PORTLAND — It’s still early, but 2002 is turning out to be a special year for the Oregon football team.
The Ducks improved to 2-0 this year with a convincing 51-3 victory Saturday in the Spring Game in front of 12,524 fans at PGE Park. Of course, Oregon couldn’t lose — the game pitted the Ducks against themselves, with the Green team, composed of mostly starters, dominating the second, third and fourth units, otherwise known as the White team.
“I think we put most of the good players on the Green team, and they showed up and did a good job,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said. “Our defensive lineman were only one-deep for two teams, and they played every down, as did our offensive lineman, so the line of scrimmage people got a heck of a workout and a great day.”
After the most successful season in school history
— capped off on New Year’s Day with a Fiesta Bowl victory over Colorado and a season-ending No. 2 ranking — Oregon’s main task this spring was to find out who would replace Joey Harrington as the starting quarterback.
For the first three weeks of spring drills, junior Jason Fife was less than spectacular. On Saturday, he didn’t disappoint.
Fife solidified his role as the No. 1 quarterback heading into fall camp by completing 12-of-15 passes for 217 yards and four touchdowns, two of which ended up in the hands of junior receiver Samie Parker.
“I’ve been here for a couple years, so I’ve been in this setting,” said Fife, who also had a 32-yard run in the game. “I hope that I’m ready for this type of thing.”
Fife’s counterpart, redshirt freshman Kellen Clemens, was clearly the inexperienced, as he finished 8-of-13 for 72 yards and a touchdown pass to Keith Allen. Bellotti said Clemens, who was also sacked five times, was “lost” at times against the second-team defense.
Despite the contrasting performances, Bellotti wasn’t prepared to name Fife the starter for the season opener against Mississippi State on Aug. 31.
“The guys I expected to make plays did,” Bellotti said. “I have been pleased with Jason’s progress all spring as he as shown signs of improvement every practice. But that is somewhat to be expected from a junior.”
Sophomore placekicker Jared Siegel hit a 26-yard field goal to start the Green team’s scoring onslaught in the game’s first drive. Later in the first quarter, Fife hit a wide-open Parker for a 39-yard score, the game’s first touchdown.
Onterrio Smith — who finished the game with 29 yards on six carries — took a screen pass from Fife early in the second quarter and ran over backup safety Stephen Clayton to give Green a 16-0 lead. Fife hit Parker again for a 29-yard touchdown and Clemens rocketed a pass to Allen for a 13-yard score late in the second quarter.
“Overall, we came out and played real well as an offense,” Smith said.
Jose Arroyo, the starting punter and backup placekicker, hit a 50-yard field goal for the White team’s only score. He also nailed a 65-yard kick during half-time warmups.
Asked if Arroyo was competing for the placekicker’s job, Bellotti said, “No, but it’s very nice that we have two kickers who are capable of not only kicking extra points, but 50-plus-yard field goals.”
In the second half, Fife hit tight end George Wrighster for a 24-yard score. Clayton, among the many Ducks to switch uniforms, intercepted a pass from walk-on quarterback Matt Kennedy and returned it 57 yards for a touchdown to put the Green team ahead 44-3. Justin Phinisee, the starting cornerback with Steven Moore on Saturday, followed in Clayton’s footsteps, as he returned an interception 37 yards to round out the scoring.
Third-string quarterback Scott Vossmeyer was 5-for-11 for 51 yards for the White team. He was sacked four times, twice by Igor Olshansky, who led the Green team with nine tackles. Eric Johnson had nine tackles for the second unit.
Oregon begins fall workouts Aug. 10.