Oregon Doily
Emerald S[
/u
Molden looks to prove
that he’s finally back
By Steve Mims
Oregon 0*<y frv&atei
Alex Molden says he has
something to prove next year,
and he's spent the off-season
putting himself in a position to
do it
It's been almost lfi months
since Molden suffered a major
knee injury during the Ducks'
Independence Bowl defeat at the
end of the 1992 season Since
that game, there have Ixmmi times
when Molden thought ho was
back m the shape that made him
an impact newcomer for the
Ducks during his freshman year,
but it never happened Now he
says it has.
"I'm feeling real good, the
strength is back 100 percent, "
Molden said. “After working out
over winter term, my speed kept
picking up and I started gaining
more confidence I realized that
I was faster than I was during
the season I feel like I'm better
than 1 was when I was healthy
Molden has already run the
gamut of emotions in only two
years of playing cornerbat k for
Oregon The 5-foot-10 junior
from Colorado Springs, Colo
burst onto the scene for the
Ducks two years ago as a red
shirt freshman, intercepting four
passes before suffering the knee
injury in the Independence
Bowl
By his own admission, Mold
en wasn't lot) percent healthy
when he elected to come back at
the start of lust season, and his
performance showed it. lust one
year after being a fan favorite,
Molden w as taking the brunt of
the criticism leveled at the
defense.
"I personally feel I have some
thing to prove because 1 took a
lot of criticism.’’ Molden said. “I
thought I was healthy but I
wasn't. I tried to say (the injury)
didn’t bother me. but it did I
finally mentioned that ufter the
season. I didn't have the speed
to make up for some mistakes I
made."
Thu Oregon defense wus given
mast of the blame for the Dunks'
30 point-collapse and subse
quent 42 41 loss at C alifornia, a
loss that started 1993s downfall
The defense also took shots for
the Ducks three-game losing
streak at the end of the season,
including losses to Arizona and
Stanford in which they gave up
31 and 38 points, respectively
The Ducks' defense endured
a serii*s of injuries, one of the rea
sons the unit gave up more than
4.000 points and 250 points for
the first time since 1986, and
fonawl only turnovers, the low
est total in head coach Rich
Brooks’ tenure.
"One thing I was always pret
ty proud of about our team and
in particular the defense is that
we played hard and played with
great effort arid emotion, "
Brooks said last week !
thought we lost some of that last
year We re going to make a big
push to get that har k to where it
needs to be "
Now that Molden has the phys
ii .il part Ivu k to full strength, he
says he w ill tn>gin working on the
mental side
"I've let! by actions not words,"
Molden said "Now it's time to
step it up and lie more vocal This
is a good time to do it. during
spring "
Molden is now preparing for a
1004 season in which he will he
one of the veterans of a young
secondarv. particularly at cor
nerback A major factor that
i ould determine the Dm ks' sue
( ess next year is the health of
Molden's partner on the comer,
senior Hennan O'BeiTy. who was
injured in the Ducks' season
opening win at Colorado State
last year
O'Berrv and Molden were
expected to be one of the top cor
nu rha< k duos in the conferem e
last year, but obviouslv injuries
ended tiiat possibility O'Berry
will be limited during spring,
although Brooks holds out hope
that lie < nn participate in some
contact drills near the end of
workouts
"Herman will not be 100 per
cent this spring, but we do
believe he’ll he 100 percent by
fall," Brooks said. "Alex is 100
percent We saw them out there
for 1 1 games two years ago, and
they were pretty spectacular "
Molden is also ex< ited about
the possible return of his soi -
ondarv mate.
"I'm pumped up about it "
Molden said "(Herman) won't In
out there right away, but having
him on the other side will help
me out I can t wait until we re
both lined up. It s going to be
excellent."
II anything positive can !>e tak
on from the Ducks' Vf> season of
a year ago. it’s that all the injuries
gave some of the younger players
in tfie secondary to gain valuable
experience. The Ducks enter
spring with 11 lettermen in the
secondary, including four cor
nerbai ks who have started at
least two games
"Now whatever happens, I'm
going to feel confident." Moldon
said Whether it s Isaac (Walk
er). I.amont (Woods). Korinie
(Gipson), everyone, a lot of play
ers got time on the comers. That's
going to make us lietter ”
Molden hopes the return of
talent alongside him as well as
the speed that left him. will
mean the return of the player ho
knows he can be
"Now I have the speed back,
and I really have something to
prove." Molden said "1 want to
get bock out there ami play lie!
ter than I ever played before."
on.
(please)
Help our successful recycling
program on campus by putting
the Oregon Dally Emerald back
in its original rack when
you’ve finished reading It. This
will allow another person to read it and/or be easily
picked up for recycling. _
Alex Mo I den Is now
preparing tor a 1994
season In which he
will be one of the vet
erans of a young sec
ondary, particularly at
*<u quarterback
1
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