Oregon’s quarterback depth chart got a little less crowded Wednesday when sophomore Cody Kempt signed scholarship paperwork with Montana State for next season.
The Beaverton native made three appearances as a redshirt freshman last fall, starting the Civil War after the Ducks suffered a series of injuries to their more experienced quarterbacks.
His departure leaves the Ducks with five scholarship quarterbacks expected to compete for playing time next season — sophomores Nate Costa and Justin Roper, JC transfer Jeremiah Masoli, also a sophomore, and true freshmen Chris Harper and Darron Thomas.
Along with Roper, Kempt was the only quarterback with the Ducks this spring who had major-college starting experience. Roper started the Sun Bowl and led the Ducks to a win over South Florida. Costa was ahead of both on the depth chart before his October knee injury, which preceded injuries to seniors Dennis Dixon and Brady Leaf and forced Kempt into action.
Kempt’s most extensive playing time came in relief of Leaf at UCLA, a game the Ducks lost 16-0. He went 6-of-23 passing for 52 yards with two interceptions, then threw three incompletions in the Civil War before leaving with a concussion in the first quarter.
His final appearance in a UO uniform was in mop-up duty late in the Sun Bowl.
Kempt declined to comment Wednesday through a UO athletic department spokesman. He was expected to finish the current academic quarter at Oregon.
Ducks coach Mike Bellotti was unavailable for comment Wednesday afternoon.
The best clue to Kempt’s motivations behind the transfer came in the statement from MSU coach Rob Ash announcing the move.
“He wants a chance to play,” Ash said.
“He’s a first-class person, and it was an easy decision to welcome Cody to our program.”
Kempt’s father, Mychal Kempt, also played at Montana State and had 175 tackles in four years as a linebacker, two of them as a starter. Cody Kempt was born in Bozeman, Mont., while his father was playing there.
Montana State is a Football Championship Subdivision school (formerly Division I-AA) at which Kempt will be immediately eligible to play for the next three years. The Bobcats won a I-AA national title in 1984.
