4-Star Quarterback Recruit Matt Ponatoski Schedules Visit To Oregon Ducks: Baseball And Football?

The Oregon Ducks are still looking to recruit a quarterback from the class of 2026. One of the team’s top targets has been four-star quarterback Matt Ponatoski. Ponatoski scheduled his official visit with the Oregon Ducks, set for the weekend of June 20.

Ponatoski is one of the top quarterbacks available from the class of 2026. Per the On3 Industry Rankings, he is the No. 311 recruit in the nation, the No. 22 quarterback, and the No. 15 player from Ohio. Ponatoski stepped away from football recruitment for some time to focus on baseball but is ready to take his official visits and make his decision.

Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein has been leading Ponatoski’s recruitment, as the team is pushing hard for the four-star quarterback. Ponatoski will head to Eugene following the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles.

Moeller quarterback Matt Ponatoski, recently named Ohio Mr. Football and Gatorade Football Player of the Year, can often be seen wearing a headset as he is in the regional semifinal game with Princeton Nov. 15, 2024. | Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ponatoski is also a top baseball recruit, looking for a school that fits well for him in both sports. The Oregon Ducks are one of the programs recruiting him for both sports, increasing the chances of landing the quarterback prospect.

Ponatoski spoke to On3 about how it felt to receive an offer from Oregon coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks and why he is interested in the program.

“Oregon was a very cool offer,” Ponatoski said. “An offer that took a little time to get so it feels really good especially since they were No. 1 in the country for a big part of last year.”

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The Oregon Ducks had an undefeated regular season in 2024 and became the No. 1 ranked team in the country by week nine. While the team did not get a College Playoff win, the program had 10 players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, including quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

“They also have a bunch of great quarterbacks as of recent and I will have an opportunity to play both sports there,” Ponatoski said.

For baseball Ponatoski has already had an official visit with Kentucky, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, and Duke. He has also shown interest in Wake Forest, previously saying he wants to schedule a visit. Oregon is growing a strong baseball team, set to host the Eugene Regional hoping to compete in the College World Series.

The Oregon Ducks class of 2026 is ranked No. 10 in the nation and No. 3 in the Big Ten, per On3. The team has received just seven commitments, two of which are from the offensive side of the ball. The top commitments for Oregon are five-star tight end Kendre Harrison and four-star running back Tradarian Ball.

Matt Ponatoski delivers a touchdown strike for the Crusaders at RDI Stadium, Sept. 20, 2024. | Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon is still looking for a quarterback recruit after losing a commitment from four-star Jonas Williams, who flipped his decision to USC. The Oregon Ducks have had tough luck with the class of 2026 between losing commitments and top recruits picking other programs instead. Oregon is looking to turn its luck around with Ponatoski.

In his junior season, Ponatoski helped lead his team to the state championship game and threw over 4,000 yards and 56 touchdowns. He is an accurate passer, throwing just three touchdowns. Ponatoski is looking to make his decision sooner rather than later but wants to go through his visits first.

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