Braxton Burmeister is struggling, but those around him believe he has what it takes

Originally Posted on Emerald Media via UWIRE

In the first game of his freshman year at La Jolla Country Day High School, Braxton Burmeister, who was starting on the varsity team, didn’t get off to a good start. He fumbled his first snap and threw an interception, resulting in a 42-0 loss.

Four years later at Oregon, he started the season as the No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart. Because of an injury to starting quarterback Justin Herbert, it wouldn’t take long before the true freshman was thrust back into action.

Burmeister is now the starting quarterback for one of the most recognized programs in the nation. And while the Ducks have yet to win any of his three starts, those who have worked and currently work alongside Burmeister are confident that his best is yet to come.

“We need for him to continue to try to improve,” head coach Willie Taggart said. “Considering he didn’t have a lot of reps and where he’s going right now, he’s getting better each week.”

In football, injuries happen. The Ducks’ Sept. 30 matchup versus Cal was no exception. The injury bug bit Oregon hard, knocking out Herbert and then-backup Taylor Alie. This suddenly forced Burmeister — who, at one point, appeared to be on the path toward redshirting this season – into action.

The Ducks held on to beat Cal 45-24, but the outcomes haven’t been the same since. In Burmeister’s three starts, the Ducks have averaged just 10.3 points per game.

Quarterback Braxton Burmeister celebrates a touchdown run against UCLA on Oct. 21. 2017 (Photo courtesy of The Daily Bruin/Aubrey Yeo)

It’s a difficult position for any player to be in, let alone a true freshman. Burmeister, however, has a strong support system with ties to the football community. His father, Danny, played college football at North Carolina and one season at safety for the Washington Redskins. Additionally, former Oregon quarterback Akili Smith has trained Burmeister since Burmeister was in seventh grade.

“It takes time,” Smith said. “People don’t understand; it doesn’t happen overnight. You got to understand where he came from, what he’s trying to do and where he’s going to be.”

So far, Burmeister’s passing has been sporadic. After attempting 27 passes in his first start versus Washington State, he has attempted a combined 23 passes in the two games since. Instead, his legs have been his strongest asset. He’s rushed for three touchdowns over the past two weeks.

Although Burmeister has experienced success on the ground, he’s far from being a pure running quarterback. In four varsity seasons at La Jolla Country Day High School, Burmeister set CIF  San Diego Section career records in total yards, passing yards, passing touchdowns and completions. His ability as a dual-threat quarterback is why Oregon recruited Burmeister hard and got him to decommit from Pac-12 rival Arizona. While the Ducks maximize his ability to run the ball, they aren’t losing hope of what he can do throwing the ball.

“You got to keep building him up,” co-offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo said. “He has been great in far as understanding how we can improve on getting guys the ball in places where they need to be caught.”

Given his inexperience at the collegiate level and the stiff competition faced in conference play, it’s hard to place the blame for the Ducks’ three game skid squarely on Burmeister’s shoulders. No matter how responsible he may be, though, Burmeister has always taken losing hard — very hard.  

“He hates losing,” said Tyler Hales, Burmeister’s coach at La Jolla Country Day High School. “We had a tough loss to our rival last year. After the game, he said, ‘That was my bad. I tried to do too much. … The way he goes about his business has always set him apart.”

Burmeister’s start to his career with the Ducks mirrors his playing days under Hales. Just like at Oregon, Burmeister started at quarterback on the varsity team during his freshman season.

Oregon quarterback Braxton Burmeister (11) fights to pull through the Washington State grip. The Oregon Ducks host the No. 11 Washington State Cougars at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017. (Amanda Shigeoka/Emerald)

The 6-foot-1 quarterback completed an impressive high school career and became the 27th overall prospect in the state of California as a senior. Hales saw Burmeister improve throughout his four years starting at quarterback, and he believes Burmeister has the tools to do the same in Eugene for the Ducks.

“One thing he got so much better with was the easy throw, throwing that quick out, that quick slant, right away getting the ball out,” Hales said. “For him, it’s having his brain catch up to his ability.

“He’s got the head on his shoulders to really push through it, and we’re just waiting for that kind of breakout performance.”

As a freshman, Burmeister is unavailable to the media, but his Duck teammates have expressed their confidence in watching the first-year quarterback evolve his game at the next level.

“He has definitely done a better job of seeing things and knowing where to go with the ball,” senior wide receiver Charles Nelson said.

Having played quarterback for the Ducks in the 1997-98 seasons, Smith understands the sky-high expectations that come from playing the quarterback position. It’s what makes the former Oregon great all the more impressed with how Burmeister is shouldering the losses and looking ahead at such as a young age.

“The leadership qualities are there,” Smith said. “Braxton is not happy with the way that he’s playing right now. I guarantee he’s watching extra film, meeting with the coaches and trying all that he can to get the situation right.”

Now that he’s received this opportunity, those closest to him know that there’s a lot yet to be seen from the La Jolla native. Burmeister’s journey continues on Saturday versus Utah.

“Trust me, you guys have seen nothing yet,” Smith said. “There’s going to be a lot of people eating their words here concerning Braxton Burmeister at the University of Oregon.”

Follow Cole Kundich on Twitter @ckundich

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