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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 1992)
FEATURE Harris the little man making big plays for Oregon By Erick Studenicka Emerald Sports Reporter Few people on campus would deny that, at one time or anoth er. they had lived vicariously through Duck football and track star Ronnie Harris Who hasn't pictured them selves making a long punt return, as Harris did against UNLV this season, or anchoring a relay team to an upset victory, as Harris did against Washington State last spring? Everyone would love to do what Harris has done, but it must take an outstanding physical specimen, someone at least 6 foot-4 and 230 pounds, to be able to accomplish what Harris has done, right? Wrong. Weighing only 170 pounds anti standing 5-10, Harris' physical stature is surprisingly "ordinary If he is the star of .i football league, you would swear it must be the coed intramurals rather than the Pacific-10 Conference “If I'm standing among my football teammates, people will mistake me for the kicker," said Harris, a flanker who leads the team with his 10.7 yards per reception average. Although Harris has attracted most of his recognition from his football exploits, he has also been one of the track team's top sprint ers the past two seasons, record ing a 40.68 time in the 400 meters last spring. He will long be remembered ftv track fans as the runner who overtook Washing ton State's Michael Joubert in the homestretch after Joubert had taunted the Oregon crowd while running. "That race was definitely a track highlight; the response from everyone afterwards was great," a smiling Harris said "Months later, people are still coming up to congratulate me on that run " It is his blinding speed which separates Harris from the other 5 10, 170-pound “wanna be" col legiate athletes. "I was playing high school soc cer when the football coach hap pened to time my 40—yard dash time," Harris said "He talked me in to coming out to run some pat terns; otherwise. 1 still might be playing soccer.” Harris went to Valley Christian High School, a small, private school in San lose. Calif Being such a small team. Harris was asked to do it all His senior year, % he played wide receiver and tail back on offense, cornerback on defense, and was the team's punter and placekicker Despite scoring 12 touchdowns on 20 receptions his senior sea son, Harris wasn’t recruited by the Ducks until the Oregon coaches noticed him while watching game film of another recruit. "The Oregon coaches were watching film of a player on Men lo Prep, the prep school for Stan ford, and ended up recruiting me," Harris explained. Although a track star in high school, Harris' Oregon track career began nearly as quirky as his football recruitment. “A sprinter on the track team liecame injured, and my football teammate (and track decathlete) Mohammad Oliver told the coach I was pretty fast and might make a gtxxl replacement," Harris said "I went to practice for three days and found myself on the relay team against Nebraska the next weekend.’’ Harris said that he has no "favorite” sport. "Track is my 'individual' sport, and football is my 'team' sport When 1 made the run back against UNLV, it might seem like it was an individual effort, but there were 10 guys blocking for me.” Harris said. "Football is serious while track has been my a fun sport, just because I hail no high hopes or expectations when I began.” Harris had a chance to compete in the Olympic Trials last sum mer. but he decided to shorten his track season in order to do something more important — get married He was married to Ins wife, kris, June 13, and he said he doesn't miss the "nights out with the boys.” 'If anything, getting married has changed me for the tattler.” Harris said 'Being married hasn't hindered me in any way; it's Turn to HARRIS. Page 5B PtKXo e» >«* Pni« Ronnie Harm' speed and quickness have made the S-foot-10, 170 pound receiver an essential part of the Duck football team. RIVALRY Continued from Page 2B Washington fans know how big this game is for Oregon, but many approach it as just another game. Walker Leiser is a member of the Huskies’ cheer squad, and ho is used to seeing teams get riled up for games against his school. "Anybody who we play are saving, ‘We have got to beat Washington,’” be said "1 suspect there may be a little more inter est in this game for Oregon fans than for Washington fans " Another Washington student. Jennifer Meyers, said the close proximity of the two schools makes for muni of a friendly rival ry than anything else "I don’t think we look at Ore gon as a big rivalry." she said “We have other rivalries that are bigger because we're playing tougher teams. Most out-of-state students here are from Oregon, so it's more of a friendship con nection.” Chris Dykstra, a junior at Ore gon. said he isn't expecting the Ducks to win and thinks Wash Big crowd expected Oregon’s game Saturday against Washington is a complete sellout. The final tickets, in the form of standing mom admission, were sf !d ’ uesday. A crowd of 47.000-plus is expected for the Ducks show down with the No. 1-ranked Huskies, making it the largest crowd in Autzen Stadium histo ry. Oregon officials said the park ing lot at Autzen Stadium will open at 10:30 a.m., one hour earlier than normal, to accom modate the spectators ington isn't expecting anything different. "If we win. I'll crap my pants." he said. "I'm sure Washington has got to be thinking this is just going to be a walk in the park A walk in the park may be a lit tle extreme to describe how Washington funs and players feel when they travel to Autxen Sta ilium, but the fact remains that whenever these two teams meet, it always seems that Oregon has a lot more riding on a victory than do the Huskies Oregon sophomore Mark Sconyers thinks Saturday's game is a prime example of that fact 3X£XS333Zt} "Kuraya's has caught on. Twice in a row it . has earned mention in , NORTHWEST REST PLACES Bob Welch The Register-Guard [ KURAYA’S 1410 l*»«t It l K>. \Um IW. 4 H, fn *. V* i 10. 4 *0>** • 746-^1 J 'Eu/jint's floiotT Horn THE UNIVERSITY FLORIST ft* Bring In This Ad For ; FRFH * h > At 4 «X ( UN 41i Owrwn l .’ of O 2 1/4 Green Foliage Plant aw.. or '1.00 OFF any plant purchase Offer expire* No* 14 BRtMIff F-ASIFJt sava srrurass show t** 610 E. 13th at Patterson INDOOR It A VI S e'UAN l\\f MR' 485-3655 5* ’’Washington has nothing to gain by (mating us this weekend." hr said "We h.tvi' everything to gain hy (mating them Casanova said that because Washington has far surpassed Oregon as a national contender, the Dm ks always are in position to lie the spoiler for the Huskies "When you have a chance n knock off someone rated real high, there's morn inlnnsily in your play." ho said "Washing ton has established a pretty good tradition of winning When you're playing someone like that, you really want to knock them over WANTED!! 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