Oregon daily emerald., October 17, 1997, Image 21

Emerald
Out of the
shadow
Blake Spence L
finally
Oregon’s c
marquee \
tight end
PAGE 2B
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1997
r
*VT*
An independent newspaper
Volume 99, Issue 33
INSIDE:
Column 2B
A rou nd the Pac-10 4B
Homecoming 5B
ODE Football Picks 8B
Oregon Ducks vs.
Utah Utes
atAutzen Stadium
The
Numbers
Pts.
Allowed
Oregon 31.7
Utah 18.3
PtS.
Scored
Oregon 29.3
Utah 26.8
Rushing
Defense
Oregon 154.8
Utah 115.3
Pass
Defense
Eff.
Oregon 143
Utah 105.7
Total
Defense
Oregon 438.7
Utah 314
Quotable
"Offensively, I’m
In a quandary
right now.
We've got no
push up front at
all. We don't
knock anyone off
the line, our
wide receivers
don't catch balls
they should, the
quarterbacks
don't execute.”
— Ron McBride,
Utah head coach
"There is no
letdown. Every
game is an
opportunity and
we have an
opportunity to
get better.”
— Mike Bel/otti,
Oregon
head coach
Key
Player
Peter
Sirmon
Pac-10’s leading
tackier will need
to play his usual
game against a
decent running
team
CHAD PATTESON/Emerald
Playing with emotion and intensity is the key for Michael Fletcher (1), Justin Wilcox (19), Tamoni Joiner
(23) and the rest of the Oregon defense as it looks to improve against a struggling Utah offense.
Ducks look to get back on track
A win over the Utes would give
Oregon a much-needed boost of
confidence and keep
diminishing howl hopes alive
By Chris Hansen
Assistant Sports Editor
Oregon catches a break in its schedule
when it faces nonconference Utah in Satur
day’s Homecoming game.
And it couldn’t have come at a better
time.
After three straight contests against na
tionally ranked Pacific-10 Conference
teams, the Ducks gladly welcome the re
prieve that the Utes should give them.
That’s not to say Oregon is taking this
game lightly.
“There will be no letdown,” Oregon head
coach Mike Bellotti said. “Every game is an
opportunity to get better. We played three
real tough, hard-fought, games, and we can’t
be discouraged by that."
Mired in a three-game losing streak, the
Ducks (3-3 overall, 1-3 Pac-10) need to win
this game for numerous reasons.
Let’s start with confidence. Coaches and
players can talk all they want about not los
ing faith in each other or in the system, but
after three close losses in row, it’s hard to
imagine that doubt hasn’t started to creep
in.
While it wouldn’t be against a top-tier
Pac-10 team, a win, particularly a blow-out,
against the 3-3 Utes would do Oregon a
world of good.
“If you win three and lose three, all games
after that are a must win,” Bellotti said, “We
need to get back on the winning track and
correct some things in our own backyard.”
With only five games remaining in the
season, and only one more at Autzen Stadi
um (Nov. 22 against Oregon State) Oregon
truly needs all the wins it can get if it hopes
to be playing in the postseason. Barring any
unforeseeable collapses from Washington
or Washington State, it’s safe to say the
Ducks have played their way out of the Rose
and Cotton bowls.
Bowl talk, though, is secondary. Right
now, the Ducks just need to improve on
both sides of the ball to even put themselves
in a position to win games.
The offense has moved the ball well the
last two games, but has struggled to put
Turn to DUCKS, Page 9B
Oregon
vs. Utah
■ Time:
1 p.m.
a: Where:
Autzen Stadium
®TV: none
H Radio:
590 AM
An up and
down season
for the Utes
Recent games indicate that
for every strength the Utah Utes
have comes a weakness
By Joel Hood
Sports Reporter
When Utah battles Oregon on Saturday
at Autzen Stadium, it will be a matchup of
two teams with identical 3-3 records, but
two very different styles of play.
While it has been Oregon’s offense that
has received the credit in the team’s three
wins this season,
Utah’s three victories
have come from a
pressuring defense
that has kept teams
out of the end zone.
The Utes rank near
the top of the Western
Athletic Conference,
and in the nation’s top
onc-third, in every
major defensive cate
gory.
However, as is the
Defense
■ What:
The UU defense
m Numbers:
The Utes rank
in the nation’s
top 33 in all
defensive
categories
except turnover
margin
case with teams in the |
WAC, Utah’s numbers
on both offense and defense may be inflat
ed. As Utah's 3-3 record would indicate, its
season has been a series of ups and downs.
On the up side...
The Utes held Louisville to just 15 yards
on 26 rushes in a 27-21 win at Kentucky ear
ly last month.
Utah controlled the line of scrimmage as
tailback Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala rushed for
143 yards in 26 carries, his ninth 100-yard
game of his career. Senior tailback Juan
Johnson scored two of Utah’s three touch
downs with rushes of one and two yards.
On the down side. ..
The Cardinals haven’t exactly been burn
ing up the turf since their Sept. 6 bout with
Utah. Louisville’s rushing attack ranks dead
last in the Division I-A football at 46.9 yards
per game.
Also, the bulk of Louisville’s offense
came through the air. Sophomore quarter
back Chris Redman threw for 324 yards as
the Cardinals nearly doubled Utah’s passing
output.
Louisville exposed another Utah weak
ness, special teams coverage. The Utes gave
up 93 yards in kick-off returns, and in the
weeks that followed, gave up 96 yards to
Texas Christian, 136 yards to UTEP and 101
yards to Southern Methodist.
Special teams statistics are important be
cause Oregon ranks sixth in the country
with 27.5 yards per kick-off return.
On the up side...
Utah’s offense has been efficient inside
the red zone this season. The Utes have
scored in 20 of 24 trips inside the 20-yard
line. On first and goal situations inside the
10-yard line, Utah is a perfect 12 of 12, with
10 touchdowns and two field goals.
A “big” reason why Utah has been able to
Turn to UTES, Page8B