Team Free Defeats Team Brave 34-11 in Willie Taggart's Debut Oregon Spring Game

Thanks to four big plays from running backs Royce Freeman and Kani Benoit and wide receiver Darren Carrington, Team Free dominated Team Brave 34-11 in Oregon's 2017 spring game. 

Saturday was the first official showing for new head coach Willie Taggart, who took over after Mark Helfrich led the Ducks to a 4-8 record in 2016. It was their first losing season since 2004. 

Defense was the biggest problem in Helfrich's final season. Oregon finished 126th out of 128 FBS teams with 41.4 points allowed per game in 2016. 

The spring game didn't get off to a great start for anyone hoping to see an improved defense. Team Free took the opening kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown, capped off by Carrington's 13-yard touchdown catch from Justin Herbert. 

Team Brave was able to follow up with its own scoring drive, though it had to settle for a field goal that cut the deficit to 7-3. Brave quarterback Travis Jonsen did show good elusiveness, avoiding the pass rush before hitting Tony Brooks-James near the sideline, which he turned into a big gain. 

Jonsen would make another big play on the drive, dropping a perfect pass down the sidelines and into the waiting arms of Dillon Mitchell for 44 yards. 

With Jonsen having a strong showing on the opening drive, Taggart took him out for the Brave's following drive to give true freshman Braxton Burmeister some reps. 

Burmeister was one of Oregon's prized 2017 recruits. He is rated as a 4-star prospect and the No. 20 quarterback recruit in the country, per Scout.com. 

One thing that's been a staple of recent Oregon quarterbacks like Dennis Dixon, Marcus Mariota and Darron Thomas is the ability to run and throw. Burmeister appears to be no different, per Matt Prehm of 247Sports:

It wasn't all good news for Burmeister, who threw an interception on a tipped pass that landed in Billy Gibson's hands. 

After both teams traded scores to open the game, things would settle down, and the defense got a chance to show that it won't be as bad as it was last season. There was also some sloppy play on the offensive end. 

Jonsen returned to the game in the second quarter, throwing an interception to Arrion Springs on a pass he tried to force with three defenders around the ball down the field.

Two drives later, Team Free would finally find the end zone for a 14-3 lead thanks once again to the pairing of Herbert and Carrington on a 30-yard hookup on a play that crossed up the Brave secondary. 

If that highlight wasn't enough, Carrington also made this spectacular catch right before recording his third touchdown of the game on the final play:

One of the key storylines for Oregon's offense this season is the development of the offensive line. Last year's group featured four first-year starters, which makes the offense's 35.4 points per game look even more impressive. 

Offensive line coach Mario Cristobal likes the potential of an experienced offensive line blocking for the trio of running backs Brooks-James, Freeman and Benoit, per ESPN's Chantel Jennings:

"

It's kind of like baseball. If you just have a fastball pitcher, eventually they’re going to hit one out of the park. If you've got a good fastball, a curve, a slider, it's a little bit harder to defend or hit it. For us, with those different types of backs, I think it makes us a little more dangerous on offense.

"

There were no major flubs up front during the spring game, though that doesn't necessarily signal anything positive or negative about the offensive line.

It's like trying to make serious assumptions about baseball players during spring training. The hope is everyone makes it through without an injury and you go from there.

Freeman did make the longest play of the game at the time in the third quarter, catching a 58-yard pass from Herbert that put Free in scoring position at the Brave's 15-yard line. He would also end the drive with a two-yard touchdown that extended Free's lead to 21-3. 

Benoit would take the crown of longest play in the game from Freeman almost immediately. After Free's defense forced a turnover on downs at its own 5-yard line, the senior running back went 95 yards for a score at the end of the third quarter. 

If there were any questions about what Oregon's quarterback situation will look like when the regular season starts, Erik Skopil of Duck Territory noted Herbert left a trail of dust behind the other competitors:

This game was a mix of everything Oregon fans have come to expect from their team—big plays and a high-octane offense that will keep attacking—and a glimpse at what the future will look like with some brief highlights from Burmeister and the defense forcing turnovers. 

It won't take much for Oregon to be better than it was last year. Taggart and his staff have loftier goals than that, and this was a great start to get the Ducks back to the top of the Pac-12. 

Oregon will get a real look at what 2017 has in store on Sept. 2 when it kicks off the regular season at home against Southern Utah.