emerald
sports
Willhite reverses, signs with Ducks
I rack program affects prep grid star’s decision
By Stove Spate
and
Steve Turcotte
Of the EmmrmkS
The Oregon football squad
pulled off the biggest recruiting
coup in its history Wednesday
when Kevin Willhite, the most
sought-after prep running back
in the nation, put his signature
on a letter of intent to play with
the Ducks
Willhite 6-0, 195, from
Rancho Cordova Calif. is the
best of a solid recruiting class of
29 attracted to Oregon by coach
Rich Brooks and his staff
Willhite s decision was the
biggest surprise of the college
recruiting season kicked off by
Wednesday's deadline for let
ters-of-intent Last week, the
prep star rated as the best run
ner in the nation by Parade
Magazine, had given a verbal
commitment to the University of
Washington
"I started wondering what I
really wanted to do," said Will
hite, who gained 1,289 yards in
his senior season, and 4.901 in
his prep career "I have to live
four years wherever I go ” ’
For Brooks, Willhite's deci
sion was the best possible news
he could receive after months of
off-the-field scandals and
on-the-field disapointments
"I knew Kevin was still inter
ested in Oregon but when he
made his Washington trip and
said he would go there, it
brought some doubts," Brooks
said, obviously fatigued from
weeks of wooing potential
recruits
But a week went by and
Kevin let us know that he was
still interested We finally found
out this morning (Wednesday)."
As late as Wednesday morn
ing Willhite had not made a final
decision between the two
schools Brooks was in
Sacramento at that time trying a
last-ditch effort, and assistant
coach Jim Skipper was at Will
hite's home this morning when
he finally cast his lot with
Blazers overrun Cavs
RICHFIELD, Ohio (AP) ~ Catvtn Matt scored 20 of b»s 24
Pb*°*® «e second bait as toe Portland Trail Blazers
overcame an etnty 20-potnt deficit to post a 105-91 victory
over toe Cleveland Cavaliers m a National Basketball
Association game Wednesday night
Ctevatand led 41-21 with 8:20 remaining m toe second
quarter, but the Blazers cut the margin to 47-39 at halftime.
Portland caught Cleveland at 63r63 onaJhn Paxaon foul
. Shot with 2.28 to play totbe third quarter, then took the teed,
tor good when BobOy Gross sank a layup nine second* later.
The Blazers led 73-66 entering the final quarter and went
on to bund several f 5-point leads as they coasted to their sixth
triumph m the test seven garner
Mychaf Thompson added 18 points tor Portland and
Pa«sof> tossed m 14
Oevetarsc -as able to make only 34 percent of Its
shots from the field over toe final three quarters, was ted by
- S e — and lame Edward • to 22 po
Oregon.
Washington head coach Don
James was dismayed with Will
hite’s decision "I guess you
could say I’m a little disappoint
ed with a couple of players we
didn't get,” said James at a
Seattle press conference Wed
nesday morning, referring to
Willhite and Jim FitzPatrick, a
6-8, 280 lineman from Oregon
City who went with Southern
California
But I've been around long
enough to know that it happens
every year that you don’t get
everyone you want,” said
James
To find out how
Pacific 10 Confer
ence schools made
out Wednesday,
turn to Page 9.
Why Willhite, coveted by
nearly every major college in the
country, opted to go with
Oregon is a surprise for a cou
ple of reasons The Ducks are,
at best, a mediocre football
school, and are now saddled
with the effects of an NCAA
probation What made Willhite
choose the Ducks over USC,
UCLA, and countless others lies
within two key factors:
• UW's backfield is already
crowded with quality runners.
The Huskies boast sophomore
tailback Jacque Robinson, the
Huskies’ Rose Bowl star, and
former prep All-American run
ner Mike Vindivich, who was
injured all of last season Said
Willhite, “I thought about the
halfback situation at Washing
ton."
• Willhite is a world-class
trackster, with Olympic aspira
Kevin Willhite, a high school senior from Rancho Cordova, Calif.,
is perhaps the most highly touted running back to be signed bv the
Ducks.
tions and times to match —
10.24 in the 100 meters, and
20.6 at 200 meters. Oregon’s
strong track program headed by
Bill Dellinger was probably the
deciding factor.
“I was worried about not get
ting enough publicity in track if I
went to Washington," admitted
Willhite
Brooks himself is the first to
admit that track, and not foot
ball, is what finally sold Willhite
on Oregon.
“Probably the major factor for
Kevin coming here is track,”
said Brooks. “He won' t have to
play spring ball because he is a
world-class sprinter. I want him
to go out for the track team."
“It is exciting that he's com
ing here,” said Dennis Whitby,
sprint coach for the Oregon
track team. "It’s nice to have
Continued on Page 8
Oregon Daily Emerald
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