perhaps the biggest sign of Masoli's comfort level can be seen in his long hair. After arriving at Oregon with practically a shaved head, Masoli has followed the lead of his Samoan cousins and stopped going to the barber.
He has no intention of cutting his hair any time soon.
"We could hit the floor with it," Masoli said, laughing. "I'm going to keep it long, for sure. The first day (of camp) it was hurting a little bit under my helmet, but now it's all right. Just as long as somebody doesn't pull my hair in a game, I should be fine."
