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EUGENE, Ore. -- Oregon quarterback Nate Costa will be out for the season after surgeons repairing a torn meniscus in his left knee also found a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

That means Justin Roper will start Saturday night for Oregon in its opener against Washington at Autzen Stadium.

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"I've always been very cool under pressure," Roper said. "Like in the Civil War, I wasn't very rattled or anything. When the lights come on, I just have the ability to just go out and play."

Roper will be protected by a veteran offensive line, led by left tackle Fenuki Tupou and first team All-American center Max Unger.

"I think this group of guys has the potential to be the best group that I've played with here at Oregon so far," Unger said. "It's really cool feeling. I never quite had it like this where we know line calls without even saying them."

With an experienced secondary, the Ducks defense expects to be even stingier both in Autzen and on the road.

"I think we'll be an elite defense," said Partick Chung, a senior rover with 38 career starts. "That's what we've been praising. Be elite, fly to ball, eleven hands to the ball, and we're going to do that."

The Ducks did a lot of that last season in the opponents backfield, leading the nation in tackles for loss.

Quarterback quandry

Roper is the only Duck quarterback with game experience, leaving the Ducks wondering who will play back up.

That role was to be Roper's until Costa, the frontrunner to start for the Ducks, was sidelined by injuries.

Costa, a sophomore, injured the knee in a noncontact drill in the week before the Wednesday surgery, which the team had hoped would allow him to play part of the season.

Costa also missed last season with a knee injury.

Behind Roper is Jeremiah Masoli. Coaches like the sophomore with accuracy who has nursed a wrist injury during camp. Masoli comes to the Ducks after leading City College of San Francisco to the junior college national title.

Behind Masoli are Chris Harper and Darren Thomas, both freshman, both highly touted -- and both inexperienced at the college level.

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