Continued from Pay 9D
when he became coach to
employ an option attack on of
fense. reasoning that his
chances of wresting a pro-type
prospect from the pass-happy
California schools were slim In
1979 Reggie Ogtnirn burst on
the scene and made it seem like
a very wise move.
Ogtmrn guided the Ducks to
their first back-to-back winning
seasons in lti years. |M>sting a
f>-5 mark in 1979 and a fi-3-2
record in 19R0. It was the (rest of
times for Oregon football, but
brooks was still frustrated in his
efforts to turn the corner.
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That frustration was perhaps
best indicated when the Ducks
hosted USC on Oct. IB. Two ap
parent touchdowns were
disallowed by the officials, who
gave the- Troians a controversial
touchdown ruling, and Oregon
was forced to settle for a 7-7 tie.
"We still should have beaten
them." lirooks said as he tap
ped on the telephone receiver.
Still, the Ducks were ft-2-2,
and only a road vic tory over
Arizona Stale stood between
Oregon and postseason play.
The subsequent 42-37 defeat
was particularly disappointing
to lirooks
Those teams were, according
to brooks, “the best l‘ve had in
terms of balance between of
fense and defense. It was a fun
two years because we were
competitive.”
Perhaps it was the pressure to
retain that competitiveness that
Ic’d to the problems that surfac
ed in 1‘tHl, when the Duc ks
found themselves on NCAA
probation and ineligible for
imstseasun play A range of
violations from players using
WATS telephone lines to the
discovery of a slush fund
resulted in Oregon losing five
scholarships for five years and
being meligble for television or
bowl games for three.
"I don't know if you ever per- -
sonally get over something like
that," he said, his fingers again
moving towards the telephone.
“The step from being a 2-0
program to becalming a 500 one
Is diffic ult, and the next step is
even tougher,” lirooks noted.
"We had built the program up
to a c ertain level and then got
whacked We fell tack down
and just now are getting tack to
where we were in '79 and '80 as
a viable foottall team."
In retrospect, the punishment
levied against Oregon seems
harsh to Brooks, particularly in
light of recent revelations at
Southern Methodist University
and other national powers. The
impai t was immediate, as the
thicks skidded to marks of 2-9
and 2-8-1 in 1981 and 1982.
respectively.
In 198:i change seemed in
order, and Brooks brought in
Bob Toledo to coach the
quarterbacks in the new pro set.
One of the players who
benefited from the change was a
lightly recruited freshman
quarterback named f’.hris
Miller, who started the last two
games that season after Mike
Jorgenson sufferer! a broken leg.
Miller "was inconsistent,
which you expocl from a young
quarterback. But the talent was
there, and the level of ability
could he seen, lie Just had to
put it together, and obviously
be did.” Brooks said.
With Miller at the helm, and a
supporting cast that included
NFL products Tony Cherry and
taw Barnes, the Ducks found an
offense But they gave up points
as quickly as they scored them,
beginning a trend which con
tinues to this day.
After a 4-8-1 record in 198.1.
the Ducks jumped out quickly
in 1984. winning their first four
games. After giving up 50 and
44 points to Washington State
and Arizona State, respectively,
Oregon wound up just 0-5.
A number of factors con
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*Vm just a dumb old coach who will pro
bably get fired and die a coach. I have no
plans to do anything but coach. ’
— Rich Brooks
tributed to the Ducks defensive
demise. Brooks believes. In
juries. recruiting gambles that
didn't pan out. and a change in
offensive philosophy around
the Pac-10 all had an effect.
“The level of talent dropped
just a little bit at the same time
the other teams in the league
opened up their offenses."
Brooks recalled. "Southern Cal
and Washington used to line up
and pound you. but you could
hold on and match up with
quickness. When they opened
up it put more pressure on our
defense Then you're thin and if
you get hurt you really have to
scramble." Brooks said.
That scramble continues.
Miller has moved on. leaving
back-to-back 5-6 seasons in his
wake. Brooks looks forward to
the day when the schedule does
no! include two nonconference
games a year with national
powerhouses but makes no ex
cuses. saying if Oregon wants to
he a good team it has to win
those games.
"We’re playing too many of
what I call 'athletic director
games.' They are lucrative.
They help pay the bills. They
don't help you win games or go
to bowls."
The Oregon mentor denies
aspirations to move off the
sidelines to an athletic director
ship or another administrative
position.
"I'm just a dumb old coach
who will probably get fired and
die a coach. I have no plans to
do anything but coach."
Defense
Continued from Page 9D
ed a lineman for a linebacker.
“We ll have more speed and
more mobility. The disadvan
tage ia going to be having one
less big guy on the line."
Going into the Ducks fall
camp, the throe starting defen
sive linemen are expec ted to be
Matt Brock and l)evin Fitz
Patrick on the ends, and Putzier
at nose tackle, with Chris
Izmpold as Putzier's backup
Brooks said that Putzier may see
time at one of the end spots.
Senior Tom Talbot and
sophomore Mark Kearns arc;
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staled to start at the two inside
linebacker slots, with juniors
Scott Kozak and Mike Blakey on
the outside.
Brooks is also high on
linebacker Scott Whitney, who
played at Ventura Community
College in California.
"The key players will be the
three down linemen — I’utzier,
Brock, and FitzPatrick. And
hopefully we'll have David
Cusano back," Brooks said
Cusano is recovering from knee
surgery
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