Options wide open as DuRocher ponders future.

Byline: Rob Moseley The Register-Guard

While Oregon continues its football recruiting efforts over the coming weeks, a former Duck will be looking for a new home.

Johnny DuRocher recently wrapped up his first of two quarters at Pierce College in his home state of Washington, and he intends to transfer to a Division I-A program in time for spring practices, he said Wednesday.

DuRocher left Eugene two games into this past season after true freshman Dennis Dixon won the backup quarterback job behind Kellen Clemens. Oregon coach Mike Bellotti wouldn't grant DuRocher an unconditional release from his scholarship - limiting his transfer options had he hoped to immediately enroll at a four-year school - but the redshirt freshman from Graham, Wash., completed 20 units at Pierce this fall and hopes to complete 20 more over the winter, thereby earning his associate's degree and allowing a transfer to any university.

"Obviously I would have liked to have gotten the release, but with the schools I would have wanted to go to, I can see why he didn't give it to me," DuRocher said. "But at this point I'm getting to go wherever I want anyway. A release would have been easier, but I don't have any animosity toward anyone there. You've just got to move on."

DuRocher said he is still considering all his options for a possible transfer destination. But two potential destinations, he acknowledged, could be Washington or Utah.

Both might welcome a player who could start immediately at quarterback. The Huskies were dreadful at the position this fall, while the Utes could potentially lose Heisman finalist Alex Smith to the NFL.

"Right now I don't have any preference," DuRocher said. "I just want to play football someplace. Hopefully in the next couple weeks I'll know.

"I'll consider any school that contacts me. I don't want to shut any doors."

DuRocher is just starting to seriously investigate potential destinations after waiting for the myriad coaching changes around the country to play out. Both the Huskies and Utes have new head coaches - Tyrone Willingham in Seattle and Kyle Whittingham in Utah.

Willingham tried to recruit DuRocher to Notre Dame when he was a senior at Bethel High School, but the discussions were brief after DuRocher decided he couldn't move so far from home.

"I really don't have any relationship with him," DuRocher said.

At Utah, Whittingham recently hired former UO offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig to fill the same position with the Utes. That made the Mountain West Conference team and Bowl Championship Series participant an even stronger possibility, said DuRocher, who worked with Ludwig during his year-and-a-half with the Ducks.

"With coach Ludwig going to Utah, that's a viable option now," DuRocher said. "Me and coach Ludwig had a real strong relationship."

Pierce College doesn't have a football team, so DuRocher has had to work out on his own to stay in shape.

His workout partners have included some former prep teammates, and a couple of faces familiar to the Northwest college football scene. Husky defensive back Cody Ellis, a Puyallup, Wash., native, has joined DuRocher for workouts, as has former Oregon teammate Jordan Carey.

Carey, a native of Olympia, left the team this fall after acknowledging a substance abuse problem, but DuRocher said his friend seems to have his life back on track.

"He understands he's made some mistakes, but he's looking forward to having another chance," DuRocher said. "Everything I've gotten from Jordan is that he's doing well. He's a pretty straight shooter and we're pretty good buddies, so I can't imagine him lying to me or anything."

Carey is also looking to transfer to another school and play football, DuRocher said. DuRocher has also been in contact with another Duck who didn't last more than two seasons in Eugene, redshirt freshman cornerback Ryan Gilliam, who has informed UO coaches of his intent to transfer.

It's friendships with teammates, DuRocher said, that he misses most about playing football.

"I miss playing football," he said, "but I miss the relationships more. You can't take that kind of stuff for granted."

When looking for a transfer destination as opposed to signing out of high school, DuRocher said, "you're a little more mature in what you look for - relationships with coaches and that type of thing, instead of just facilities or something.

"I want to step into a good situation. I'm sure I'll make a quick decision once I get some offers."