Follow Puck Sports
^THUMPX
r NIGHT
EVERY WEDNESDAY
MUSIC
FRIENDS
j R&R
(Refreshing k
Revitalizing)
d'fellalttft'i
440 Coburg Road. Eugene * 343-1221
Eating
their words:
What the so-called experts' had to say
about the Ducks prior to their disastrous
campaign.
“H they take advantage of this year *
schedule, the Ducks can transcend respectability
into a bowl bid. PREDICTED FINISH: 8-3.”
Oregon DaHy emerald
“The Ducks may prow to be anything but
palatable to aft their opponents this season.''
Gemeplan Co/fag* Football Preview
“II Ronald Reagan can do tor the economy
what Rich Brooks ha* dona tor Oregon’s football
program, we've nothing to worry about.”
Football Action Magazine
ammmummm
Injuries hastened the Ducks' demise
continued from page 1B
"It’s pretty obvious the depth on our defense is
definitely a lot better than the depth on our offense."
the coach said then. "We showed we're a very good
defensive football team But at this point. I can’t say
the same thing about the offense.”
The offense never really progessed to the strength
and depth of the defense
In 1980, Oregon scored 263 points in 11 games for
an average of nearly 24 points per game Last year, the
Ducks scored only 155 points for a 14-point average
In 1980, the Ducks more than doubled their
touchdown total of 1981, scoring 33 touchdowns in
1980, but only 16 in 1981
Weak rushing
Largely responsible for the Ducks diminished
touchdown total was a lethargic rushing game that
only averaged 2.6 yards per carry When that statistic
is compared to the 4.3-yard average of 1980, one sees
where the Ducks began to go wrong
In 1980, Oregon exploited the speed and
quickness of quarterback Reggie Ogburn to work the
perimeter on either side with amazing success
Quickness to the outside by Ogburn and tailbacks
Reggie Brown and Dwight Robertson opened up the
inside game and allowed the Ducks to utilize a more
diversified attack
But an injury to Lusk in spring drills prior to the
1981 season slowed down the quarterback, who was
already at least a step slower than Ogburn Moreover,
the Ducks were determined to make the inside power
game work — a move that not only limited the Ducks,
but led to their ultimate downfall
From the elusive veer option attack, the Ducks
brought in two big running backs and tried to slug it
out between the tackles from the T They didn't go
anywhere
Apparently, Brooks has learned from that mistake
We'll go back to the option phase of our offense that
was so successful in 1979 and 1980," Brooks said at
the beginning of spring practice “We'll emphasize the
split backs and use little or no T-formation."
Last year, the Ducks went into the power T largely
because of diminished quickness and inexperience at
quarterback But the combination of the T with the
split set also led to too many complications in the
offense That inevitably led to many Duck mistakes
"We want to limit the complications of the offense
so that we can execute more effectively," Brooks says
"This (year's offense) will not be an offense with
multiple characteristics."
Musical quarterbacks
But the need for a versatile quarterback bears
itself out in the fact that Oregon 's quarterback must
not only be quick to the corner, but aiso must have a
good arm Because of injuries to Lusk and to his
replacements, Oregon was forced to play not the best
quarterback, but the most healthy one And knowing
exactly who that was from week to week involved little
more than a guessing game
Because of this and other complications, passing
at Oregon also took a turn for the worse in 1981
In 1980, Oregon quarterbacks Ogburn and Lusk
completed 145 of 255 passes for 1,830 yards and 12
touchdowns In 1981, the Duck quarterback entourage
completed 154 of 280 passes for 1,561 yards and only
six touchdowns Last year the Ducks were intercepted
15 times, compared to only nine times in 1980
Probably the greatest evidence for Oregon's poor
showing at quarterback can be found in the virtues of
having one quarterback for the season and several
backups In 1980, Ogburn demonstrated advantage in
this by leading the Ducks to victory in all but one game
he played in Lusk was called on during the year when
Ogburn was unable to play and the sophomore
quarterback performed admirably
Lusk gained the starting nod in spring drills last
year before his injury cast doubts on his role in the
1981 season Obviously, the season was not what he
had hoped it would be
Additional injuries during the season left the
quarterback wishing for a spot in the limelight until the
final game of the season. Freshman quarterbacks Mike
Jorgensen and Mike Owens battled with the ailing
pre-season favorite tor playing time Before long, all
three signal-callers had gone down at some point with
an injury
The long ttiln line
But probably the greatest example of where the
Ducks need to improve this year is the offensive line
Oregon went the entire season without half of the
people who figured to start on the offensive line in
1981 When potential all-Pac-10 center Mike Delegato
went out with a broken foot midway through the
season, the week-to-week starting assignments on the
line became anybody’s guess
Additional mid-season injuries, combined with
inexperience and just plain poor execution on the line
meant that Oregon would not be pushing anyone
around in the trenches The Ducks' straight-ahead
attack, therefore became null and void
Injuries that hampered the Oregon offensive line
last year included: early injuries to Stuart Yatsko and
Scott Sheperd and mid-season injuries to Rick Price,
Brian Castle, Gary Zimmerman, and others
This year, Oregon made moves in the line that they
hoped would greatly enhance the team's running
game Ed Stringer, a 6-6, 260-pound junior college
transfer has been shining the brightest of the three JC
transfers to enroll at Oregon, but overall it will be
members from last year's beleagured line that will be
battling for starting roles come September
Bad forecast
Aside from the injuries, the change in styles, the
complicated system — there could be a much simpler
answer Maybe the Ducks were just not as good as
people thought they were
Gone from the team were Ogburn, Vince
Goldsmith, Jamey Mathews, Scott Setterlund, Bryan
Hinkle, Mike Babb. Mike Nolan and Rick Schwartz.
Add the loss of those standouts to the inexperience
and difficult circumstances faced by the team and you
end up with a frustrating season.
In addition, the Ducks carved out two straight
winning seasons with the help of emotion. That
intangible can turn a mediocre club into a good one.
All the pre-season excitement from last year
leaves an aching echo in the cold wind at Autzen
Stadium this spring
But Lusk says that all that can have its positive
effect on a team when it comes back to face a spring
of miserable weather
“We’re making a lot of improvement in practices,”
the Oregon quarterback says. "We've had a lot of
setbacks — and we're not going to make any promises
— but I think the team is better as a result of it all.
“You can't help but have a bit of the memories
from last year in the back of your mind, but you learn
from your mistakes — you learn to overcome
adversity ”
It s easy for people to dwell on the past, and if the
Ducks are to do that, its better to focus on the bright
things of an otherwise dreary season, Lusk says.
“Its nice to look back to the Oregon State game
and say, 'Hey, see what we can do when we play
together as a team?' ”
Oregon coaches are finding out now just who can
play
“There have been a few changes,” Lusk says,
"and it takes a little longer for the offense to work well
together, but if we get the support from the big guys up
front (offensive linemen), everything should fall in
place.”
If not, they could always wait for better weather
next spring
University of Oregon
SUMMER SESSION, YES!
June 21 — August 13
Four Good Reasons:
(1) The classes are
smaller!
(2) The weather is
nicer!
(3) The people are
friendlier!
(4) The price is right!
Compare Costs
SPRING TERM
Undergraduate
12 credits—$413.00
Graduate
9 credits—$600.00
SUMMER TERM
Undergraduate
12 credits—$352.50
Graduate
9 credits—$544.50
For information call the University of Oregon Continuation
Center (686-3475) or stop by 333 Oregon Hall.
From head
to toe!
Nike Eugene has all your sports needs.
ML.
^EUGENE
10th & Olive
IN THE ATRIUM
_£mu
Cultural Forum prc»cots a
Dance-Concert
with Scotland's
PM •
SILLY WIZARD
An exciting We nd of traditional Scottish and progressive original mosic
Thursday. April 29
8pm EMU Ballroom
$3 JO U.O. Students ** J0 General Public
I afro .voUhk .1 the f Ml Mon O-k on conpa. OK, the Bn, * S.II Crete, a, -toI It .tlh in Kng.ne
Could You Pay
Your Medical Bills?
Are You: Yes No
1. Over 23 years old CD ED
2. Not a full time student CD CD
3. Not covered under any health insurance CD CD
4. Not satisfied with your present coverage CD CD
If yes to any question we have alternatives io meet
the special needs of students and faculty.
pHFIKITRS
E££I & company
1247 Willamette Suite 10
€ugene, Oregon 97401
(503) 687-8665
CALL 687-8665
Quotes bq Phone