Selection Wednesday is coming East Ridge QB Green

"Oregon! Oregon! Oregon!"

East Ridge quarterback Seth Green's pre-snap call in practice earlier this week could mean much more than a delayed run play.

Green, one of the nation's most coveted dual-threat quarterbacks in the Class of 2016, will announce his college choice Wednesday morning at the Woodbury school. His three finalists are Michigan State, Minnesota and Oregon.

He is focused on the Pacific Northwest.

For now.

"I would say yes, [Oregon is] leading, but everyone makes it sound like it's the obvious choice," Green said. "That isn't true because Michigan State is a great program. They have three active quarterbacks in the NFL right now. And then Minnesota is the hometown team. Coach [Jerry] Kill is bringing the program up tremendously."

Playing quarterback at Oregon is an opportunity similar to Apple Valley's Tyus Jones' chance to run Duke basketball's offense as a freshman point guard this winter. The Ducks finished second nationally in total offense (565 yards per game) and fourth in points per game (45.5) last season and beat Texas 30-7 in the Alamo Bowl.

"I'm still figuring it out," Green said. "I have a good idea but I want to be 100 percent sure."

Green, a 6-4, 220-pound junior in his third season as the Raptors' starting quarterback, is listed by Rivals.com as the country's No. 8 dual-threat quarterback. He leads No. 3 East Ridge (6-0) into a showdown at No. 7 Mounds View (5-1) on Friday.

Through six games this season, Green has completed 76 of 142 passes for 1,091 yards and 13 touchdowns. On the ground he has picked up 343 yards and three scores. Last week he ran for a season-high 148 yards against White Bear Lake.

"This is the first year we let him really run the football like he is, though he probably would have liked to do it last year," East Ridge coach Mike Pendino said. "But we give him a lot of latitude now. He probably checks seven to 10 plays per game, and he does a great job with it."

Josh Helmholdt, Midwest recruiting analyst for Rivals.com, lauded Green's potential as a multifaceted quarterback.

Wednesday's verbal commitment, while not binding, makes Green's timing unique among recent high-profile Minnesota football recruits. Cretin-Derham Hall offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson and Minneapolis Washburn running back Jeff Jones each waited until National Signing Day in February of their senior years to announce their college plans.

"It just feels right for me because I narrowed down my choices," Green said. "I want to get it out of the way and focus on getting better as a quarterback. And also I want to help recruiting for that school."

Green's interest in Minnesota isn't a courtesy. His father, Bryan, played running back for the Gophers in the early 1990s. His career overlapped that of Pendino, then an offensive line coach, for one season. But neither father nor coach is overwhelming Green with maroon and gold suggestions.

"None of the three would surprise me," Pendino said. "If he stays home, he's the hometown guy. He gets all the pub. Then he graduates and he's got a job with all the Fortune 500 companies in the Twin Cities if things don't work out at the next level. And you can't go wrong if he ends up going to the other two schools."

Said Green: "My dad just wants what's best for me. I'm sure he'd love it if I stayed home so he could come to all the games."