On a bright, windy day, the Oregon football team played its 2015 season with its annual spring game.
While much of the game was centered around the quarterbacks and who would replace Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, defensive back/wide receiver Charles Nelson stole the show.
Nelson was electrifying in his 2015 debut. He totaled three tackles and one interception on defense while adding five catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns on offense.
“Throughout the spring, he would come to the offense for some one-on-one work, some drill work,” Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich said regarding Nelson. “I think he was the Vegas favorite for the MVP today — not that we would bet on anything.”
Led by Nelson and quarterback Jeff Lockie, Team Pathway sprinted out to a 21-2 lead and held on for a 35-29 victory over Team Oregon in front of 35,808 fans at Autzen Stadium.
Lockie went 9-for-9 for 223 yards and three touchdowns, including a 5o-yard pass to Byron Marshall on his first play of the game. The pass was slightly under thrown and caused Marshall to stop his route. He was tackled at the five-yard line. Mariota approached Lockie about the throw.
“He said the first ball was too short,” Lockie said laughing. “I told him it was cold and hadn’t warmed up.”
Lockie led team Pathway to a touchdown on four consecutive possessions.
“Jeff had a great spring,” Helfrich said. “He did a pretty good job today in terms of what he was asked to do.”
Taylor Alie got the start at quarterback for team Oregon and finished the day throwing 6-for-11, 146 yards and a touchdown.
Because the spring game isn’t a real game, the Oregon coaches elected to not kickoff or punt in the game. Instead, each team would start at its 35-yard line following a score and its 20-yard line following a failed third-down conversion by the opposing squad.
Wide receiver Bralon Addison played for the first time since tearing his ACL last spring. He had four catches for 50 yards and a touchdown as a member of team Oregon. He also saw time as a quarterback, going 3-for-3 for 71 yards and a touchdown. Addison doesn’t think he’ll be in the mix for the starting quarterback spot, though.
“Not even close,” Addison said. “We had a couple of trick plays at the end of the day where I was able to throw it to our playmakers.”
True freshman Travis Jonsen struggled on his first drive for team Oregon. Replacing Alie, Jonsen was sacked and threw three incompletions in his first series.
His day did improve. Jonsen finished the gamen throwing 5-f0r-6 for 64 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown pass came in the third quarter when he led a nine-play, 65-yard drive that culminated in a 17-yard touchdown pass to Darren Carrington.
Team Pathway quarterback Ty Griffin’s touchdown pass with 3:09 left to play cut the score to 35-29.
Pathway’s defense limited Morgan Mahalak and Oregon to a three-and-out to get the ball back with 2:16 left and a chance to win it.
Alie started the drive with a 47-yard catch-and-run to Jarret LaCoste before he was dragged down at Oregon’s 33-yard line. The drive stalled from there as the next four plays resulted in negative seven yards that ended the game.
The game itself was a chance for fans to see the team in preparation for next season. Each team featured a mixture of starters and backups. Coach Helfrich insisted that the glimpse of the team shouldn’t be magnified in interpretation.
“I think the spring game is way overblown in terms of its value or the immediate impression,” Helfrich said.
Follow Ryan Kostecka on Twitter: @Ryan_Kostecka