1.
ATHI.HTH!
UCLA Bruins
■ 1997 Record:
10-2 overall, 7-1 Pac
10; beat Texas A&M 29-23 in the Cotton Bowl
■ Head Coach: Bob Toledo, third year (15-8)
■ Returning Starters: Offense 7, Defense 4,
Punter/Kicker
■ Player to watch: QB Cade McNown
■ Outlook: Nine points separated UCLA from
an unbeaten record last season,
Season-opening losses at Washington State
(37-34) and Tennessee (30-24) were all that
kept the Bruins from battling for a possible
national title.
This season, UCLA plans to more than
make up for those nine
points.
Senior quarterback
Cade McNown, who set
a single-season confer
ence record and led
the nation in passing
efficiency at 168.6,
is being hyped as
a Heisman Tro
phy candidate.
McNown, who
graduated
from West
Linn High
School, n
would oe tne
Pac-lO's first
winner since
Marcus Allen in 1981.
However, if the Bruins are
going to score more than 40
points per game again, like
they did in 1997, they need to
replace big-play threats Skip
Hicks and Jim Farmer on offense.
Senior tight end Mike Grieb, ju
nior wideout Danny Farmer and
sophomore wide receiver Brian Poli
Dixon, who is being compared to
UCLA-alumus, J.J. Stokes, will be Me
iNown s primary targets.
For the Bruins to produce a 1,000-yard |
rusher for the fifth straight season, sopho- 1
more Jermaine Lewis, junior Keith Brown ^
or freshman DeShaun Foster will have to
ignite at tailback.
The offensive line is solid with three
starters returning led by 6-foot-9 junior tack
le Kris Farris. Second-team All-American
Larry Atkins, a senior free safety, will lead
the defense and have opposing receivers
thinking twice about crossing the middle.
Outside linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo
will seek and destroy opponents from side
line to sideline. There will be two new
starters on the defensive line and three new
comers in the linebacking corps, but the sol
id secondary, which also includes two re
turning starting cornerbacks, and the depth
infused by the No. 1-ranked recruiting class
in the country should make up
for any shortcomings.
2.
Arizona State
Sun Devils
■ 1997 Record: 9-3 overall, 6-2 Pac-10; beat
Iowa 17-7 in the Sun Bowl
■ HeadCoach: Bruce Snyder, seventh year (41-27)
■ Returning Starters: Offense 9, Defense 4
■ Player to watch: TB/WR/KR/S J.R. Redmond
H Outlook: In the inaugural season of the
Bowl Championship Series, the Fiesta Bowl
will host the national championship game at
Sun Devil Stadium. With that in mind, Ari
zona State was dreaming of celebrating the
new year in style, wrapping up a perfect sea
son on its home turf.
But in came Washington in the team’s first
game, and out went any national title aspira
tions. Brock Huard’s last-second, 63-yard
touchdown pass to Reggie Davis on
fourth down spurred the Huskies to
a 42-38 upset. In the process, Ari
zona State’s weakness — defense
| — was vividly exposed.
J| The Sun Devils boast some of
the country's best talent, but
most of it is on the offensive
side of the ball.
Junior tailback J.R. Redmond
will return kick offs, line up at
wide receiver, and even play
some safety in obvious passing
situations. He is a bona fide Heis
man Trophy candidate. His 159
all-purpose-yards per game last
season ranked him 12th in the
nation.
Quarterback Ryan Kealy
filled Jake Plummer’s shoes by
passing for 2,137 yards and 15
touchdowns as a redshirt
freshman in 1997. Kealy’s
four best receivers also re
turn, including preseason
all-conference perform
ers Lenzie Jackson and
Kendrick Bates. As
if that weren’t
enough, three
of the five
starting of
rensive line
men are back, in- ^
eluding center Grey <
Ruegamer, who is being
mentioned as a candidate
for the Outland and Lombardi awards.
The Sun Devils also have four proven
starters return on defense. Seniors Albrey
Battle (defensive tackle), Mitchell Freedman
(free safety), Larry Johnson (outside line
backer) and junior corner back Courtney
Jackson should hold their own. However,
the other seven spots aren’t such a sure
thing, as Washington showed on Sept. 5.
Arizona State could very well end the reg
ular season 10-1, if the defense can devise a
way to produce like last season’s, which
ranked third in the conference. Even with
out a solid defense, this team should
outscore most of its opponents. But with
games against Notre Dame at home, and Ore
gon and Arizona on the road, the Sun Devils
will need some semblance of a defense.
3.
Oregon Ducks
B1997 Record: 7-5 overall,
3-5 Pac-10; beat Air Force
41-13 in Las Vegas Bowl
m Head Coach: Mike Bellotti, fourth year (22-13)
■ Returning Starters: Offense 7, Defense 8, Punter
■ Player to watch: QB Akili Smith
■ Outlook: There is no denying that this
team is loaded, just ask Michigan State.
However, Oregon needs to prove it can win
close games and play consistent defense to
rise back into the top-tier bowl games.
Senior quarterback Akili Smith looks
primed for an outstanding season. With a
year in the system under his belt, he looks
confident and ready to showcase his great
athleticism. If Smith falters, senior Jason
Maas is ready, willing and able.
Replacing tailback Saladin McCullough,
wide receiver Pat Johnson and tight end
Blake Spence, who combined for 66-percent
of the Ducks’ total offense last season, will
be tough. But Oregon appears to have an
abundance of talent at the skill positions.
Wide outs Damon Griffin, a senior, and
Tony Hartley, a junior, should be a great tan
dem. Junior college transfer Reuben
Droughns shredded the Spartans vaunted
defense to solidify his claim to the starting
tailback slot. Senior tight end Jed Weaver
has impressed the coaching staff throughout
the spring and fall camps.
After ranking dead last in total defense
a year ago, the Ducks return eight starters
and hope to gel under new defensive coor
dinator Bob Foster. Junior middle line
backer Peter Sirmon, who led the Pac-10
with 115 tackles in 1997, will be the glue.
Cornerbacks Rashad Bauman and Eric Ed
wards look ready to make life miserable
for opposing receivers, like stars Kenny
Wheaton and Alex Molden before them.
The key to how much improvement the
defense makes will be the defensive line,
in both stopping the run and getting to the
quarterback.
Oregon could either be very good or
very mediocre this season. A key three
game stretch at Arizona and then in Eu
gene against Washington and Arizona
State will probably determine the Ducks’
fate. From a dedicated summer of work
outs, to brand-new facilities, to the season
opening Spartan smashing, all signs are
pointing up.
PREVIEW
UCLA is expected to rule,
but don’t count out Washington
or the Ducks in the title chase
4.
Washington
Huskies
11997 Record: 8-4 over
all, 5-3 Fac-10; beat Michigan State 51-23 in
the Aloha Bowl
■Head Coach: Jim Lambright, sixth year (38-19-1)
■ Returning Starters: Offense 5, Defense 6,
Punter, Kicker
■ Player to watch: QB Brock Huard
■ Outlook: Washington had 10 players select
ed in last spring's NFL Draft, the most of any
team in the country. With those players, the
Huskies were supposed to compete for the
national title last season, but faltered amid
injuries and a three-game losing streak to
end the regular season.
But Washington’s most important player
— junior quarterback Brock Huard — is
back. Huard dropped to seventh in the coun
try in passing efficiency a year ago even fol
lowing a five-interception debacle against
Washington State. But he looks ready to re
turn to stardom after throwing for 318 yards
and four touchdowns against Arizona State
in the season opener.
Tailback Rashan Shehee’s graduation
leaves the Huskies thin at tailback with ju
nior Maurice Shaw and senior Jason Harris
expected to carry the load.
Former walk-on wide receiver Dane Look
er and senior tight end Reggie Davis will
catch their share of Huard’s spirals, as both
had more than 100 yards receiving in the
opener. Sophomore wideout and kick re
turner Ja’Warren Hooker has Olympic-cal
iber speed but separated his shoulder
against the Sun Devils. The offensive line
lost two underclassmen to the draft but re
turns three starters and should be steady as
usual.
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12E Oregon Daily Emerald - Sports Monday, September 21, 1998
Junior linebackers Lester Towns and Mar
ques Hairston will lead the defense.
The secondary returns three of four
starters, but the defensive line is a question
mark. Just how fast that line can form and
produce will be key.
The Dawgs will get an extremely tough ear
ly-season test at Nebraska on Sept. 26. After
that, the last four games — at Southern Cali
fornia, at Oregon, UCLA and at Washington
State, in that order — will be the most
rugged.
,5.
Arizona Wildcats
■ 1997 Record: 7-5 over
all, 5-3 Pac-10; beat New
Mexico 20-14 in the In
sight.com Bowl
■ Head Coach: Dick
Tomey, 12th year (72-51-4)
* Returning Starters: Offense 8, Defense 5,
Punter, Kicker
■ Player to watch: CB/KR Chris McAlister
■ Outlook: This is not your normal Tomey
led Arizona team.
If Wildcats’ fans think they’re watching
their familiar Desert Swarm squad in Tuscon
this season, they will most likely be suffering
from that infamous desert trick: — the mirage.
However, a multitude of weapons on of
fense has the Cats thinking big. Ranked No.
24 in the preseason Associated Press poll,
Arizona will try to outscore opponents after
tallying 27 points or more in eight of its last
nine games in 1997.
Keith Smith and Ortege Jenkins will likely
split time at quarterback. Smith was named a
Freshman All-American in 1996 before injur
ing his shoulder last season and losing his start
ing spot to Jenkins, who promptly threw for a
Pac-10-freshman record 19 touchdown passes.
In the Wildcats’ season-opening27-6 win at
Hawaii, Jenkins started and began two for eight,
so Smith relieved him and completed 17-of-22
passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns.
Whoever is calling the
signals will have a .
nanatui ot options.
Tailback Trung Cani
date averaged 100
rushing yards
per game in
1997, but he
missed
rnree games
and parts of
others with an
kle problems. He started
this season on the same
note, sitting out the Hawaii
game with a foot injury.
Not to worry, former Pa
rade All-American Leon
Callen and senior fullback
1
Keivin r,aron, tne insignt.com
Bowl MVP, are adequate replace
ments. Junior Dennis Northcutt,
who caught 58 passes last sea
son and is a preseason all
conference selection, leads the ™
receiving corps.
The offensive and defensive lines could be
the downfall of this team. Only three players
with college experience return on the offensive
line, and the defensive line lacks any dominat
ing players, something unusual for Tomey.
Linebacker Marcus Bell and McAlister
will lead the defense. McAlister is a two
time all-conference selection and capable of
scoring any time he touches the ball, just ask
the Rainbows. Ironically, McAlister returned
Arizona’s opening kick off of the season for
a touchdown, the season after Saladin Mc
Cullough did the same to the Wildcats.
If Arizona can establish dominance at
home, where it plays UCLA, Oregon and
Arizona State, it could run away with the
conference title. But that is unlikely to hap
pen. The Wildcats only scary road game
seems to be in Seattle (sorry, Oregon State),
where they will be chased by the Huskies.
6.
c
ft lift Southern California
Trojans
■ 1997 Record: 6-5 overall, 4-4
„ Pac-10
■ Head Coach: Paul Hackett, first year
* Returning Startors:Offense 7, Defense 8,
Kicker
■ Player to watch: LB Chris Claiborne
■ Outlook: All of Southern California’s losses
in 1997 came to teams ranked in the top 18
of the final Associated Press poll. But the
season was considered a disaster, as is any
season in which the Trojans fail to make a
bowl game.
With NFL-sawy Paul Hackett now in
charge, many returning starters and
some talented newcomers, USC fig
ures to be improved this season.
However, the plodding offense
|A will have to catch up to the
V dominating defense for the Tro
jans to revisit their glory days.
junior middle linebacker Chris Claiborne,
a first team All-Pac-10 selection in 1997,
will have a Butkus Award-like season. He
will be the playmaker in the new 4-3 forma
tion, which should suit his talents well as he
recorded 16 tackles for losses, six-and-a-half
sacks and 76 overall tackles last season. The
experienced secondary will be led by explo
sive cornerback Daylon McCutcheon. The
only question surrounding this unit is how
well the defensive line will develop.
The offense is another story. Ranked ninth
in the Pac-10 in total offense in 1997, USC
needs improvement. Sophomore Mike Van
Raaphorst will likely be pushed by freshman
phenom Carson Palmer at quarterback. A
talented group of receivers led by junior
R.Jay Soward and senior Billy Miller is the
strongest part of the Trojan offense.
But in order to open things up, USC must
establish a running game. Junior tailback
Chad Morton and the offensive line must
have breakout seasons.
The Trojans’ schedule is anything but for
giving, so they had better find some offense
fast. Their non-conference opponents in
clude Florida State (in Tallahassee, Fla., on
Sept. 26) and Notre Dame (Nov. 28). The
week after the Seminoles’ game, USC en
counters Arizona State. At the end of Octo
ber, the Trojans play at Oregon and host
Washington in consecutive weeks. Then, of
course, there is rival UCLA, who hosts the
Trojans on Nov. 2, and has beaten USC sev
en straight times.
7.
Washington State
Cougars
■ 1997 Record: 10-2 over
au, 7-1 i’ac-10; lost to
Michigan 21-16 in the Rose Bowl
■ Head Coach: Mike Price, 10th year (53-49)
■ Returning Starters: Offense 2, Defense 4,
Kicker
■ Player to watch: RB Kevin Brown
■ Outlook: Washington State has never made
it to back-to-back bowl games.
Unless this young, inexperienced Cougar
team matures quickly, that streak will proba
bly continue.
Turn to PREVIEW, Page14E
By Tim Pyle
Oregon Daily Emerald
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