Justin Roper, Oregon's starting quarterback last season until a knee injury in Week 3, will play football for the Montana Griz in 2009.

He confirmed his decision on Saturday, choosing UM over UMass and Towson. Roper will move to Garden City this week to begin summer school and get acquainted with his new teammates.

"Montana is very popular around this area, known for having a great program," Roper said in a phone interview with the Missoulian. "It's a great atmosphere to play college football. A great college football state really.

"They win. That's very important to me. There's good team chemistry, and it looks like I'll have the opportunity to get to the NFL through them too."

The 6-foot-6, 215-pound Roper is eligible to play immediately because Montana is in the Football Championship Subdivision. He is a junior who redshirted as a freshman in 2006.

In two years of duty for the Ducks, Roper started four games. His finest moment came as a redshirt freshman in 2007 when he led Oregon to a win over South Florida in the Sun Bowl. Roper completed 17-of-30 passes for 180 yards and four touchdowns.

Things didn't go his way in 2008 after a knee injury against Purdue sidelined him for four games. He served as a backup the rest of the season and remained at No. 2 on the depth chart despite completing 22-of-34 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns in Oregon's spring game.

Roper was granted his release from UO in late May.

"My decision to transfer wasn't just after spring," he said. "I started thinking about it in bowl practice this past season.

"It didn't look like I was going to get much of a shot to play and the staff was shifting toward more of a running-style quarterback. It looked like that was the direction they wanted to go."

Roper signed on with Oregon in 2006 to play in a spread offense under former coach Mike Bellotti. His spread played to Roper's strength as a dropback passer.

"Then Coach (Chip) Kelly took over this spring and he runs more of a spread where the quarterback gets a lot of carries," said Roper, a native of Buford, Ga. "I can make a spread offense work, but my strong suit is not running the ball."

In six appearances last season, he completed 48-of-91 passes for 610 yards and three touchdowns. He rushed for 85 yards.

Roper departed on good terms with Kelly, who served as offensive coordinator for last year's 10-3 Ducks team.

"Justin is a true competitor just like any other high-caliber athlete who wishes to be out on the football field as much as possible," Kelly said in a press release. "I certainly can't fault him for that. I wish him nothing but success."

While working through his recent selection process, Roper consulted with Robin Pflugrad, who was a Griz receivers coach from 1986-94 and served on Oregon's coaching staff until Kelly cut him loose this spring.

Pflugrad was back working with Griz players as a volunteer this spring. Montana has yet to make an announcement on a vacant receivers coach position.

"(Pflugrad) gives me a sense of familiarity with the program, a comfort level because I know someone going in," Roper said. "But he wasn't a deciding factor. He was a guy who answered questions."

Montana reached the FCS title game last December behind scrappy senior quarterback Cole Bergquist. The California native is currently pursuing a professional career.

In Roper, the Griz have an athlete who was a four-sport standout at Buford High School. He played the guard position in basketball, finished third in the state high jump (6-feet, 6-inches) and was clocked at 1:04 in the 100-meter breaststroke on the school's swim team.

A religious studies major, Roper is determined to get acclimated to Missoula and the Griz as soon as possible.

"It's like coming out of high school and coming in as a freshman all over again," he said. "It's good to come that summer before to get familiar with the strength program and get to know the guys, learn some of the system."

The Griz open their 2009 season at home on Sept. 5 against NCAA Division II Western State.

Notes: Pflugrad's son, Missoula native Aaron Pflugrad, was also granted his release from the Oregon program in May. The junior receiver was competing for a starting job, but opted to transfer after his father was not retained by Kelly as an assistant coach. Aaron has yet to sign with another program.

Sports writer Bill Speltz: 523-5255 or bill.speltz@lee.net.