By Steve Mims
C'rgo'’ Da > emerg'd
When USC junior quarterback Rob Johnson
left El Toro High School in California in 1901.
he had to make the typo of choices most teen
agers only dream about.
Johnson declined an offer to play for the Min
nesota Twins, who drafted him in the 16th
round of the major longue draft ns a pitcher,
spurned college basketball recruiters who came
knocking after bis junior year and instead
packed his bags to ploy for the Trojans.
One look at Johnson's high school statistics
and it is easy to see why so many different
scouts and ret ruiters were after him Johnson
announced after his junior year that he wanted
to play football in college, thus turning away
college basketball recruiters who were salivat
ing over his 17.5-, 21 8- and 25-point per game
averages during his final three years on the
hardwood.
"After my junior year I said I wanted to play
football." Johnson said. "Before that some
schools, Stanford included, came to watch me
play basketball."
Would Johnson ever wander over to USC bas
ketball coach George Raveling's office to see if
he could still play?
"No way," he answered. "I don't have the
jumper anymore."
Johnson's baseball dreams took a little bit
longer than the basketball one to die. Johnson
ployed for the USC baseball team during the
spring of 1992 before electing to give that up
so he could concentrate on football.
Johnson always wanted to be a quarterback in
high school, but that dream had to wait until
Steve Stenstrom, the current Stanford quarter
back, graduated in 19H9.
While waiting for the quarterback job. John
son decided to play wide receiver All he did at
that position was catch 65 balls for 1,260 yards
and 12 touchdowns during his junior year in
1989. Recruiters came calling for him as a wide
receiver as well.
"I could have played wide receiver at some
college." Johnson said. "But 1 wanted to p I a y
quarterback I only played receiver because I
thought 1 could help the team there."
When Johnson finally got the opportunity to
play quarterback during his final season, he
completed lift.3 passes for 2.78H yards and 2')
touchdowns on his way to being named Soper
Prep first-team All-American.
Not had for a guy who wasn't even the best
quarterback in his family when he was grow -
ing up That honor went to his brother Bret,
who played for UCl.A and Mil higan State and
now quarterbacks the Toronto Argonauts of the
Canadian Football l eague Hob’s father. Boh.
was his high school football coach and the man
Johnson credits for making him the qiuirterhai k
he is today
"My dad has produced a lot of good quarter
backs," Johnson said "He has started a lot of
careers Bret has helped me keep a good atti
tude. lie sticks by me and helps me out
This season has been a breakthrough year for
Johnson, although his 1992 statistii s of 2. t 18
yards and 12 touchdown passes weren't bad.
either. This year Johnson has completed nearly
70 percent of his passes for 1.236 yards and 10
touchdowns, while having only two passes
picked off. He currently ranks third in the
Pacific-10 Conference and 14th in the country
in passing efficiency
Johnson credits new head < ouch John Robin
son's offensive system for his improvement.
"The offense is a lot belter this year." John
son said. "It is more of a pro-style offense Fast
year. I threw a lot down field, but this year we
have more of a controlled passing game Most
people think of < oach Robinson as a running
coach, but he know s the passing game as well "
Johnson's favorite target this year fins been
wide receiver Johnny Morton, who lias caught
Turn to JOHNSON. Page /B
Ducks like state schools, fear dogs
By Scott Simonson
NOTK: The Emerald does not
condone gambling of any sort.
The following are merely refer
ence points for use in discus
sion or in friendly wagers of
negligible sums, the winnings
from vvliu h would undoubted
ly lie donated to n favorite char
ity.
But if you were going to make
a bet about how the Ducks will
do tfiis weekend, there are a few
things you might like to know,
just call it a little friendly
advice:
• If Oregon beats CSC, don't
say you expected it. The Ducks
are 1-14-1 in their last l(i meet
ings with the Trojans The last
win against CSC came in 19H7.
• Don't take the Ducks over
both Washington and Washing
ton State. Oregon has only beat
en the Huskies and Cougars in
the same season five times in
the Inst 30 years. Oregon never
has defeated both opponents on
the road in the same season. (It's
a scheduling rarity for the
Ducks to play both schools in
Washington in the same year.)
• Flip a coin when the Ducks
face a Pacific-10 Conference
opponent. Oregon is 24-26 in its
last 50 conference contests.
• Don't pick the Ducks to win
more than five or less thun three
conference games. Oregon has
never had six conference wins
with Rich Brooks as head coach.
The Ducks have won less than
three Pac-10 games only once in
the past 10 years
• Just because they're nick
named the Ducks doesn't mean
they like the rain. From 1990 to
1992, Oregon had nine wins in
games where the conditions
were reported as overcast, part
ly cloudy, cloudy or rain. They
also had nine wins when !he
weather was sunny, portly
sunnv or clear,
• Home really is sweet home
Oregon is 23-H in their lost to
home games, compared with 1 1
17 in their last 30 contests away
from Autzen Stadium
• Oregon is great against
states The Ducks are 22H in
their past 30 meetings with Ore
gon State. Arizona Stale or simi
larly named state universities
Oregon is 13-17 in their last 30
meetings against universities
without "state" in their names
• Don't ignore the Mutual of
Omaha’s Wild kingdom theory
Oregon is 13-17 in its last 30
games against schools whose
mascots are bears, large dogs,
pretty hig cats or other animals
iTnnnnnw
higher than ducks on the food
chain Results were unavailable
fur Raines against teams with
wimpy nicknames like Rain
bow s and Cardinal
• Watch the rushing stats
Since 1 OHM. Oregon is 12-t in
games when the Dut ks rush for
at least 200 yards hi game (The
single loss t ame tinder excep
tional circumstances in 1901 to
an opponent from California
whose name need not he men
tioned I
In the same period of time.
Oregon is 2-7 when its oppo
nent accumulates at least 200
yards rushing in a game
• Don't he impressed by hig
Turn to STATS, Page 7B
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