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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 11, 1978)
sports Photo by Steve Schneider In the heat of the day Oregon’s running back coach Ron Hudson (center) gathers his troops under Monday’s hot sun as the Ducks begin spring practice. The offensive backfield will be one of the Duck’s stronger points this year, as in addition to the fine freshman recruited in February, Oregon has five lettermen returning. Spring practices continue for a month, and conclude with an alumni game on May 13. Foli isn’t being a brat this time NEW YORK (AP) — New York shortstop Tim Foli made two er rors in a recent game, and his manager smiled. His former man ager was impressed. All this happiness over Foli’s errors wasn’t because of what the shortstop did. It was for what he didn’t do. He didn’t jump up and down in a rage. He didn’t stomp around like a caged bull. And didn’t look for someone to punch in the mouth. The 27-year-old Foli is back with the Mets after a six-year banishment to Montreal and San Francisco. And by all indications he’s a new man. “I just decided after eight years it was time to grow up," said Foli, nicknamed “Crazyhorse” by the Mets during his first stint with them. The nickname no longer seems appropriate. “I didn’t have a good ballgame,” Pure ft Foli said Sunday after making two costly errors in the second half of the Mets double-header against Montreal. "But there’s always tommorrow. It’s a struggle to forget and control my emotions. But I’ll do it.” The Mets reacquired Foli, a lifetime .240 hitter, from San Francisco last December, primar ily for his glove. What he does with his bat is gravy. “Timmy knows we’re depend ing on him to play good short stop,” said Mets Manager Joe Torre, “To me he’s controlling himself. I saw his two throwing er rors, but they’re different. They’re not like the past when he made errors because he wasn’t hitting or he was all riled up. He doesn’t re mind me of that Tim Foli any more.” AfLund Press luaiM o«cao* 34&6z22 ^-Commentary Football’s suiting up in the sunshine ^-Mike Marino-' As crazy as it sounds, while the rest of us were out basking in the sun (well, almost all of us), Autzen Stadium came alive as Oregon football greeted over 80 players for the first day of spring practice. This year, things have changed as much as they’ve stayed the same. The focus of Rich Brooks and his staff has not changed - they want to win at Oregon, and they want to win badly. Last year it was the dawning of a new day, and despite the fact that he didn’t have the proven talent, Brooks took the position that his team was in the race until someone proved otherwise. Most people knew, though, that the Ducks wouldn’t win many. Still, they did have a fine game against Oregon State in the season’s finale, and the new day had dawned. But this year people may not be so patient. There was, granted, a better atmosphere last year, but 2-9 is 2-9. What makes it tougher is that Oregon lost a few key people. The obvious one is Jack Henderson, gone after four solid years at quarter back. But the biggest concern is probably the defense, and specifically the secondary, where three of four starters (Reggie Grant, David Haynes, Bruce Jensen), have gone. The football staff knew this, and that’s why they went after some top secondary recruits’ like JC stars Rock Richmond and James Covington. In addition, the Ducks have made a decision that might, on the surface, seem an odd way to strengthen the defense. Gary Beck, who turned in Oregon’s finest rushing performance a year ago with 131 yards against Oregon State, has been switched to free safety. You might think that it’s a pretty dumb idea, but if so you’ve probably forgotten that the Oregon backfield is so loaded this year that Brooks might have to in vent a new offensive set that ac comodates five or six running backs. Kenny Bryant One to count on “Gary could easily have been a starting running back,” said Milt Jackson, Oregon’s defensive backfield coach, “But he’d have had some tough competition for that job. He’s a starter in the secondary though, and he’s needed probably more there.” Beck will be teamed with Kenny Bryant, named as an All-Coast safety last year with four interceptions — one for 97yards against Texas Christian. Then there’s Richmond, the JC All-American who has come to Oregon and just plain taken over. “The way he is and the things he can do, Rock has already earned the respect of the kids,” Jackson said. “He’ll probably be the one to electrify people around here returning kicks, getting interceptions and just playing.” Last year, if you’ll recall, the secondary had, in Grant, Haynes and Jensen, some good talent, but there were problems. “They didn’t have enough competition amongst themselves,” Jackson explained "Thev didn’t work as hard as they could have.” And this year? “This year there will be less mistakes, and more intelligent play,” he continued. “And there really will be more competi tion because all of these guys are guys that you want to play with.” No doubt the competition this spring will breed the desire in the fall. We will be better,” Jackson said, “and we lost three starters That should give you an idea of how good these guys are." You know how good Beck is, having played offense and, for a time defense, last year. “I think we ll hit a lot harder this year," the sophomore said. “I want us to be a lot more physical, and intimidate the receivers ” The secondary will have one strike against them next season due to a rule change that states, simply, that a receiver is still eligible even if he has stepped out of bounds on his route. Hard-hitting defenders theplay ^t0 bUmP ** 6ndS ,nt°the water coo,ers t0 take them out of “That might be a problem in the comers,” Beck explained “But i’ll ono^s^r^ssKsss{ssssr .ha, 233$1 Just don t get in Oregon’s way.
