Continued from Page 3
more comfortable in a game. "
The key to being a good
punter. Brooks said, is to elimi
nate bad punts, and Thompson
has been successful at accom
plishing that.
Thompson’s worst game this
year was at home against Brig
ham Young, but he said the
wind was more to blame than
anything else.
"There was a lot of wind
during the BYU game.” he
said, “and l ended up kicking
seven of my eight punts into
the wind."
Thompson has set some pret
ty lofty goals for himself this
year, but he is on track to ac
complishing them
“My goal is to not have a sin
gle punt blocked this season."
Thompson said, "and to main
tain an average above 40
yards."
Blocked punts are something
that all punters, including
Thompson, dread.
"Every time I go back there."
Thompson said, "my first con
cern is to catch the hall and get
the punt off.”
lie tells horror stories of his
junior year in high school
when a blocked punt was a
common experience.
"My junior year, we had an
offensive line that averaged
about 155 pounds." Thompson
said. "The snaps were bounc
ing back to me and the other
team was all over me."
"I can remember one game in
which I had four punts
blocked," he added.
Thompson feels that the key
to avoiding a block this year
has centered around the long
snaps of Matt LaBounty.
“LaBounty has done a superb
job on long snaps this year.”
Thompson said. "1 haven't had
to move around very much to
get the ball.”
However, last weekend
against Washington, Thompson
did have to field a low snap
from I .a Bounty, but he recov
ered in time to get off a 46-yard
punt.
Despite his success as a punt
er. Thompson hopes to return
to placekicking someday. It is
something that both he and
Coach Brooks feel is a strong
possibility.
"It's very possible that he
could replace (Gregg) McCal
lum.” Brooks said, "because
he was a better placekicker
than he was a punter in high
school.”
Pac-10 Pigskin Prognostications
EOITOR S NOTE Predictions are based on anticipated point spread as determined by in
dividual voters A correct response is credited each time the lavored team arms by at least
the predicted margin The numbers loliowing each person s name represent that mdividu
ai's overall record These predictions are intended tor entertainment purposes only _
MU WSU IIW UCLA UA MM
at at *1 at at at
UO OSU Stae Cal USC i. Dame
A. Coaktla (13-11) UOetl WSUel U»e7 Catel USCel MaeA
P. Morgan (121?) U0e7 WSUel UWeU UCUe* USCe7 Mtaell
A. Weber (11-11) UOel OSU*7 Stae*2 Catel USCe« Met
M. Haas (13-11) UO e 3 0SUe3 UWe J Catel USCeJ Mae!
C Blair (13-11) UOel WSUel UWe7 Cate? USC el Mel
C. loueetl(IMt) UOe7 OSUeI UWel UCLAet USCe7 Mtael
E
STAFF
Editor: Ashley Conklin
Contributor*: M.irk Maker.
Jake Hern. Paul Morgan.
Robert Weber
Copy Editors: Chris
Houneff, Peter Cogswell
Graphics Editor: Sr.m Pus
ton
Photographers: lake Uerg.
Erie Evans, Mark Ylen
Ad Sales: Michael Cray
Production: Sandi Dallur,
)itn Finch, Jim Mason, Mi
chele Ross, Jennifer Smith,
Ingrid White and Todd
Williams.
Cover photo: Eric Castle
(Mark Ylen)
Continued from Page 8
high." he said.
But the Independence Bowl gave the sport Master another
not so fond memory. "Cold," he said referring to the sub
freezing Louisiana weather last December that he and part
ner Todd McKim were forced to endure,
"The most severe conditions I have ever been in. in any
situation. 1 got so cold, it hurt."
Allen believes, like most knowledgeable Duck fans, that
Oregon is destined for another bowl this year
"They are a great team, great coaches," he said
"The Voice of the Ducks” kioks on with eagerness at the
approaching men's basketball season Allen will broadcast
live from every Oregon hoops contest, both at home and on
the road.
"By the end of the basketball season it's been a long sea
son." he said. "You get a real appreciation for what athletes
have to go through That's a tough, tough thing, and a lot of
fans don’t realize it ”
He cited studying, missing class, and sleeping in a differ
ent bed as being particularly I ard on the players during mad
trips.
Allen himself doesn't necessarily care for the road either.
"I miss my family. I just don't travel well without them.”
he said.
Once Allen got into the radio business and the business of
being a Duck fan. be found that the combination has. in ef
fect. permitted him to live out his dream as the "Voice of
the Ducks".
"I would love to Iso at Oregon doing play-by-play until I
retire," he said "That would l>e an ideal situation."
•6
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