The 2015 season for the Oregon Ducks Football team started with some intrigue at Quarterback as the team handed the ball to Vernon Adams, who had to path the math test heard round’ the world to become an Oregon Duck. What he gave us was a season to remember, regardless of injury and an easier transition from Heisman Trophy Winner and three year Starter Marcus Mariota. Yes, there were losses, but there were also opportunities for the team to grow from the adversity and still finish with a successful year. Autzen Zoo takes a look back at the 2015 season of Oregon Ducks Football along with the highlights(and lowlights). The key players of the game are in bold and several names make more than one appearance on the list.
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Week 1: EWU 42 Oregon 61
- Vernon Adams Jr.: 19-25, 246 yards, two touchdowns
- Royce Freeman: 21 carries, 180 yards, three touchdowns
Adam’s first game as a Duck showed he had the talent to lead Oregon’s fast paced offense. However, many Duck fans wondered how he would play against Michigan State the following week. Adam’s first game showed off his arm as he passed for 246 yards and two touchdowns. He left the game in the fourth quarter due to a late hit from ex-teammate John Kreifels. Oregon’s defense, which has always lagged behind the offense, was expose in the secondary giving up 438 yards through the air. Against a lower division team, Adams former team, it was an eye opener that Oregon might have problems during the season on defense.
Week 2: Oregon 28 Michigan State 31
- Royce Freeman: 24 carries, 92 yards, one touchdown
- Bralon Addison: Seven receptions, 138 yards
The Spartans were looking for revenge as the Ducks beat them at home the year before 46-27. Big plays kept Oregon in the game, a 81 yard punt return from Bralon Addison tied the game at 14. Adams would get his first touchdown of the night as he threw a 15 yard touchdown to Byron Marshall, after throwing for two interceptions in the game. Oregon’s defense stepped up and forced a Michigan State punt. Oregon then drove into Spartans territory, Adams had a chance to win the game, but overthrew a wide open Marshall who as all alone in the end zone. He was sacked on the following play, then on fourth and long his pass fell short. It was a moment for Duck fans to realize they had a man behind center, to soften the blow of losing Mariota.
Week 4: Utah 62 Oregon 20
- Royce Freeman: 14 carries, 77 yards, two receptions, 46 yards, one touchdown
Jeff Lockie would replace an injured Vernon Adams Jr., who missed the game the week before against Georgia State. Adams didn’t look himself as his broken finger looked to be affecting his play. Things looked good for the Ducks as Lockie threw a six yard touchdown pass to Bralon Addison on his first drive at quarterback. Whatever the Ducks did, the Utes would answer right back. Utah quarterback Travis Wilson was on point throwing for four touchdowns, running for 1oo yards and a touchdown. Oregon’s defense couldn’t stop Utah’s offense. Costly interceptions Jeff Lockie added to Oregon’s woes and the game quickly got out of hand. Autzen was eerily quiet as the Ducks were dominated in a 62-20 loss. The worst loss since 70’s at Autzen, the blowout loss saw Oregon fall in the polls.
Week 6: Washington State 45 Oregon 38
- Royce Freeman: 27 carries, 246 yards, two touchdowns
- Taj Griffin 11 carries, 96 yards
Oregon Ducks had to rely on two quarterbacks Jeff Lockie and Taylor Allie to carry the Ducks. They relied heavily on the run, as they racked on 410 yards on the ground with three touchdowns. Oregon attempted to address their secondary problems by moving Charles Nelson to safety, he finished with 12 tackles, a touchdown saving tackle, and a highlight big hit that saw a Cougars receiver loss his helmet. Oregon defense was shredded by Cougars’ Luke Falk quarterback who threw for 505 yards and five touchdowns. Falk also threw the game winner in double overtime to knock the Ducks down to .5oo on the season.
Week 10: Oregon 38 Stanford 36
- Vernon Adams Jr.: 10-12, 205 yards, two touchdowns
- Royce Freeman 16 carries, 105 yards, one touchdown
In the game of the year for the Ducks, Oregon got to play spoiler, to the then 7# Stanford. Stanford before had ruined so many promising seasons for the Ducks, that revenge was sweet for Oregon at the Farm in a 38-36 win. The game was a highly offensive one, with Christian McCaffrey carrying the ball 33 times for 147 yards and a touchdown. Kevin Hogan also had a big game throwing for 304 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Oregon’s Charles Nelson had a 75 run touchdown run, and Oregon’s offense wouldn’t let Stanford’s defense stop them. Two botched snaps in the fourth quarter by Kevin Hogan turned the game in Oregon’s favor. Hogan however drove the Cardinals down the field in the final minutes to score a touchdown. A two point conversion failed as Joe Walker knocked down the pass in the end zone to seal the win for the Ducks.
Week 12: Oregon State 42 Oregon 52
- Vernon Adams Jr.: 28-38, 366 yards, three touchdowns
- Bralon Addison: eight receptions, 106 yards, three touchdowns.
In what looked like a blowout on paper, Oregon State kept it competitive in the Civil War game. The Beavers didn’t have one conference win and this was probably the closest they got. Vernon Adams Jr. return had sparked the Ducks’ high powered offense. This was their six straight win that got them back in the Top 25. Adams threw for 366 yards and three touchdowns all to Bralon Addison. While Oregon’s run game added 308 yards with Royce Freeman leading the attack with 167 yards and two touchdowns. The Ducks’ defense game up 42 points, but the win was good enough to secure a game against TCU in the Alamo Bowl.
Valero Alamo Bowl: Oregon 41 TCU 47
- Royce Freeman: 26 carries, 130 yards, three touchdowns
- Darren Carrington: seven receptions, 107 yards, one touchdown
TCU was without starting quarterback Trevone Boykin after he got in arrested after getting in a fight and resisting arrest. It looked like easy sailing for the Ducks as Adams was spot on and the Ducks with a 28-0 lead. Adams would leave the game after a helmet to helmet hit. He was done for the game, backup Jeff Lockie took over and the Ducks never looked the same. All of sudden it was the battle of the backups, TCU took advantage of Adams absence. They came back from down being 31 points in a triple overtime thriller. That saw the Ducks fall apart and show how good Vernon Adams Jr really was. Backup quarterback for TCU Bram Kohlhausen ran in the game winner. He finished with 351 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
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It was an epic collapse for the Ducks, the loss of a starting quarterback was no excuse for blowing a 31 point lead. It leaves the hope that Oregon can develop more than one quarterback if the injury bug hits again. The season however was a pretty good one, considering Oregon lost a Heisman Trophy Winner. April 30th is a date that is now circled on calendars throughout the Willamette Valley as the 2016 Spring Game and a new Quarterback to lead the Oregon Ducks into the new year in Dakota Prukop.