Four closing on a record
Oregon's foursome of talented tailbacks have run wild
this season and the Ducks are nearing a school record
For the first time since the
days of Bobby Moore and Don
Reynolds, it is the year of the
tailback at Oregon
As the Ducks near the school
rushing record of 2.527 yards
for one season (they presently
have 2,168 yards with one game
left), a lot of the credit goes to
the tailbacks, who have ac
counted for nearly half of the
yardage
"Yeah. I've noticed the tail
back has been emphasized
more this year says so
phomore Dwight Robertson,
who has gained 453 yards at the
position this season “And peo
ple are seeing that we have a
pretty wide open offense Last
year, it was kind of dull "
Robertson says Oregon uses
the tailback "sort of like
Southern California “ However,
the Ducks haven't become to
tally dependent on it like the
Trojans have
Knowing coach (Rich)
Brooks, he doesn't want a tail
back-oriented offense, he wants
a balance " says Robertson
Right now, we have a pretty
balanced offense "
We like to make the quarter
back, tailback and fullback
equal running threats,” says
Duck offensive coordinator
John Becker “If you look at it
statistically. I bet you'll find it is
pretty equal But at Southern
California, everyone in the park
knows their (tailback) is going to
get the ball "
And Becker doesn't want the
Duck tailback becoming the
workhorse of the offense
“For one thing, I don't have a
back who can carry the ball 44
times a game like Charles White
at USC,” says Becker "I
l t ■ v- M
wouldn't do that to a guy I just
don't believe in it
Robertson, fellow sophomore
Reggie Young, and freshmen
Harry Billups and Charles Bi
sharat have done most of the
work at the tailback spot this
season with Robertson getting
the bulk of the yardage
"He doesn't have the best
speed but he has the most ex
perience." says Becker of
Robertson He has a better
grasp of things and that comes
from playing "
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While Robertson has already
bettered his freshman total of
300 yards, he isn't quite satis
fied "I'd like to at least end up
with 900 yards and I'd like to
carry the ball more,” he says
Robertson has been helped
considerably by the Oregon
weight program "I lift mostly to
prevent injuries,'' he says "I
came out of high school bench
ing about 160 (pounds) and now
I do about 225 or 230
However, while Robertson
may be in the forefront, the
others certainly have assisted in
Oregon's success at tailback
Becker describes Billups as "a
tremendous player He's a real
intense kid and smart and he
has a lot of things going for
him,"
Biilups ts a freshman from Ir
vine, Calif., where he averaged
over five yards a carry last year
at University High School, pick
ing up 595 yards on 115 carries
Speed may be his greatest asset
— he's been clocked at 9 5 for
the 100-yard dash and 21 6 for
the 220
Even though he has only car
ried the ball 15 times this sea
son, Billups is averaging almost
six yards a carry He is also
learning what playing tailback is
like at the college level
"Let me put is like this," Bil
lups says "I never would have
been run down by a linebacker
in high school. It’s more of a
punishing thing here That’s
why I plan to workout in the
offseason.” —3
been hampered by injuries but
has still managed 263 yards He
Slashing through opponent's
defenses this season have been
Reggie Young (21), Charles Bi
sharat(32). Harry Billups (5) and
Dwight Robertson (2). Billups
(above) is averaging six yards
per carry while Robertson
(lower left) has rolled up 453
yards for the second highest
total on the Oregon team
had 75 yards on seven carries
against UCLA, including a
47-yard romp Freshman Ren
strom has a 5 7 average on 19
carries Another freshman,
Charlie Bisharat, has seen limit
ed action with just six carries
Much of the tailback success
comes from the option installed
by head coach Rich Brooks and
directed by quarterback Reggie
Ogburn
"Last year and the year
before, we had a straight drop
back quarterback and didn't run
the option," says Robertson
"But he (Ogburn) adds a new
dimension to the offense
The tailbacks are also
pleased by the tutoring they
have received from Becker
"He wants you going up the
field and not across," says Bil
lups "That is one thing he
stresses But he lets you use
your own style because you
can't change a natural style He
pretty much lets you do your
own thing.”
Story by Steve Jett
Photo by Bob Baker and
Steve Dykes
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