MATHEW STlFFLER/EmerakJ
The Oregon offensive line has met many expectations set for them this season. The line’s protection of its quarterbacks has been the best among Pac-10 schools this year.
The Offensive Lines Last Dance
After jour years together, four of
Oregon’s five starting offensive
linemen will play in their last
home game on Saturday
By Chris Hansen
Sports Reporter
Even before the start of the season, Ore
gon head coach Mike Bellotti was touting
his starting offensive line as the strength and
stability of his offense.
And who could blame him? After all, the
line had all five starters returning, including
four seniors.
But early on in the season, Oregon had
problems establishing and sustaining a run
ning game, guard Willy Rife went down for
the year with a knee injury and the Ducks
then found themselves in the midst of a five
game losing streak. Suddenly, Oregon’s of
fensive line looked like a group of under
achievers.
Then, last Saturday against Arizona, tail
back Saladin McCullough ran for 223 yards
and five touchdowns, and quarterbacks
Tony Graziani and Ryan Perry-Smith had all
the time in the world to throw the ball. Just
like that, the offensive line was once again
being praised for its greatness.
But if you were to ask any of the lineman,
they would say they have played pretty con
sistently all season, and the great games by
McCullough and the quarterbacks last Sat
urday just complemented the solid game
that they played.
“People say we haven’t been able to run
the ball well, but it is not because we
haven’t wanted to,” left tackle Paul Wiggins
claimed. “It just seems we have been in
many situations where we have to give up
the run because we need a quicker way to
get into the game.”
True, the Ducks’ poor play on defense has
put the offense in die position of having to
come from way behind many times this sea
son. This has led to Fa pass-dominated of
fense. But even then the line has played ex
ceptionally, leading the conference in
fewest sacks allowed while also leading the
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conference in passes attempted.
“They have performed up to all expecta
tions that I had, for the most part,” assistant
head and offensive line coach Neal Zoum
boukos said. “They have protected the quar
terback extremely well in all the games. I am
very pleased with what they have done.”
What they have done is show what a
group of guys who have played together for
four years can do when they become one co
hesive unit.
“The experience of playing with each oth
er for four years really helps our game,”
right guard Tasi Malepeai said.
“We were all on the scout team together
and moved up at roughly the same time,”
center Mark Gregg said. "That has helped us
to gel and come together. We’re so in tune
with each other that we always know what
the other is doing and what each others’ ten
dencies are.”
Even though they are all together as a
unit, each player brings something different,
a characteristic of his own, to the line.
Wiggins: The most athletic of the group
and definitely the strongest.
“We nicknamed him the Tower of Pow
er’ because he is the muscle of the group,”
Gregg said.
“This young man obviously has a future
playing on Sundays,” Zoumboukos said.
Malepeai: At 6-foot-2, 340 pounds, he is
the largest on the line. He has deceptive
quickness for a person his size and is also
very agile.
“He is one of the better guards around,”
Wiggins said. “He can do it all out there. It
is amazing to watch him.”
Gregg: Not as physically imposing as the
other lineman, but makes up for it in intelli
gence. Along with Malepeai, Gregg is
known for talking on the field.
“It is like having another coach out there
on the field,” Zoumboukos said.
“He is the ultimate competitor out there,”
Wiggins said. “He is a brawler.”
Baldwin: Speedy, athletic and motivated.
Stepped in for the injured Rife and has done
well.
Turn to OFFENSE, Page 7B
_ MARK McTYR E/Emerald
Oregon s often eh/e lineman Tael Malepeal uses his size and deceptive quickness to protect
the quarterback and open running lanes for the running backs.