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Dylan Raiola received permission from Marcus Mariota to wear No. 8 with Oregon

IMG_6598by: Nick Kosko03/24/26nickkosko59

New Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola sought out permission from Marcus Mariota to wear No. 8 with the Ducks. Sure enough, the Heisman Trophy winner gave the Nebraska transfer his blessing.

In light of Matt Leinart saying he would not give up his No. 11 to any player at USC, other than his sons, Mariota was more than willing to give it up to Raiola for the year. Raiola will serve as the backup to Dante Moore, who came back for 2026.

But Raiola noted the number has some significance, and not just for Mariota. Former Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel also wore it before he went to the NFL.

“The last two people, if you look at it, who wore it were Dillon Gabriel and Marcus Mariota,” Raiola said in a video feature from the football team. “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’s number and I called Marcus and I was blessed with the opportunity to wear it.”

Raiola was in the midst of a solid sophomore season with the Cornhuskers before his injury in 2025. He completed 72.4% of his passes for 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns, to six interceptions, across nine games. After the season, he entered the transfer portal and later signed with Oregon.

Earlier this month, Raiola was back on the field as he learns the new system. Lanning said the Oregon staff is monitoring Raiola’s recovery closely, but he’s happy with how the transfer quarterback is picking up the offense.

“He’s working,” head coach Dan Lanning said Thursday. “He was able to practice with us today. We’re being conscientious of where he’s at as he comes back. But he’s pushing.

“And it’s new for him. He’s coming into a new system. But he’s learning it well. He’s definitely a cerebral player that can make the throws, so very excited about where he’s at and where he’ll continue to grow.”

Raiola was one of the top players to enter the transfer portal this cycle. He came in as the No. 24 overall player and No. 8-ranked quarterback to hit the open market, according to the On3 Industry Transfer Rankings.