PORTLAND — There’s a new gun-slinger in town, and he already has a favorite target.
Jason Fife stepped calmly and comfortably into the top quarterback spot at the Oregon football team’s annual Spring Game at PGE Park on Saturday. But the play of wide receiver Samie Parker, who was the recipient of two scoring strikes, was as impressive as Fife’s 217-yard, 4-touchdown performance.
“I mean c’mon, what does Samie run, a 4.3 40 (yards)?” Fife said. “There’s not a lot of guys that can defend that. He’s got some crisp routes, and he’s just an awesome weapon to have.”
Parker utilized his speed to get behind defenders and break free for big gains. His 143 yards came on seven receptions, giving him a 20.4 yard-per-reception average.
“Samie has the ability and the speed to make some things happen,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said. “I’m excited that he’s had a tremendous track season, and he showed up today in a big way.”
Parker’s first touchdown was also the first touchdown of the game, and it came when Fife hit the junior receiver on a slant from 39 yards out.
Parker’s second touchdown came later in the second quarter. With a defender on him and Fife’s pass slightly under-thrown, Parker leaped above the white jersey guarding him and hauled down the pass in the end zone.
“We executed pretty well,” Parker said of his connections with Fife. “I just tried to make plays like I’m capable of doing.”
Fife said that sometimes, even he is amazed by the abilities of his receivers.
“I’ve got to catch up with Samie and Keenan (Howry). They’re highlight-reel guys,” Fife said. “I’ve got to make sure that I’m on my game so I can make them look good.”
Although Bellotti is not sure who will be the starter in the fall, Fife made a strong bid for the job Saturday. The junior connected on 12-of-15 passes and averaged 18 yards per completion. Parker was his favorite target, but he also hit Onterrio Smith and George Wrighster for scores.
But Parker was, clearly, Fife’s main man. The two connected for seven completions, and Parker never dropped a pass from the quarterback.
“I’ve spent a lot of time with him, and I’m really comfortable throwing to him,” Fife said.
Bellotti acknowledged that Fife overshadowed Oregon’s other quarterback hopefuls like Kellen Clemens and Scott Vossmeyer, but said he won’t make any decisions so far from the start of the season.
“I’ve been somewhat expecting (Fife’s performance) because he’s a junior,” Bellotti said. “He’s made steady progress over the course of the spring. Kellen today was at times a bit lost, and that’s indicative of being a freshman.
“For us, the job is still an interesting situation that we will rejoin when we start fall camp.”
As for Parker, he picked a good time to play well. With star receiver Howry still recovering from shoulder surgery and fellow starter Jason Willis also injured, Parker made a statement with his strong scrimmage performance.
Now, Parker will spend the rest of the spring season honing his speed on the Hayward Field track. Parker, who runs the 100-meter dash for the Duck track and field team, will head to Columbus, Ohio, for the Jesse Owens Classic next weekend. Parker still has a chance to qualify for the NCAA Championships in late May.