Braxton Burmeister, La Jolla Country Day’s record-setting quarterback, called it “an extremely tough decision.”
Late Friday afternoon, Burmeister switched his college commitment from Arizona and is now bound for Oregon.
The Ducks were in college football’s title game in 2014 but slipped to 9-4 last year and 4-8 this season and fired coach Mark Helfrich.
Willie Taggart, who led the University of South Florida to an 11-2 finish and a 46-39 win over South Carolina in the Birmingham Bowl, was hired to replace Helfrich.
Taggart has brought in several new coaches, including former Oceanside High great Joe Salave’a, who comes over from Washington State, and Jimmie Dougherty, who comes in from Michigan. Salave’a has been named assistant head coach and will oversee the defensive line.
“The tradition of Oregon football is special, a great thing,” Burmeister said. “Coach Taggart wants to restore things to the way they used to be. This was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”
Burmeister threw for 4,461 yards and 53 touchdowns and ran for 1,470 yards and 27 TDs this season in leading the Torreys to the San Diego Section Division IV title and a Southern California Division 5-A championship before losing to Oakland Bishop O’Dowd in the state 5-A title game.
Burmeister finished his high school career with 11,499 yards passing, 936 completions and 128 touchdown passes — all section records.
A four-star, multi-purpose quarterback, the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Burmeister said he’ll enroll at Oregon in March, in time for the university’s fourth quarter and for all of spring practice.
“There were no promises, but the coaches told me I’d have the opportunity to compete for the starting job,” Burmeister said.
True freshman Justin Herbert started most of the season at quarterback for Oregon. Four-star recruit Travis Johnson and three-star recruit Terry Wilson are the other quarterbacks on the Ducks roster.
According to reports, Oregon was after quarterback Tua Tagovailoa from St. Louis High in Hawaii. But he committed to Alabama, and Oregon turned its attention to Burmeister.
Burmeister’s personal trainer, Akili Smith, played at Lincoln High and Oregon, where he was a first-round NFL draft pick.
Burmeister acknowledged Smith as a “great supporter” but said it was Dougherty, the Ducks’ new receivers coach, who influenced him to sign with Oregon.
Dougherty came from Michigan after stints at USD, Washington and San Jose State.
“I’ve only talked with Coach Taggart on the phone, but he seems like a great guy, someone I can really respect,” Burmeister said.
“He’s putting together a great staff.
“I watched a lot of the South Florida offense on film and the offense fits me to a tee.
“I want to get up there and help make Oregon football special again.”
