When the Oregon Ducks' spring football roster was officially released earlier this month, a lot of eyebrows raised at the fact that Nebraska Cornhuskers transfer quarterback Dylan Raiola was changing his number from No.
15 to No.
8.
In a "Meet the Flock" video released by the football program on Saturday, giving a closer look at the QB room, Raiola opened up about the number change and revealed that he received permission from Mariota and Dillon Gabriel to wear the number at Oregon.
Meet the Flock
Episode 1 - Quarterbacks#GoDuckspic.twitter.com/1rINp59lFK
— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) March 21, 2026
"The last two people to wear it, if you look at Dillon Gabriel and Marcus Mariota," Raiola said.
"So before I even thought about wearing it, I called Dillon, and I asked him.
And then I actually asked him if I could have Marcus' number, and I called Marcus.
I was blessed with the opportunity to wear it."
While Raiola's football journey has taken him all across the country, with stops in Texas, Arizona, Georgia, and Nebraska, it all started in Hawaii, where he was born and spent the early years of his life.
During that time, Mariota's legend grew in Eugene and Hawaii, as he became the first Duck and the first Hawaiian-born player to win the Heisman.
Whether or not the number change means that Raiola is going to start trying to play in a similar fashion as Mariota did is yet to be seen, but Oregon fans everywhere would be thrilled to see him have similar success down the road.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks QB Dylan Raiola asked Marcus Mariota for jersey blessing
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