Quarterbacks live up to hype
In a game of unfulfilled
expectations, Akili Smith and
Cade McNown prove they are
Heisman Trophy worthy
By Rob Moseley
Oregon Daily Emerald
PASADENA, Calif. — The pregame
hype leading up to Oregon’s 41-38
overtime loss to No. 2 UCLA on Satur
day had numerous subplots.
The Bruins entered the game ranked
second in the nation and the Ducks
11th, but neither team played to even a
top-25 level
Oregon and UCLA were second and
third, respectively, in the nation in
scoring, but neither helped its average,
even with overtime. The thought of 100
points and 1,000 yards crossed peo
ple’s minds, but neither happened.
But if any aspect of the pregame pro
paganda did manifest itself, it was the
battle between the two Heisman Tro
phy candidates at quarterback, Akili
Smith and Cade McNown,
UCLA’s McNown had 395 yards, his
fourth-best total ever, and three touch
downs on 20-of-36 passing, including
two interceptions. Smith was just 15
of-37 for 221 with one interception, but
he had three touchdowns through the
air and one on the ground.
Although McNown’s numbers ap
pear better, the Oregon defense was
unanimous in its support of Smith.
"Akili’s an overall better quarter
back,” safety Michael Fletcher said.
"He’s one of the best competitors I’ve
ever played with. He’s better athletical
ly, stronger arm, everything. He fires
guys up out there, and you want to play
with a guy like that.”
Smith’s leadership skills were never
more evident than on scoring drives
that ended the first and second halves.
With Oregon down 24-7 after Saul
Patu’s interception with less than a
minute left in the first half, Smith took
the Ducks 70 yards on eight plays, cul
minating with a two-yard keeper for a
score.
Then, with the Ducks down 38-31
and 2:36 remaining in the game, Smith
marched them 65 yards on 11 plays
with only one timeout. Oregon tied the
game at 38-38 on a two-yard pass from
Smith to Damon Griffin with 22 sec
onds remaining.
“He was just being Akili,” Griffin
said. “He was poised, in the zone. Me
SMITH
and Tony just said no
matter what, we’ve
got to make plays for
Akili. We didn’t have
much time, so we had
to go out there and
make plays, and we
did.”
McNown, too,
earned his share of
praise from the
Ducks.
"He’s a good athlete and a great im
proviser," Fletcher said. “He’s a great
play-action guy. He’s a mix between
Boomer Esiason and Steve Young.”
McNown did not seem concerned
with his two interceptions, saying both
were out of his control.
“The first interception was a little
screen, and when we hit that screen it’s
pretty tight every time,” the senior from
West Linn said. “They kind of spied
there — they just sat there and didn’t
rush. If I could have it back 1 would like
to have put it in the ground. You try
and find those windows, but the guy
just looked up at the right time. The
second one bounced off a guy’s hands,
and there’s really nothing you can do
but just go back out on the sidelines
and regroup.”
Hood
Continued from Page 11
to march up and down the field against the
Bruins speaks volumes to how far this
team, and indeed this program, has come.
The three-point, overtime loss dropped
Oregon to No. 12 in the Associated Press
Top 25 Poll, yet Oregon still finds itself in
very select company. Its offense is clearly
as overpowering as any in the country. Its
defense plays well enough to contain a
high-powered opponent in even the most
hostile environment. And it believes, justi
fiably, that it can go toe-to-toe with any
team in the country.
The mood around the campus bar scene
late Saturday night was a somber one. It
seems people can't help but ask the ques
tions: What if Oregon had not given UCLA
so many easy scoring chances in the first
quarter? What if Oregon had not fumbled
on its opening drive?
These are fair questions to ask. Had Ore
gon not beaten itself so unmercifully
through out this game, it most certainly
would have beaten the Bruins. That’s what
has made this loss so hard to swallow. And
that’s what keeps our collective student
body doubled over as if we’ve all sustained
a swift kick to the stomach.
This feeling will go away in time. It had
better, because there is still a long road
ahead for the Ducks. Oregon faces four
perennial bowl contenders in its next four
weeks and will likely be favored the rest of
the way. That’s unfamiliar water for the
Ducks, who have been able to use the un
derdog role to their advantage for much of
their program's history.
If this indeed is a team of destiny, if this
is indeed the best Oregon team in history,
we’ll find out in the next few weeks.
One thing is for certain: Oregon came
within a couple of turnovers Saturday of
giving the Eugene Police Department and
this city a real riot to worry about.
Joel Hood is the sports editor for the Emerald.
He can he reached via e-mail at hood@glad
stone. uoregon.edu.
Injury
Continued from Page 11
Cooper is third on the team in rushing with
103 this season, with 13 of those yards com
ing agaifist the Bruins. Latimer had three
yards on four carries Saturday, while Brown
has yet to play this seasons due to a left an
kle injury.
“It’s a lot like when Peter Sirmon went
down. It’s going to take more than one play
er to step into his place,” Bellotti said. “This
is something our entire team is going to have
to make up for."
Droughns is the second Oregon tailback to
suffer a season-ending injury this season.
Freshman Herman Ho-Ching strained the
posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee
against San Jose State on Sept 19. Ho-Ching
This is something our entire
team is going to have to make up
for. U
Mike Bellotti
1)0 head coach
was expected to miss a minimum of six
weeks at the time of the injury, setting the
table for a possible post-season return.
In other injury news, left tackle Marco
Aguirre did suffer a partial tear of the medi
al collateral ligament in his left knee. He is
expected to miss just four games.
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