HILLSBORO — So much for the “Spring” Game.
As if on cue, the cloudless blue skies transformed into hail-spewing gray clouds just in time for the Oregon football’s annual glorified scrimmage known as the Spring Game.
Despite the fall-like conditions, 7,110 green and white clad fans packed into Hillsboro Stadium near Portland Saturday afternoon to cheer on the Ducks in their 45-6 victory over, well, the other Ducks.
Led by the aerial assault of No. 2 quarterback Jason Fife and a defense that held its opponent to negative-25 yards rushing, the Green team — made up of first- and second-teamers — easily disposed of its White counterparts.
“The outcome turned out the way I would have hoped: Our Green team dominated,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said. “There was enough excitement to keep the fans happy. This is a very tough day in which to play; it’s more of a defensive-oriented day.”
Certainly the defense — one of the question marks of this team — had a strong showing, with junior linebacker David Moretti making a game-high nine tackles and defensive tackle Zack Freiter recording three of the nine sacks in the game.
But the slick AstroTurf and the 20-mph winds didn’t prevent the offense from having its moments as well.
Without a doubt, the highlight of the game came at the 1:36 mark of the second quarter when Fife appeared to have been intercepted by cornerback Jason Jenkins. Both Jenkins and receiver Keith Allen went up for the pass, with Jenkins seemingly having control of it while falling down. But the ball popped loose, Allen scooped it up and completed a crowd-pleasing 72-yard touchdown pass.
“I threw it to Keith and saw it bounce off his hands, and from then on I don’t know what happened,” said Fife, who completed 16 of 27 passes for 273 yards and three touchdowns. “And the next thing I know, Keith’s running down scoring a touchdown. I still have to talk to him about that and make sure I know what went on there.”
Joey Harrington (3 of 5 for 51 yards) only played the first two series, capped by a three-yard touchdown run by Maurice Morris to give the Green team the early 7-0 lead.
Two other Oregon tailbacks reached the end zone as Allan Amundson raced in for a 55-yard scoring run and sophomore Kenny Washington scored on a 50-yard scurry.
“This was a fun game environment up here,” Amundson said. “I even had some butterflies, which I never have for just a scrimmage.”
Hyped transfer tailback Onterrio Smith, as well as offensive lineman Jim Adams, didn’t play due to academic reasons.
The Green team also converted touchdown passes to tight end George Wrighster for 23 yards and receiver Paris Warren for 70 yards, as well as a 36-yard field goal by Navid Niakan to take a 45-0 lead.
But the White, who lost last year 31-0, wouldn’t be denied and finally scored with 4:20 to play in the game when quarterback Scott Vossmeyer tossed a 40-yard touchdown pass to receiver Joey McCollum for the final 45-6 margin.
All in all, Bellotti was “pleased with both sides of the ball,” but he was even more happy with the lack of injuries. The only one to report was receiver/punter Gary Daniels of his knee, but Bellotti said he believed it to be a tear in the medial collateral ligament as opposed to the more serious tear of the anterior cruciate ligament.
The game marked the conclusion of Oregon’s practices until fall camp begins in mid-August.