■ SPORTS EXTRA FOOTBALL
Kris Henry
Qmgan Omty trmtata
Same men .in* txim to battle
in the tranche* of the foot
ball field These unknown
warriors pave the way for
others to shine and pro
vide the foundation for
offensive productivity. These rugg»*d
men come to be known as offensive
lineman
Omm has rat y< fed and restrui
tuned the roles of these individuals
more than any other f’ai ifit ■ 10 team
this season.
The Oregon Ducks’ offensive line
began the year much-maligned
bm a use of inexperience and ques
tions about their overall ability
I hem were concerns on whether the
offensive line < ould step up and
prove itself against some of the
nation's roughest defenses that
reside in the I’.u If)
III tfl games this m .isoiI, the thicks
have started 10 different plovers in
schemes and get physically pre
[wmd to ward off defenders.
" nn*rt! ao* no superstars in this
group." said Hardin. the Ducks
senior right tn< kle who started the
first five games before succumbing
to an ankle injury “(The offensive
line) is just a hard-working group "
Getting exposure for Oregon's
young offensive line is something
that will pay big dividends for the
Ducks in the future. The group has
already paid off for Oregon this \e,ir
in terms of supplying a fairly deep
crop of lineman that can answer the
t all to duty.
“We're still not playing to
where we need to all the time,"
Great wood said, “but overall I've
been pleased with the development
of a lot of young players I fool very
comfortable putting any number of
combinations in there "
However, play from the offen
sive line this season has iieen incon
sistent because of the recycling of
Mnmii swparato coinnination* I jvo
of the linemen have started at two
positions tins season — Willv Rife,
Krit Kmd. Paul VVi^ms, l a-o Mali*
' . I 1'*. ’
Willy Rile has been one of the keys on the offensive
line, starting in alMO games
flit PHOTO
The offensive line has held its own this season and
has been a driving force behind the team's success.
M*vt*ri)i players lino til memos
‘Wove had Kami's where wo
just knocked people off the ball and
we've had games where things just
pent and nob Baldwin Injuries have
forced tins rvstnu luring of responsibilities and kept those
I li.irt 1 Iiv;-*)i«> On-gun olten .iw luu-depth , b .rts loro
Other litinman to see at lion this vear havn boon Stove
Hardin Mark Gregg. Have ('.unroll. Kilo Strait. David
WeU>r and Mu h.iol Klows
VVe started with four guys who just didn't have much
i ollege playing exponent o." said Baldwin, a sophomore
who has seen tune at itulh guard positions "It took a while
(or us to got things going and work well as a group ”
Ail llu* lino up shifts and now fat os stem to have paid
off ns the Oregon offensive line has begun putting togeth
er punishing attat is on recent opponents
“I knew lha! tl was going to take some time for the line
to gel," offensive line coach Sieve Great wood said, "but
1 was confident that this was a fairly athletic, competitive
anti hard working group."
The Oregon offensive line has barely begun to cut its
teeth on football at the college level with contributions
coming from five sophomores, two mdshirt freshmen, one
junior, one true freshman and only two seniors.
Typically, a starting college offensive lineman is a junior
or senior since it takes a while to learn the blocking
didn't go the way we wanted." Bald
win said. "But 1 would say that Oregon's offensive line is
going to be a force for years to cotne because we're so
young and getting a lot of exposure."
The chemistry of the offensive line has come from the
togetherness and appret iation of each team member.
1 his is the closest I've ever fmeii to my teammates in
all the seasons that I've been (at Oregon).'' said Malepeai.
a sophomore who has seen playing time at right guard
and right tai kle "My freshman year, I was never really
close to anybody other than my brothers and my fresh
Turn to OFFENSE. Page /B
The Cult Of Personality
Chris Metz
<>«0un IWy immata
At f>-foot*2. 236 pounds, light
end josh Wilcox isn't the biggest
front-line member of the ()regon
offense But if you were to mea
sure lus heart and determina
tion, |>ound-for-pound he might
he the strongest guv on any
body's playing field, literally
leaving a trail of blood, sweat
and tears a mile long on the field
Of battle.
In his sophomore year.
Wilcox has emerged as a quali
ty tight end that not only fills
the pass tati hmg void left by
the desertion of former tight
end Willy Tate, but he also
brings added blocking skills
that complement an already
solid offensive line
has great game* when he
doesn't even catch a pass."
Dragon head coach Rich
Brooks said. "He's doing a ter
rific joh of bloi king this year.
That's a real different»• tor us at
the tight end position "
Wilcox has t aught 18 passes
this season and leads the team
in yards per catch (15.3). Hr
has also grabbed five touch
down passes Despite his sut
t.ess this season. the
never satisfied Wilcox strives
to keep improving his game
and eliminating any mistakes,
no matter how big or small,
constantly putting pressure on
himself to perform.
"I'm my own worst critic.”
I don’t want to be
just an average Joe
Blow' guy I want to
be Josh Wilcox.
— Josh Wilcox
(t^hi mi
Wilcox said "After a game. I'll
remember everything I did bail
I'm never satisfied with my
performance."
The intensity that Wilcox
brings to the football field is
simply a physical manifesta
tion of his off-the-field person
ality, Wilcox describes himself
•is a bit "off the wall" and
believes that football is a log:
ial outlet for his unique way of
thinking
“It's a two-wav street,''
Wilcox said "You either really
know me or you think 'This
guy's a Hm ko ' And the people
that do know me -.till know I'm
a wacko,
“1 don't want to he just an
average *|oe Blow' guy "
Wilcox said I want to make a
name for myself I think mak
ing a name for y ourself conies
from your play, and personali
ty comes afterward."
Making a name for himself
hasn't been easy for Wilcox
Coming from a family rich in
football tradition, Wilcox has
always full he's had something
to prove, especially in high
school.
Dave Wilcox, josh's father,
played in the NFL for a det-ade
with the San Francisco 4'tors,
and hi* brother Justin is a
standout high school athlete,
following in Josh's footsteps at
Junction City High S< bool
While in high school. Josh
scored tl touchdowns offen
sively and added three more
off interceptions as a two-way
standout his senior season
Hut since his arrival at Ore
gon, Wilcox has been able to
showcase not only his football
talents, but his individuality as
well.
"I'm just not your average
small town boy, Wilcox Mid
“I just like to go out and screw
around and Ik* myself, I used to
get tense and wound up l just
need to relax, and I think part
of relaxing is letting n.v per
sonality just flow "
"In high school, I a!wavs had
a reputation to live up to 1
want to be Josh Wih ox. I don't
want to bii Dave's son or j
Justin's brother ”
Being Josh WiU ox is a veri
table wonderland of interesting
and sometimes odd idiosyn
crasies. Tattoos, he.iv .ftal and
aspirations of one day taking the
ring in a professional wrestling
Turn to WILCOX. Page 6B
H ;• ►"HOTO
light end Josh Wilcox has not only showcased his f* : talents
at Oregon, but also his unique personality.