SPORTS Defense picks up slack in win over New Mexico St. By Dave Charbonneau Emerald S[,x.v!s Reporter Oregon may have won S.iiar day’s game over lowly New Mexico State 2'l (i at Aut/en Stadium. Out from what the two teams were saving after the game, it sounded as if it were the other way around. Oregon couch Rich Brooks: "I'm not real pleased with the way we played New Mexico State Uriel>.u k t Steve Campbell: "This game was the first time all year that we played well'as a team Oregon coruerback Dai vie Smith: "We did not play as well as we are capable of phn mg” Niiw Mexico State quarter back Cody Ledbetter: "Today we played the best football we have played all year." New Mexico State moved the ball well for most of the game against the heavily favored But ks in a game that was much closer than the score indicated Oregon outgained the Aggies by only 27 yards in total of fense, had only three more first downs and threw for ■!.! yards less than New Mexico State "In some places, they out played us," Brooks said One thing is for sure: Ore gon's first victory in three games was nothing to get too ext ited about In fad, the (j.imi: If ft Ihf injurvriddled I »u; S'.-- in pretty bid shape Oregon addl'd quarterback O.i nny O'Neil and de If ini e end Matt I.aBountv to their hi ready weighty, injury list It is unknown how long either plus er vvill be out "We re a vers badls heat ... football team, said Hi k "and now we lose our starting iju.irterbai k and one ol our best defensive linemen O'Neil started and played lor the entire first half before lie mg taken out with a disloi ate I Ilium!) and Was replaced by Brett Salisbury to start the third •.quarter' O'Neil said he injured his hand early m the game tint kept quiet,about it "The injury happened on ei ther the first or second series o! the game, V" O'Neil said i didn't really say anything ex eept; to: Doug Alusgrave) until about two minutes before the 11nil when1 told the trainers The Dur k offense vs as not particularly effective under ei ther of tiie quarterbacks, and was, at times, downright stag nant. “Offensively, we sputtered, and sputtered anti sputtered,' Brooks said. They sputtered so much that Turn ' FOOTBALL Pag- * 1 Marcus Woods celebrates as James Hautista scores a touchdown on an interception return Oregon returns to win column but pays a heavy price By Jake Berg Emerald Sports Editor It was a game of returns and returners, the return of a smile and those who may not return. Oregon made a return to the win column Saturday, heating Now Mexico State 29-0 at Aut /on Stadium. The victory was Oregon's first in three games, but it was still no piece of art. "We gained a "W." and that's what we needed the most," Or egon Couch Kicii Brooks of his 3-2 team. “I'm not really pleased with our play, I'm pleased with our win Offen sively, we sputtered and sput tered and sputtered" And were it not for two big plays on defense, Oregon could have been in trouble James Bautista's 13-yard in tori option nil urn for u touch down in the lirst quarter and Darylc Smith's 0-1 yard mar atiion of an interception return to tile end zone put the Ducks up 21 :t curly in the second half Bautista's return got the hull rolling by giving Oregon its first score, and Smith's score halted an Aggies’ drive that could have brought New Mexico State within 1-110, had it scored a touchdown "If they had scored there, we re in lor a tight." Oregon de tensive coordinator Denny Schuler said "Interceptions tor touchdowns are tremendous momentum swings There's nothing better." Bautista lumbered up the near sideline and into the end zone after picking off 1’aul Rod rigue/.'s pass deilei lion, and Smith, after intercepting the ball on the Oregon (> yard line from Chad Cota's deflection, sprinted outside to the sideline with .1 group of Duck, blockers along for the rule Smith, playing in his first game siru e being suspended lor a week for unspecified disci plinary reasons, tell he wanted to do something positive lor the team Hut getting 'll yards was no easy chore "In the back of my mind. I was saving, 'Cut to the near sideline,'" Smith said "I tense to score less than the de fense," Schuler joked. No joking matter, though, is the possible loss ol two more starters to injury An epidemic of injuries has already plagued the Out k squad this season, hut Saturday the names uf whirling humped into (Oregon llnehuck it) Ernest Junes, but 1 kepi run ning and then there was mi one there Bautista did not run into unv ut tils teammates, but he did have to hurdle one before lining trickled in the end zone "Actually. I wish 1 would h a v e vv o n t uni a ti c h e d , ” Bautista saiil l-'ur from untouched was the Oregon offense, who was even outscored at one point by the 1 )u< k delen.se Wert it not li a Dob Brothers' two point con version on a I lad snap, the de fense would have out ..red tie offense "My theory is the rea-.on tii.it (Oregon offensive coordinate! Mike) liellolti Went for two n because- he didn't want tin- ot quarterback Danny O'Neil and defensive me) Mall I allounly were added In that 1:1 O' Noll’s dislocated thumb may ki;«• j» him out ■i ,sists along witli a tuamhigh M digs Stic also chipped in hair kills Washington Slate (lit at a 2/8 clip lor the match, despite heating Oregon State in a mar atlion live-game match the night Indore. "I was worried," Cougar (lum h Cindy I red rick said "We were pretty tired 1 W.e. glad to see they (the team) ( ame out pretty bred up Turn to VOLLEYBALL, Pago 11