Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 8, 1996)
■ Emerald ONE TO WATCH TB Saladin McCullough is finally living out his dream of playing Div. I football HOMECOMING WEEKEND Mike Bellotti and Jerry Allen, among others, will take part in the festivities SPORTS EXTRA Novembers, 1996 Playing for Respect The end of the season means very little and a whole lot at the same time for the Ducks I have to admit that before I decided to come to Oregon to go to school, I nev er knew the school had a football team. And then I came here and that first year, the Ducks went to the Rose Bowl. While I stood inside the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on January 2,1995,1 decided I made the right choice to come to Oregon. The following year, I was giving myself a OPINION Andrea Deftuig bigger pat on the back tor being a Duck when the team went to the Cotton Bowl. So what if we lost both bowl games? The sea sons were still exciting ones. But this season is a whole new story. When Arizona comes into town this weekend, mere is very nme on me line. Respect, pride, a winning record — but little else. At least that’s what some people believe. Remember two seasons ago when the Ducks were 5-3 overall going into the game against the Wildcats? Oregon had just beat Washington at home and was riding an emotional wave. Gang Green was in prime form against Arizona, and the Ducks won 10-9 en route to a 9-4 season and a Rose Bowl bid. Last season the game in Tucson was just as critical. Oregon had two losses in the Pa cific-10 Conference and could ill afford an other if it wanted to go to another New Year’s Day bowl game. The Ducks came away from the game with a 17-13 victory and were flying to Dallas less than two months later. And now? A bowl game is out of the question, a winning conference record is out of the question, an exciting game this weekend is out of the question. Or is it? There are more than 40 Ducks who will hit the field this weekend and play like there is no tomorrow. These athletes have made it through spring drills, fall two-a days and practices in the cold and rain of early evening throughout the season. They are not about to roll over and die because the record says their season is a loss. Turn to DeYOUNG, Page 8B MARK McTYRE/ Emerald Senior cornerback LaMont Woods celebrates an interception against Nevada during Ore gon’s three-game winning streak earlier this year. The Ducks, especially the seniors, hope to begin another winning streak that will continue throughout the rest of the season. ■ GAME PREVIEW: The Oregon football team has found ways to beat Arizona the past two years By Ryan Halvorsen Sports Reporter Being winless in the Pacific-10 Confer ence with three games remaining in the league schedule is something new to the Ducks of recent years. Still, it has been an im possible accomplishment for the Oregon football teams of the last 20 years to have three winning seasons in a row, and it will be a big accomplishment if the Ducks can pull it out this season. After the Ducks’ 33-14 loss to the Huskies two weeks ago, head coach Mike Bellotti guaranteed that his team --— wuuiu win umii icisi three games. No dis respect was meant toward their oppo nents, Bellotti said. His statement was more along the lines of motivation for the team. “It was more a challenge, and 1 think the kids ral lied to that,” Bellotti said. “The main message is that we cannot make mis takes and help other people win. We’ve got to play good, hard football. If we do that and elimi nate mistakes on our OREGON VS. ARIZONA ■ KICKOFF: 1 p.m. Autzen Stadium ■ TV: None ■ RADIO: KUGN590 AM ■ REPLAY: Fox Sports Northwest, Nov.11,7 p.m. jjaii men i utjiitjvc that we can win every game we play.” This weekend, when the Ducks face Ari zona, their hopes of a winning season will be on the line against a Wildcat team that is looking for revenge after the Ducks ended their hopes of getting to a bowl game last year in Tucson. Oregon has had Arizona’s num ber for the past couple of years, beating the Wildcats at Autzen 10-9 in 1994 and then grabbing a 17-13 win last year. But, the two teams have very different looks this year, and this is especially evident in Oregon’s de fense. Bellotti hasn’t seen his defensive team get much better as the season has progressed. “I don't think that we are where we should be,” Bellotti said. “I haven’t seen a marked improvement yet. 1 think that we got better in practice last week in basic fundamental un Turn to PREVIEW, Page 3B Key Player Facing a blitz-happy Arizona defense that also plays well against the run, Tasi Malepeai and the rest of the Oregon offensive linemen will have to step up to the task of protecting the quarterback and opening holes for the -4 running backs. „ '% W - YARDS ALLOWED PlifiJIifi University of Arizona University of Oregon Rushing Passing Rushing Passing ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 20 1. Florida 8-0 2. Ohio State 8-0 3. Florida State 7-0 4. Arizona State 9-0 5. Nebraska 7-1 6. Tennessee 6-1 7. Colorado 7-1 8. North Carolina 7-1 9. Michigan 7-1 10. Alabama 7-1 11. LSU 7-1 i 12. BYU 9-1 | 13. Kansas State 7-1 14. Penn State 8-2 15. Virginia 6-2 16. Wyoming 9-0 17. Notre Dame 5-2 \ 18. Northwestern 7-2 19. Washington 6-2 20. Southern Miss. 8-1
