Oregon Quarterbacks Coach Pulls Back the Curtain on Akili Smith Jr.'s Growth

When it comes to the 2025 and 2024 spring games, one of the more talked about storylines is the deep balls and arm strength coming from Oregon Duck legacy athlete, quarterback Akili "KJ" Smith Jr., the son of former Oregon quarterback Akili Smith (played at Oregon from 1997 - 1998).

Beyond his ability to sling the ball, questions surrounded Smith regarding his ability to learn the playbook and step into a leadership role for his future with the Ducks. According to Oregon quarterbacks coach Koa Ka'ai, the incoming sophomore is making positive strides.

Oregon’s Akili Smith Jr., right, throws downfield during the Oregon Spring Game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene April 25, 2026 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Akili Smith Jr. Continues To Grow In Playbook Knowledge

Ka'ai shared that Smith is getting the hang of the Ducks' intricate systems, while also learning to slow down.

"KJ, I can't speak enough of how much KJ has grown from the spring till now," Ka'ai said on Monday during Oregon's second week of fall camp. "He's taking a huge leap, a lot of that's just like playing in the confines of the system. I think we do a lot here schematically, and we give these guys a bunch of tools and things they can get to. But it's easy for a young kid to kind of get overwhelmed by that and go out there, and everything's moving a million hours an hour."

Moving at a million miles an hour, but Smith has the tools to continue building his mind on the field. Speaking of one the field, Ka'ai indicated that Smith has grown a bit since he first settled in with the Ducks, stating that the four-star high school recruit was closer to 6-6, 240 pounds.

Combat Ducks quarterback Akili Smith Jr. throws a pass during the Oregon Ducks annual spring game on April 25, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Learning From Oregon Ducks Mentors

Ka'ai shared that for the young backup, a lot of his success in picking up the Ducks' offensive scheme comes from the way he studies, which Smith gleaned from the elite quarterbacks beside him.

"And I think he's figured out, 'Hey, what works for Dante Moore studying wise that might not work for me. What is the schedule and the routine that I need, you know?' And so for him, it's like, hey, he goes into his guest room at his place, and he has a whiteboard in there, and he draws up the install every night," Ka'ai said.

A very similar process to how Moore picked up skills from Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel during the Ducks' 2024 season. Plus, with the addition of Nebraska transfer Dylan Raiola over the 2026 off season, Smith now has two quarterbacks with starting experience to learn from as he progresses inside the Oregon system.

Combat Ducks quarterback Akili Smith Jr. throws a pass before the game as the Fighting Ducks face off against Mighty Oregon in the Oregon Ducks spring game on April 26, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Needing An Assist(ant)

There's also the 2025 mid-season addition of assitant quarterbacks coach Jay Johnson that Ka'ai points to for helping Smith adjust to the playbook and find his game and film study rythm. Johnson has bounced around several programs as a quarterback coach at Kansas and offensive coordinator at Michigan State, Colorado, Minnesota, Louisiana, and Wyoming.

With a connection to coach Dan Lanning from his experience as a quality control assistant for a brief two year stint at Georgia, Johnson brings a flurry of knowledge in how Smith can further adapt to his role.

"That works for him, you know. And then when we're on the road and we're out there running about the country, like Jay Johnson's done an amazing job with these guys and an amazing job with KJ getting him prepared, you know. And you can see through camp all that work that he's put in in the offseason since the spring game until now, and you can see the fruit of his labor now," Ka'ai said.

"You know, so it's a testament to the kid. It's a testament to the rest of the guys that are on our room helping us out. And like, you know, Jay has been a huge asset for us in that room, and you can see it in KJ's performance," Ka'ai added.

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